Douglas Island news., 1903-07-08
An Alaska Celebration.

Island did their work we'll and are en- titled to praise. But whatever power controls the weather should also re- ceive congratulations, for the day was one of the most beautiful, and the eel ebration was as good as the day. Our friends in the States are too apt to come to the conclusion that anything that takes place in Alaska is on the rough and tumble order. They believe that large part of the population here consists of toughs and hoodlums. Several visitors were here, on the Fourth, who hail from the extreme east, where all the benefits of advanced civilization have been in operation for the last century or more. These visit ors were unanimious in saying that they never witnessed more orderly cele- bration.
 The program, as previously announc- ed in the News, was carried out as near as possible.
 The Marshal of the Day, A. Murray and his two aides, Tom Eaton & A. Rob- ertson, appeared on the Plaza at Tread we'll little after eight o'clock in the morning, where they were joined by number of citizens of both Douglas and Treadwell. At S:30 the procession started for Douglas City, the band playing patriotic airs. At St. Ann's Hospital halt was made while the band played, that the sick and crip- pied inmates might enjoy at least bit ofthe days pleasure,
 At the pleasure park,
 THE BALL GAME
 was called promptly at 9 o'clock. The teams showed up in fine condition and the excitement was already at fever heat when Treadwell went to bat in the first half of the first inning. Pitcher Merryfeld started in with considerable spirit and the Treadwell boys went down in l, ,, 3 order. This fact only served to increase the interest. But the Treadwell team, that had never be- fore been in game, went to pieces in the second half of the first and the Douglas team cut 13 big notches in their stick. This was positively sick ening, but it didn't last long for the Treadwell boys were only fooling, They did something that is always hard do, they redeemed a game that was lost in the first inning. The final score stood r to in favor of Douglas.
 THE LITERARY EXERCISES began at Il o'clock and consisted of music, the reading of the Declaration of Independence by John Noonan and an oration by Rev. Thomas Coyle, pastor of the Congregational church.
 Rev. Coyle is something of checha- co himself and expressed his pleasure at the perfectness of the arrangements, the beauty of the day and the orderi. ness of the crowd. His remarks were we'll received.
 An hour was taken for dinner after which the crowd was increased by a number of miners and other night workers who had slept all forenoon,and many of the housewives who had been too busy cooking dinner and dressing the children to attend at an earlier hour.
 Anyone who has the notion that Al askans turn~eut to celebrate the Fourth of July in anything but good togs, should have seen that crowd. We never saw so many we'll dressed women and children, and the men were not clad in woolen shirts, denim overalls and hob nailed boots-not by long shot. THE SPORTS
 occupied nearly all of the afternoon were enjoyed by crowd, variously estimated as anywhere from 150o to 2OOo people.
 The race for boys under 10 called out crowd of little fellows who struggled manfully to reach the goal. Waldo Kelly was declared the winner of the first prize and Claudio Penglase, second.
 The 16 year old boys made better time and the winners, John Penglase, 1st, and Irwin Warren, 2nd, had to hustle to keep ahead of the next best.
 The native boys were too lazy to do