The sun., 1903-02-24
CELEBRATION IN ALEXANDRIA,
WASHINGTON'S BIRT THDAf Oh
SERVED As NEVER BEFORE.
The sieepiest Of virginia cities Filled with
Invited Guests VINO We're LaNiSni!
Entertained Military and Civic Parade
Headed by the Governor and Stan'

Headed by tho Governor and stan
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20. 3.--Alexandria, the
| forgotten city OF Virginia, where George
Washington lived during the latter part o.
his life. sleepiest and LATEST Of Southern
towns and whose proverbial slowness IL q
stock joke for every vaudeville team that
visits Washington, awoke from its sllmbers
of many years to-day and INDUCED II
celebration Of the hist birthday OF
the Father Of His Country. There was 9
hot time In the old town to-day and hotter
one tonight
Although Alexandria lies on the Poto-
mac, only seven miles from Washington
and linked to il by an antiquated ferry line
and moder, trolley cars that run to Mount
Vernon, it possesses none Of the spirit OF
hurry and hustle that mark towns OF
1900 in the North the East or the West
Patriotism, however, is 50 thick in Alex
andra it can be cut with a knife.
But to-day Washington was Alexandria s
guest. From early morning the limited
facilities of ferry and trolley were taxed
far beyond their capacity in Transporting
the thousands Of Washingtonians who had
received invitations to assist in celebrating
| Alexandrias gala day. The invitations
| themselves were expressive of the spri,
which had served to arouse the town from
Is wont"d lethargv They read as follows
| We are going to celebrate George Washing
| tons Birthday as IL will be celebrated no.
| whore else in the United States. We do not
| like to show M the lack Of patriotism in Ia GER
| and more important cities, but we must do il
| We want you 10 leave your pocketbook at
| home. as We will carry tho supply basket
! for the occasion. Come early and stay late
| Most of those who received the cordial
| invitation obeyed the injunc,ions to the
| letter Citizens from town and hamlet
and farm gathered in holiday appare.
visitors thronged the streets from early
| morning, and all the buildings on the princi-
| pal thoroughfares and many private resi-
dences were lavishly adorned in patriotic
| colOrs.
Gov. Montague and Lieut.. Gov. Willard,
| and their staff. arrived in the city shortly
after noon, and surrounded by holiday
crowd and precerled ard followed by
| local banis, were escorted to the home
| Of Corporation Attorney Boothe. where they
remained until time TO take their places
tho parade. The parade itself was tho mos,
pretcntious thing tha, has ever traversed
the streets of the historic town. and there
Ntit III lldfl nave
| marched through Alexandria since the days
of the Civil War.
The Governor and his staff rode at H.,
head Of the line, following Chief Marsha
Smith, and then came provisional bat
talon Of the Seventeen Virginia Regiment
comprising Companies from Rich mond
Frederichsb urg. Alexandria ard several
other Virginia cities; several companies
Of Ur!tsd States marines. batteries of coast
and field artillery. troops Of cavalry and
| bands Of field music, a battalion Of the the
District National Guard. ems Of Ger.
ieoerate veterans ana Spanish war veterans
Mayor simpson erd clty oftclals, the en-.
ire fe and p lice Il partn.ents anc
many uniformed civic bcCles.
Ot all the organizations in line the ole
Friendship Fire Company attracted III,
greatest amount of attention. In the ole
| days the organization, now enjoying re-
! tirement from active service and the ven
Grafton Of the citizens of Alexandria, was
! a most useful and nee, c,ssary part OF tn.
municipal economy The company was
organized in l770 as bucket brigade.
the members b ing provided with buckets
| in which to carry water for tn. ex,inc tio.
! Of fires and with gripsacks in which I,
! place articles preserved from the flames
| -Four yeaN, ! .t.r George Washington bought
the original engine OF the company il
ibll!t ana u u tIit tlN.
The engine wGs a feature Of to-day's parade,
decar,t q with Covers and drawn hv h nd
Alexandria doesn't look on Iarades ar
do the cities where big pageant, are more
frequent. OF all the througs that lined
the sidewalk to-day not one individual
looked tired or bored and every organza-
ton in line. both military and civic. received
continuous ovation from the time il first
stepped ont to the strains Of Dixie" to the
moment of its disbandnent.
And there was another point in to-dav's
celebration that other and larger cities
might do well to note for future reference.
When Alexandra invites IA city 10 be- it's
, gle-t, H.'I u nf.'"i Washington for 20 avs
celebration, II doesn't entertain the most
prominent Of the vi~iors and leave the
rest to look on for themselves. Sout hcri
hospitality provorbial and lavish. pre-
| vailed from morn TIL eve.
lne hr-t 4u-'tioII asked "A visitor was.
-Are you thir,tyy' and the second, stre
vou hungrv?' and whether the al swer Wa
Yes" or NO." the result in cit er cas.
was the same. Everybody that could h.
reached received a hlndshake and a rat
on the bacn ana was rUSl"i to one If IN,
| numerous places whsse r. -hments We're
served. After his bodily WATTS mad been
satisfied he was 'aken 10 point Of vantage
and told TO do as he pleased. And after
the hospitality" accorded him he generally
felt like cheering and waving his hat H.
the air
Inc route ol tne parade To-Day led the
organizations past the old City Hall, wherein
are the iodgorroms where a century age
Washington presided over the deliberations
Of the Masonic body Of which he was th,
| Lead. The old furniture and Mnsonic
'rappings OF that time are in use now, anG
the hall was thronGed al day vii h visitors
who took the opportunity Il viewing ia,
historic relics.
just across the street was the contra
headquarters of the committee Of enter
tainmont. tho spo' around which most OF
the interest centred. Men prominent IN
various walks Of l.fe in all parts Of he State
thronged the balcony and forlnality was
hanished 10 tho four winds of heaven
| Time and time again. ~ some tired looking
soldier or civilian marched past the head,
! quarters, ono of the committee would veil
from the bal'oiy. to some friends on the
sidewalk below: "Soe that man there
He looks tired. Bring him up" And a
delegation would sally out into tho street,
drag the man Indicated from the ranks
and rush him upstairs to he received by
enthusiastic members of the co,nm'tte,
of entertainment and surrounded by grin
ming negro waters bearing various good
things to eat and drink.
After the parade had passed, the commit
tee stopped designating single individuals
and stood out on the balcony in q BODY lonp
enough 10 yell. Everybody up and wave
their arms toward tho .tairwau E,.a,,