Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-09-07
Second Annual
Homecoming.

| The second annual homecoming
held last Sunday was decided success
in every particular and was partici-
pated in by thousands of people.
1t was an ideal day for the event,
just the kind that had been ordered
! from the weather man.
Trains on both the St. Paul and
Northwestern roads began to bring in
| crowds of visitors all day Saturday
while early Sunday morning the
country roads were crowded with the
vehicles OF those who were coming to
town to spend a day of pleasure in
Watertown, and help receive those
who were expected on the special
train from Milwaukee.
The city presented beautiful and
festive appearance. Along the line OF
march every building was decorated
with festoons, bunting and flags, while
the long strings of electric lights which
were placed across Main Street at diff
ferent points made striking effect
during the evening. To the committee
on decorations much credit is due for
their efforts in beautifying the city
so artistically, while the various busi-
ness houses showed their interest by
individual decorations, many of which
were handsome and striking.
The parade was formed shortly after
nine O'Clock, and marched to the ST.
Paul depot to receive the main body
of the home-comers, who arrived on
their special at ten o'clock. This
train carried over three hundred form
er Watertown people, including the
officers of the club: Fir nst A. Kehr,
president; Michael Laffy, president;
M. A. Blumenfeld secretary; William
E. Cheney, treasurer; and Frank j.
Toussaint, chief marshal. Former
Governor George w. Peck and Mayor
Rose were not present as they had
| hoped to be. The former did not par
ticipate because he had been made
democratic candidate for governor,
while Mayor Rose was absent on a
trip to Arizona. AID immense throng
Vas at the depot to welcome the home
corners, who had brought with them
Bach's military band.
The parade was then formed with
the Milwaukee band at It's head, fol-
lowed by members of the Watertown
| Club; then came the members of the
local committees composed of the fol-
lowing: James P. Holland, James w.
Moore, DR.. F. c.. Werner, Julius Wig
genhorn. Edward l.. Schempf, Harry
Beurhaus, Fred Weber, Oscar Vert
heimer and Aron Meade; next the city
officials in carriages, followed by the
Krieger verein, Sons Of Veterans firing
squad, Tivoli Island Band, Platt-
deutcher Verein, and the members of
the various unions. The line of march
was from the depot north on Fifth
street to Milwaukee street. west to
Washington street, north to Emmett,
west to church, north to West Main,
east to Fourth and south to Turner
Hall.
The procession then disbanded for
dinner and re-a assembled at one o'clock
for the march to Tivoli island. Thous-
ands of people followed the parade to
the picnic grounds. Here it was that
friends and former neighbors met, ex-
changed greetings and passed the after
noon in social pastime. The feeling
of good will and equality was manifest
everywhere. At two o'clock City At
torney Arthur Mulberger delivered a
short address of welcome to the visit
ors, in place of Mayor Herman Vert
heimer, who was unable to speak ow-
ing to a severe cold.
1--WE are glad to welcome you home
to Watertown,' he said, and we are
proud that this city has SO many loyal
sons and daughters, who, no matter
where they are, return to it once q
year to show their fealty."
1--WE are happy indeed to receive
such welcome to our home, responded
President Kehr for the club. "Oul
club is stronger by 800 than it wa.
last year, and it seems as if every city
in the United States were represented
by son or daughter of Watertowr
except Waupun and such places. Wa
tertown is the greatest home town il
the United States. For next year WE
have set the Homecoming day for The
first Sunday in August and you can be
gin now to prepare for it,.