The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-07-07
Midsummer Carnival Was In
Full Blast.
Industrial and Flower Parades
Seen BY thousands.
Fireworks In Evening Formed
a Fitting Close.
From Wednesdays Daily.

An account of the Fourth in Mankatc
There was little going on except the car
nival, and That reached its high tide yes
terday, both in point of interest and the
size of the crowd.
The Fourth opened under most inaus
picious circumstances, Rain fell al
Monday night, and it was not until the
city was astir that the raindrops ceas
ed to patter down monotonously. The
threatening clouds remained, scuddins
across the sky before brisk west wind
and no one knew how soon they would
scatter their drops again. Towards noon
the sun peeped out furtiely two OIL
three times, as though to see what was
going on, and finally in the afternoon
it plucked up courage, pushed aside the
cloud and shown out in resplendent
beauty the remainder of the day. This
breeze was cool and the indications
were such as usually point to settled
weather.
More of the merchants decorated their
stores in the morning, and many resi-
dences were tastefully decorated with
flags and bunting, and the city took on
a very patriotic air.
The din of giant crackers and canes
and the various forms of explosives be-
gan early in the morning and continu-
ed uninterruptedly throughout the day
and until late last night. There was an
awful racket, especially on Front street
where the crowd congregated thickly
There were the usual accidents of var
| ious kinds, as will be noticed in an
other column.
The shows did good business Monday
night, when there was large crowd on
the streets, but they did not open yester-
day until nearly noon, as it was deter
mined that they were not to open until
after the industrial parade. All of them
were well patronized during the after
noon and evening while vast crowds
watched the free shows that were given
at different places along Front street
The merry go-rounds were well filled.
| Thousands of strangers were in the
city yesterday. In the early morning the
carnival managers were discouraged
over the weather, but as the day clear
ed up and the people began to arrive and
fill the streets their spirits arose. The
various eating places had all that they
could attend to to care for the crowd
and the numerous booths where refresh
ments were served and where articles
| that attract the eyes of the young were
sold did good business.
The big event of yesterday forenoon
was the industrial parade. Owing to the
uncertainty of the weather at the hour
announced for it to start, $3.50 a. m.
it was delayed and did not get away un.
| til ii a. m. The streets were crowded
all along the line of march, the spec.
tators waiting patiently one to two
hours for it to pass.
While the industrial parade was not
a very long one, it was highly credit
able Marshal johnson and his aides
had it well in hand and could have cas-
lily handled one several times as long
Four bands were in line and helped out
wonderfully. The GAINESVILLE and Kaso
to bands arrived at the appointed times
and both proved themselves by theil
playing during the day to be first rate
The Minneapolis Journal band and tn,
Concordia band were the largest anC
divided the honors with the other bands
The parade was led by the Mankatt
fire department, the different hose cart,
and hook and ladder trucks being covered
with flags and bunting tastefully ar
ranged. The department made a very
creditable appearance upon this as upor
former occasions. Next came Company
| IL, III MIAMI uiiiiiihS, apparently leduS
for field service at moments notice
They marched like regulars, and showed
the effects of careful drilling.
The Minneapolis Journal Newsbays
band was next in line, with some forty
pieces. Then came several carriages rep
resenting the Daily and Weekly Free
Press. The occupants of the first car
riage were the heads of departments and
scattered advertising cards. The car.
rier boys filled the other carriages.
A large wagon load of flour, in sacks
piled high in pyramid form, represent
ed the Hubbard Milling Co. The choice
Superlative brand was conspicuous
Then came carriages representing the
Bienapf cigar factory and Phillips &
Stevens livery. The GAINESVILLE band
had its position at this point, and was
closely followed by Macbeth & Gardeners
big display, reprenesting the various de-
partmcnts of their meat and cold ster.