The news & observer., 1905-08-04
BY EDWARD e. BRITTON.

Ellington, n. c., August 3.-As a
mighty giant in the field of life's ac
ton Harnett county stood revealed
today. The structure of its greater
self was revealed in all the lines of
strength which years go to make, and
never more nobly has its past stood
out in contradistinction to its resource
full present and in the promise of it's
glorious future.
The occasion was but the ground
work upon which this was built. The
foundation was made years ago and
by men whose names today shed the
lustre of splendid achievement upon
the county. In the present the solid
structure is seen as busy workmen
labor upon it, and the eye of pro-
phecy sees in the future the completed
edifice towering in strength and
beauty among, its sister counties OF
North Carolina.
Fifty years ago Harnett county was
begun not made. It's men and its
women have labored in season and out
OF season for its advancement. Slow
was this at first but the accumulated
energy of the years have in the recent
past rushed it forward at a terrific
perity and today it sees revealed that
to which ii may attain, clearly outlined
by the splendid progress which but
now has won the admiration of this
State.
Today its best citizenship gathered
at Ellington to mark the epoch. with
men and women of other counties they
gathered to make this fiftieth ami
versary of it's birth a significant day.
and best OF all it had among its guests
many sons who have wandered to
other boundaries. but who today came
back to the old mother to lay their tro-
phies at her feet, and to say to her:
Thank God l am of Harnett stock,
of that strain of men co-equal with
the best in the State, the best in the
world. and fit to be with the nobleSt.
How many thousands of people
were here today at this great semi
centennial celebration no man can
saw Five, six. seven, eight, nine, ten
thousand, who can say. Looking at
the vast crowds from the grand stand,
seeing them i'm the valley. on the hill
side, in the stand and on the benches,
noting them as they fitted here and
there. and knowing that Ellington
was filled to overfiowing six thousand
is conservative estimate. They came
from near and far. Harnett and all
it's surrounding counties sent their
citizenship. The old, the young. the
middle aged were here. The fash
ionable lady and her meeker sister
from the little home in the country,
the men in broadcloth and the men
i'm warm jeans. the professional man,
the emrchant, the mechanic and the
humblest tiller of the soil. The fash
ion plate of style had its needed an
tithesis in the homemade garment,
but despite all this there was here to-
CT.
every heart a river of intense and de-
voted love to Harnett county
Ellington itself was in gala attire,
a triumphal arch upon it's main street.
From it's elevation it looked down
upon scene of animation at the edge
on the town near the Cape Fear, where
in an age grown grove of oaks and
pines the festivities of the day took
place. Here was the pavilion with
its bunting brave and gay. here were
the thousands gathered to hear of the
significance of this event from elo-
quent and distinguished orators, here
was the great picnic dinner where
thousands were fed with abundance
left. Before day the stream of peo
pie began to arrive on foot, in car
riageS, on buggies, on. wagons, on
horseback and on FOOT Then came the
steam horse pulling coaches with
added guests. and as these dsem-
barked and started for the grounds,
the Third Regiment Band of Raleigh
giving the music the scene become
even more animated. Mounted mar
shals met the train and as the throng
moved on foot and in conveyances to
the meeting place the booths and
stands on every side. the vendors of
souvenirs of the day told that here was
indeed q great celebration.
Shortly after eleven o'clock the ex-
ercses began in the pavilion in the
grove. Within it there were crowds
of people and without thousands gath
cred. The scene was inspiring. Every
where We're people, within the pavil-
ion. on the seats about this, in ve-
hicIes in the road, on the hillside.
Above all gently stirred the branches
of the noble trees, which gave CRATE
full shade and shelter to the great
throng The band pealed forth it's
splendid music and then the people
heard told of the Harnett of old, the
Harnett of today and the Harnett of