The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-07-06
The Fourth In Belfast.

The Usual Demonstrations "the Night Be-
fore." A Very Successful Parade. A Hot
Game Of Basket Ball. Big Crowd at the
Races.
The celebration of the "Gl0riOus Fourth
for the city dwellers at least, began
long before any time printed on the pro-
gram for the day. Young America had
been abroad in the land all night and those
who were oblivious during the evening of
the Sd to the fusilade of crackers of various
sizes, tOrpedoes, pistols, and the canes in
whose invention the Evil One must have
had good share, were aroused with a
start at a. m. that there were 'things do
ing" At exactly that hour the church bells
began their announcement that the Fourth
was not forgotten by the younger genera
tion, while their elders thought, with a
sigh for lost sleep and groan of sympathy
for tired muscles, that it would take more
than an anniversary to induce them to
spend a sleepless night with hard labor
added But everyone has had his turn
sometime, and helped with joy in his heart
and patriotism oozing with persperation
from every pore to make the night hdeOus
and the day test as to nerve strength.
/, Early in the morning the people began
coming in from the country, by carriages or
on foot, and later the incoming boats and
trains added their quotas to the growing
crowd. Whole families came in for the day,
and, stabling their horses, made their head
quarters on the lawn in the rear of the post
Office. Youthful swains and their "best
girls" resplendent in white gowns and
wonderful hats, consumed unlimited
amounts of peanuts and bananas Hot and
tired babies howled their remonstrance at
having to attend the festivities, while the
older children divided their attention be-
tween fire crackers and the stickiest
kind of candy obtainable. Only the ab-
sence of pink lemonade and ball0ns left any
thing to be desired. Quite promptly at 10
o'clock the procession began to form on High
street, near Main, and the small boys be-
gan to "chase the parade" along its route
down High street to Church, up Church to
Grove, up Grove to Congress, to Miller,
down Miller to Cedar, down Cedar to
Grove, to Church, up Church to High,
down High to Main, where the procession
disbanded. The parade was formed as fol-
lows:
| Marshal j. Ii. Stinson and policeman
| Frisbee on horseback.
The Belfast Band, Mark Crockett, leader,
| NJ. c. Murch, drum major.
The Improvement Society blackboard
decorated with red bunting, drawn by
three horses and occupied by twelve young
ladies who wore white gowns and hats of
red, white or blue.
| Decorated blackboard occupied by young
ladies in quaint old fashioned costumes.
and occupied by little girls dressed in white.
Carriage decorated in evergreen, flowers
| and flags, occupied by little boys.
Chariot decorated simply but very taste
| fully in the national cOlorS and occupied by
young ladies whose white caps made it
| plain that they were the "DaughterS of
| Liberty"
prettiy decorated private carriage.
Float from the American Telephone Com
! pany, decorated in red, white amt blue and
| with the familiar blue bell mace out of
| bunting prominent feature.
Carriage advertising Bro n. Royal
! Stomach King.
-Four horse float from the Duplex Roller
Bushing Company with wheels covered
with representation of the bushing and
elaborate decorations of their products COM
| bined with bunting.
Private carriage drawn by handsome
| black horse.
Elaborately decorated float bearing the
| legend "Two Vets" and occupied by Peter
| Welch and Samuel L. Sleeper in full fire
| mans uniform.
| Hydrant No. ?, decorated.
| Washington Hose Co., reel decorated IN
| national colors.
| Seaside Hose Company.
seals" Chemical wagon.
| Harry W. Simpson, in fantastic costume
on horseback.
| Fantastic float from the fire department.
Float by the Boot and Shoe Workers
| Union, representing "The Whole Dam Fam
ily;", co,
| Beef.
Buggy, arrayed in keeping with the old
| white mule which drew it.
Private carriage of carefully gotten up
| fantasies.
| Pair Of steers drawing a decorated cart
and driven by Melvin KnoWlton.
Miss Emerald Bradman, dressed in red,
white and blue, on horseback.
| Little boy in cowboy costume on horse
back.
| Then came the great feature of the parade,
a representation of the Northern Maine Sea-
port Railway.
J First came two directors in a top buggy !;
| then a dump cart filled with rubbish and
| laDoIl6u 'Iduu DdIDdSoS duOtueI uulup
cart labelled ''Stockton for Mine''; a cart
containing large cask labelled italian
Beer"
| Then followed an engine and tender, con-
structed with remarkable ingenuity. Smoke
poured from the stack, the bell rang, ,and the
fireman shoveled coal industriously. A pas
senger Car came next, with its passengers
and brakemen. The whole outfit was sue
cess, and its appearance enthusiastically
| greeted all along the route.
Float occupied by burlesque band, each
instrument playing different tune, and ac-
companied by a clown.
The committee on the parade awarded
prizes as follows: 1st, N. NJ. S. K. R. I; End,
Duplex Roller Bushing Co.; Sd, Improve
ment Society 4th Hook and Ladder.
| BASKET BALL.
After the parade was over, the crowd
gradually gravitated toward the common,
where place was being roped off for the
basket ball game. 1t was advertised to be-
gin at IL o'clock, but it was considerably
after that time when the Brooks men put in
their appearance. The Belfast High school
hovs had meanwhile hean working off their