Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-07-07
1000 PEOPLE AT TOWNSHEND'S CELEBRATION
Beautiful Pageant Procession Of Decorated Floats and Carriages
Interesting Athletic Events Orderly Crowd and Enjoyable Time
for AI-$2OO for Gymnasium Fund.-

1t is all memory now,-Townshend'
Fourth Of July celebration. But It is a
memory which thrills with justifiable
pride the heart OF every loyal and patrio-
tic citizen Of the old town, present or past,
and that such is the fact is a source OF
satisfaction to the neighboring towns,
whose interests are Townshend's interests,
and to the hundreds Of visitors who came
from distance to join in concentrating
the nations birth and to share Town
shend's hospitality. From the inception
Of the plan to celebrate the anniversary
1t was realized that the one thing needed
above all others to make the occasion a
success was the presence of the benign
countenance of Old Sol, and that we had.
Indeed, the weather conditions could not
have been more suspicious. Add to this
the presence of a big crowd, and the
hearty cooperation OF all the people
and these we had also-and what more
could be wished?
1t was seen early that the attendance
would be large. From breakfast time
until well into the day teams kept coming
on all roads leading to the village, and by
the time the program began the park,
stores and all public places literally were
crowded. Conservative estimates OF good
Judges place the number present at 1000.
And be 1t said to the everlasting credit
Of the town, a more orderly Fourth Of
July crowd never assembled. Although
there was something doing in every hour
OF the "a, the special police officers, w. II.
Miles and Z. w. Phillips, had no in
Soxicated or intractable persons to deal
with. and they handled the crowd with
ease and good judgment.
The celebration has left some material
results, chief Of which is the addition
to the gymnasium fund OF Leland G.
Gray seminary. Dinner and supper were
served to big crowds in the town hall, the
proceeds of which, as we'll as the pro-
ceeds OF the concert in the evening, will
be added to the fund. Before the celebra-
ton the fund amounted to about 500.
The net receipts Of the Celebration, to be
turned over to the fund, were about 5000.
The plan Is to build a separate building
for a gymnasium when a sufficient amount
Of money has been raised.
The officials in charge of the different
features Of the occasion were as follows:
President Of the day, Rev. George H.
Baker; chairman of the parade committee,
DR.. Thomas Rice; chairman Of the concert
committee, DR.. f. l.. Osgood; chairman
of the dinner committee, r. N. Marsh;
chairman OF the field sports committee,
C. II. Evans. Special mention is due the
Grafton cornet band for the excellent
music furnished throughout the day.
Promptly at midnight the boys cut
loose, and from then until morning they
ran things with a free hand The SEM
mary bell, church bells, drum corps,
cannon crackers, revolvers, etc, made a
combination which filled ones waking
hours-and there were none but waking
hours-with patriotic sentiments and
thoughts of general satisfaction that this
is a free and independent country Morn
ing finally dawned, and after breakfast
people gathered at every vantage point
to witness the pageant which began the
official program.