Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-07-05
GOOD CELEBRATION
Large Crowd Visited the City on
independence Day--The Pro-
gram was Carried Out.

From the 100 guns at sunrise
until the going down of old sol
in the evening, the Fourth of
July was one grand, glorious
celebration. TIL US ID S O f.
people began to flock to the city
early in the morning, and the
high-roads leading to this city
from all directions were stream
ing the farmers and their families
into town from early morning.
until the program started.
The one feature of the entire
Gel bration that attracted the
most attention was the big
parade which started from the
west side about ten o'clock. We.
say big parade and justly, for
when the end of this parade was
disappearing around Baker on
to Eighth St. the band was. I'M
the front of the court house. In
fact the parade was all of one
mile. and possibly one and a
half miles in length. The value
of this street pagent, however,
was not in its length, but in the
beauty of the individual floats
and carriages that were deco
rated with flowers and ribbons.
1t would be an impossibility to
describe in detail these floats and
carriages, and there is really no
necessity for it because every
body seen them,-for everybody
was here yesterday.
The prizes awarded were as
follows: Mrs. Ed. Lynch, first
prize for flowral carriag &c;
Mullen children for pony carriage
and Oberbeck Bros. for industrial
float.
At the conclusion of the par
ade on the east side and while
the line halted in front of the
court house where the speakers
stand had been erected, Rev.
Fred Staff, the orator of the day
delivered stirring and excellent
Grafton. The court h GU e
grounds were crowded beyond
it's limit, and the orator was
liberaly applauded in his recount
of the events of history which
occasioned the celebration of
this day. The speaker was in
PRODUCED by George Nj. Hill who
acted as chairman, and the
usual program was carried out
at this place. Rev. Putnam
offered the opening prayer.
In the afternoon the scene of
excitement changed from down
town to the Old Fair grounds,
where the City team crossed
bats with the Marshfeld team.
In the first inning the Marshheld
boys made two runs, but they
were not allowed to score after
that, while the local team tailed
twelve times.
During the ball game the races
were being pulled off, and these
attracted the larger audience.
There was but one time during
the race that an accident was
threatened. This was during the
second heat in the free-tor-all,
when Snyder was thrown from
the sulky, and all the contes-
ants were brought to a full
stop. The heat was allowed,
however, and no one was hurt.
In the free-for-all trotting and
pacing race, there were six en-
tries: Arabella, Jr., Kelward,
Spider, Ella F., Rocky and Eva
| F. This was a hard race to
decide as to first place, Arabella
Jr. and Ella F. being so closely
matched that it was difficult for
the judges to decide. These two
horses ran a dead heat in the
fourth as the judges decided, and
were compelled to run it over.
The result was that Ella F.
took the race and first money
while Arabella Jr. took second
place and second money. The
winner of this race is owned by
Emmett Mccarthy, and Arabella
Jr. by DR.. Norton, both of this
city. The best time made was
during the dead heat between
the two winners, when the halt
mile, was covered in tel.
In the free4for-all running race
Montana Trouble owned by DIR.
Norton of this city won first
] money and the race, while
| Klondyke. and Kate tied for
second place. The owners OF
these two horses agreed to allow
a division of the money, owing
to the fact that McCarthy's
Kate had split her heel and could
1.----. I|11-1-l.