The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-07-04
OLD TIME
CELEBRATIONS

- $1,000 ~AS- ~ -
many toasts as there were states in the
of the early Fourth of July celebrations
There was less noise . century ago han
Is usually the case today and absolutely
no overindulgence In fireworks, because
dD4ssones were so scare that their use was
practically restricted to the public gar
dens. These popular resorts. OF which
there were several in New YORK, Boston,
Philadelphia and other large cities. were
careful to announce, often weeks before
hand, the attractions prepared for the an
niversary day. Nearly every tswn and
village could point with pride to revolu-
these warriors who had contributed their
share toward making the declaration Of
independence mean something to the ocun-
try added to the deep personal interest IN
the day. Tho low for their young cOln-
try rang out true and clear In every ora
ton and after Mnne toast The follow
ing toast, given by the merchants OF New
York In 1875 at the Tontine coffee house.
Is but a sample Of many which the day
always called forth:
The suspicious day that rescued OUT
country from the hated yoke Of 1sreiSn
tyranny and gave US honofable rank
glorious events never be ofaoed from
memories; may the blessings It has con-
ferred be as lasting as the globe We In
free.
During thu carly years e( the last Gen.
fury the celebration In New Ysrk invaH-
ably opened WA . discharge o< cannon
from the Battery. A parade OF tho Int
panied by the leading societies Of the city.
in which TAmmany was always well rep
resented, marched through Broadway be-
low tho present city hall. Wall street ard
some OF HI other tho~rsughfares.
After a march of shout an heur b
paraders filed into st. Paul's or ssrne ether
prominent church, where the declaration
Of Independence was always read, fol-
lowed by an grafton.
In the evening every tavern and coffee
house had q. special Fourth OF July dinner.
This latter custom was universal. No
hamlet was SO small that 1t could not
gather Its company Of patriotic diners in
the village tavern, where their enthusiasm
was displayed in repeated protestations OF
loyalty to their country.
The residents OF Brooklyn 100 years ago
were not to be outdone by their friends In
the greater city across the river, as. ac-
cording to a newspaper account at the
time, the Fourth Of July, Do4, was cele-
brated In Brooklyn as follows.
Inc military OIL hlIlSS county assembled
at the town of Brooklyn to celebrate the
day. At sunrise a salute of seventeen
guns was fired. The uniform corps of the
troop of horse, republican rifiemen. Wash
ington fusileers and the Rising Sun COM
panies formed on Brooklyn Heights at 10
o'clock and marched through Sands street,
Main street, Front street, up old Ferry
street, to the parade ground.
Later In the day there were dinners in
the various taverns and the customary
toasts.
An account OF a celebration at Potts
grove. Montgomery county, Pa, is inter-
esting not only for the picture of rural
enjoyment, but as a sample of the Jour
n~alistc writing commonly seen in the
early newspapers:
Two fieldpieces, cheerfully served, sent
abroad in the forenoon the lofty report Of
both fun and. frolic by sixteen well timed
and successive discharges. Joy beamed on
every brow: the green valleys and distant
hills participated IN the gladness Of the
day by reverberating the magnificent and
far sent sounds of liberty and in%depend-
ence."
Mention is then made Of the dinner, with
its attendant speeches, and in concluding
the writer adds:
THE retired sun had just by this time
let in the gloomy shade of night, upon
which the company betook themselves to
the tavern OF James Kinkead, where they
enjoyed themselves with sprightly dance
and Toasted to a late hour upon song,
sentiment and rosy wine."-New York
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