The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-07-02
OTHER 41Hs IN
BR00K|NGS
The Register Files Give Up
Stories of Celebrations
HELD IN THE DAYS OF LONG AGO
No Celebration Will Be Held
Here This Year

Brookings will not celebrate the
glorious Fourth this year, and those
of her citizens who do not spend the
day quietly at home or at the lake
will help out the crowds at our neigh
boring towns, with the probability that
most of them will go to Volga 1t was
first intended to have big Woodmen
picnic here on that day, but it was
decided to change to the 18th and 10th
so as to not interfere with the celebra-
ton at Volga and in other parts of
the county.
In looking over our old files for
the past eighteen years we find that
Brookings has had three big celebra-
tons, 1892, 1895 and 1906. Previous
to that there were a number of good
celebrations here, and the first year
the town was settled, in 1879, the pio.
neers observed the day in a most hap
py manner.
The Register of July 8, 1892 has the
following account of that years cele-
bration which was marred by an ac-
cident at the close Of the day.
The celebration at Brookings was
4 all that was anticipated. 4 large
n crowd from the surrounding country
assembled to participate and enjoy the
4 festivities of the occasion. and the
x weather was all that could be desired.
4 "Old SOl' was up nearly as early as
q the people and shone with unremitting
"a splendor the entire day. Everything
81 was nice and orderly and pleasant,
"a and bug juice was conspicuous by
its absence. The first thing was a
parade at ten o'clock. Headed by the
Kid band the procession marched
around several blocks to the opera
house, whore the crowd listened to an
able speech by Hon G. A. Mathews.
After dinner the crowd headed by the
band proceeded to the ball grounds,
where Watertown did up" Brookings
to the tune of II to 5. They then re-
paired to Main street where street
sports were held. Ed Budd, of Water
4 town. won the two hundred and one
hundred yard dashes and the bicycle
race and Will Steuerwald of Brook
lngs took second in the two foot races
After supper the fire department gave
ian exhibition on Main street which
was followed by fireworks. 1t was
here that calamity got in its work.
~ seems that in firing a rocket the
machine worked backward and in so
Qolng ignited the balance of the fire.
works. For time pandimonium was
et loose-freworks in every direction
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Men
Eeiled, children screamed and women
qalnted. Vine Norton with wonderful
Presence of mind, seized an oilcloth
4hreW it over the blaze and began
etamplng on it, which undoubtedly
revented a catastrophe of greater
proportions. After the din had sub
lded and the Internal machine got
Pnder control it was found that Tom
eynolds of Watertown had received
3he OF the rockets directly in the face
earing Off part of the nose and glanc
ng down had gone out through the
SIDE of the mouth. Little Verna
peetn was hit directly under the eye
he SUCK passing down and tearing
Rpen the left cheek. 1t was very for
$unate that the little girl did not
eceiVe the missile in the eye. A great
'ahy others were either bruised OF
urht' and we understand that Mrs
atterson's daughter was quite badly
art and that Mrs. Grant Davis fell
pu hurt her back. 1t is also reported
at farmers team became unman
seable and threw child out and kill
IT, 1t was a sad finale to a most
orious time, and it is to be generally
gretted."
orookings had it's first great bal
am IN 1895 and the feature of the
FNDration that year was a game be
cen Brookings and the then famous
a~ei Haymakers, which was won by
ookings by a score of 8 to 1. The
oohings team lined up as follows
tnat famous game: Bert Young
0rtStop; Bert Tree, right field; Opie
''ner' Bert Mathews, catcher; vii
e'h' second base; Charlie Gullick
"'er Held; Wilbur Rexford, third
Sc FRED Harvey, left field; vii
"s' nrst base. After this game
ooKings played the Flandreau In
NO ana Won again by score of
Bert Tree. then kid Wonder
,raed ra for Brookings.
ue parade in the morning was q
une AFFAIR corsisfino of n hicy