The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1908-07-09
The Glorious Fourth
Continued from LIST page

Continued from LIST page)
the ridgepole and down on the side of
the building by the tracks. The
whole affair was very interesting and
provoked much laughter and merri-
ment among the spectators.
The hose coupling contests follow
ed, competed in by representatives
from the Union Hose, Hook & Ladder
and Steamer Companies. In this
competition, three so foot lengths OF
hose were coupled together and laid
across the square and into Court
street. Each company was repres-
ented by two men who were to see
how quickly they could uncouple and
couple again these three lengths, the
company whose men did the JOB IN
the least time to win the cash prize
offered by the committee. The re-
suit was as follows:
IRELAND Kincaid and Fred Holmes,
of Steamer Company, 68 seconds.
John Dugas and Selden Knight OF
Hook & Ladder Company, 67f
seconds.
Hiram Foot and Fred Hurley, of
Union Hose Company, 81f seconds.
Such contests make excellent prac-
tice for the men and secure the ut
most proficiency in rapid coupling of
hose. The time in the present con-
test seems marvelousely quick. The
time necessary for a good runner TO
make the distance of 300 feet, with
the required number of stops, would
be something like 25 seconds, and
this leaves but about eight seconds
for the coupling and uncoupling at
each joint.
THE MOTOR VEHICLE PARADE
Skowhegan has witnessed its first
parade of motor vehicles and the
event proved to be one of the most
interesting of the day. Its novelty
helped to make 1t attractive. Tour
ing cars and motorcycles are not SO
common but what the average man
will look up when the whir and slut
ter of gasoline engine is heard and
a parade of thirty to forty OF these
vehicles, something like half mile
long, made an intensely interesting
spectacle. Many of the cars were
deliberately decorated with flags and
red, white and blue bunting and the
most of them were fairly running
over with children of from two to
fifteen years, who waved flags and
reflected in their smiles the good
time that everybody was having.
The line of parade was a long one,
much longer than would be possible
for one of any other kind. The vehi-
Giles gathered at Coburn Park and
made the circuit of the town twice,
passing through portions of Water,
Court, Main, Bailey, Pine, West
Front, Elm, Pleasant and Maple
streets, and North, Madison, Island
and Coburn avenues. The value of
the vehicles in this parade must have
been at least $4,000. There were
about fifteen motorcycles. The names
of those having autos in line are as
follows Horace E. Reed. Clyde II.
Smith, Herbert Wentworth, G. j.
Abbey, Bin w. Page, Mrs. Edith s.
Shepherd, E. P. Viles, E. g. Wood
bury, DIR. H. G. Taggart, Almond F.
Sanford, DIR. L. A. Dascombe and DR..
w. s. Stinchfield all of Skowhegan,
DIR. w. F. Brown of Norridgewock,
Mrs. w. A. Hamilton of Taunton,
Mass. and G. w. True of Clinton, Me.
Bin w. Page and Professor d. H.
Perkins had the motor vehicle de-
partment of the celebration especially
in charge and under appointment
from them Fred G. Dow officiated as
marshall and H. G. Woodbury. as aide
de camp.
THE AFTERNOON PROGRAM
Things got busy at Fairview Park
Immediately after dinner. A good
proportion of the big crowd found its
way up Madison avenue, on foot, by
the trolley line, in carriages and not
few by motorcars and motorcycles.
They poured through the gateway in
steady stream from one to two
thirty and the ticket Office was fairly
deluged with business. The financial
and ticket department at the park
was in charge of Ernest G. Butler,
assisted by A. H. Lang, B. A. Sawyer,
j. w. Blunt, Ralph Hill, r. E. Jack
son, Isaac Pierce, Geo. Nash, Guy
Conant, Edgar Murphy, John Lewis
and Robert and VIM. Wildes. Some
idea of the work accomplished by
this force may be gained from the
fact that their calls for dimes and
nickels, in getting the price Of admis-
sion, 35 cents, from the half dollars
offered, used up stock of eighty five
dollars in this small change in the
first rush hour. The big grand stand,
seating thousand people, and the
new base ball stand, were filled before
the time of calling the first heat.
The starter, Wallace Jewell of
Shawmut, with his judges, Geo. G.
Shedd of Norridgewock, F. J. Withee
of Madison and S. II. Bradbury of
Skowhegan, were in the stand at the
appointed hour, also the time rs,
Hiram Berse and p w. Merry, both
also of Skowhegan, and +. F. Fair
brother, clerk OF course. The first
heat in the 2.l9 class was called about
on time and one heat followed
another as rapidly as could be de-
sired. Both the Athens and Com
pany E bands were in the grand
stand and played alternately through
out the afternoon, adding to the
pleasure of the occasion as is only
two such high class musical organiza-
it may be said that we have never
had so many good animals ready for
the call at Fourth of July meeting.
Chas. Chute and G. w. Day, two Of
best known horsemen, had done their