The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-07-09

Yesterdays Fourth of July celebra-
ton was probably the greatest and
most thoroughly enjoyable ever held in
the city, or this section of the state.
1t was a clean, wholesome, uplifting
celebration, of the kind that was in
vogue before the spirit of the day was
debauched by lot of cheap and fakey
carnival shows. 1t attracted a bigger
crowd than ever visited the city during
a carnival, and it left the money that
was brought to the city in circulation
here instead of drawing it away.
Committee That Was in Charge.
The committee that had the arrange
ments for the celebration in charge con-
sisted of L. A. Engwalson, chairman;
George Draper, secretary and treasurer;
NJ ID. Fancher, II. f. Hance and Bennett
Williams. Too much cedit cannot be
given the committee for its excellent
work 1t had the courage to break
loose from the carnival rut and to rise
to a higher and purer level, and that
it was right and had the backing of
the people was shown by the generous
way in which NIankato business men
supported the undertaking and the big
patronage accorded by the surrounding
country. In spite of an all day rain
Sunday. and lowering skies yesterday
that threatened to renew the down
pour, the city was filled to overlooking
by crowd that came from radius
nd A ar
trains were crowded. Every village in
the county sent large delegations. Over
a hundred came on a single train from
Lake Crystal, and the people poured
to the city from Mapleton, Good Thun-
der and other towns down the branch.
The streets wre alived with music and
enthusiasm, the city was decorated as
it seldom if ever has been before and
there was something worth seeing every
hour of. the day and until late in the
evening.
Old Sol Was Shy.
Considering the fact that the sun did
not favor Mankato with its presence
during the two days celebration of the
Fourth, the event was as successful as
could be expected. The weather, how
ever, cleared pretty generally late yes
terday afternoon and the evening with
its program of good fun was big sue
cess. and a credit to the Fourth of
July committee who arranged the do
ings.
Visitors began to arrive in the. city
on Saturday and large crowd en-
ioyed the opening event in the ball
game at 4:l5 p. m, played between
Mankato and GAINESVILLE, in which Man
kato won, to l. Sundays weather
was a great disappointment to everyone
and upset many plans and incidentally
much of the decorations. In many in
stances the visitors, instead of enjoying
the red, white and blue overhead were
obliged to walk in pools of brilliant
red on the sidewalks, all of which was
caused by the very inconsiderate wealth
er man.
On Monday the program was carried
out as nearly as possible to schedule,
the proposed ball game from Sunday,
pulled off at 10:45 a. m. with a score
of to l in favor of Mankato.
The Fourth of July committee had a
good program well planned for Monday
and there was something doing every
minute, beginning with the band CON
cert in the morning by the Twentieth
Century band, and the fire department
run at $3.50 on Front street The fire
boys made a fine showing and some
fast time. The industrial parade of
floats started at lO:l5 a. m. and while
not as large as had been expected, it
was the best that has ever taken place
in Mankato. The marshal of the day
was Colonel Charles F. Johnson with
Lieutenant w. F. Emery, Colonel George
w. Meade, Captain George Rodman, Cor
poral Bud C. Cain, DR.. Morrow and
John Just, as assistants.
First in line was Captain George
Pond with his platoon of mounted po-
lice, followed by Chief Bangerter at the
head of the fire department, consisting
of Hook and Ladder No. /, Chemical
No. l, Chemical No. 2, Hook and Lad
der No. 2, Hook and Ladder No. 3.
Dukes Addition Truck 1860 and Hook
and Ladder, North Mankato. st. Peter
Redmen's band, Company H, Nj. n. c.,
Mayor Meyer, with the city government
and the Fourth of July committee in
carriages
Division LIN the first division were
w. j. Nerbovig with a display of pianos
and decorated float; Mankato Post
Printing Co., decorated vehicle; Gamble
Robinson Fruit and Produce Co., float
of fruit; Landkamer Bros. & Davidson,
furniture, showing two rooms, parlor
and dining room, float decorated and
drawn by four horse team of beautiful
black and white horses; Edward Pfieffer
cigar float; Mapleton CIornet band in
maroon uniforms.
Division FL Patterson Mercantile
company, japanese float, Minneopa Jap
an Tea; A. j. Busch company, two en-
tries, breakfast food and Opia cigar ;
Hubbard Mills, Ardee -four; Miss Beulah
Hunt and Miss Nina Davis, esques-
TRANS; Kimball Music company. four
horse float of pianos and tiny miss
mn VGRaH AVR EM