The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-10-15

Poughkeepsie, n. Y. Oct. s, 1909.
To the Editor Ocala Banner:
If the Hudson-Fulton celebration
was on as grand a scale in New York
City as it was in Poughkeepsie, ac-
cording to the size of the two places,
| know that it must have been one of
the most imposing and dazzling sights
that has ever been seen in this coun-
try.
Instead of Friday being the day set
apart for the celebration here it was
on Monday, and it was a sight very
beautiful to behold.
The parade was about two miles
long, or longer, composed of some
twenty or more bands, soldiers, blae-
jackets, firemen, school children, cit
liens. etc. As the great procession
passed up and down the residential
and business sections of the city il
presented an imposing and inspiring
picture. The parade terminated at
Eastman Park, where everyone gath
cred to listen to an address by Gov
ernor Hughes. The governor spoke
for about ten minutes, paying big
compliment to Poughkeepsie. He
said that he was glad to be among its
people and the people of Duchess
county; that of all the pretty sights
that he had seen during the entire
Hudson-Fulton celebration that none
were so pretty as he had seen here.
and of course everybody enjoyed the
'taffy." and applauded it to the echo.
1t was, though, grand sight to me
TO see such large gathering. There
must have been sixty thousand people
in the park. was in ten feet of the
governor. | got position on the root
of a tree and, being tall, could see
over the heads of the vast concourse
of the expectant and eager throng.
1 saw the blue-jackets in their white
caps, the officers in their brilliant uni
forms, the different bands in their
snowy costumes, which presented
such a picture as / had never seen be-
fore.
Just before the governor spoke, the
different bands of more than a hun
dred pieces, played America" and af-
ter he had finished they played "The
Star Spangled Banner" and it was
so beautiful and inspiring that it made
the blood surge through my veins.
After supper everyone had gay
time on the streets and avenues, beat
ing drums, blowing horns, ringing COW
bells, throwing confetti, yelling, etc.
1t was a night long to be remembered.
l went up to Newburgh Friday,
place up the river about the size of
Poughkeepsie. The celebration was
on the order of the one here. but was
not on so grand a scale. But what
sounded better to me shan anything
that | had heard since | had been
here was the first piece the band
struck up. | was standing immediate
ly in front of the grand stand. when
to my surprise there burst upon my
ears the familiar strains of "Dixie!"
| was with Norris Smith, and both of
US began involuntarily shouting to the
very top of our voices in honor of the
compliment paid to our section.
After the parade, Morris, another
school chum and l decided to go to
New York, as we had heard that all
the battleships were to be at New
burgh, and as it was not true We were
badly disappointed. We wanted to
see the battleships, and failed to go
to New York during the big demon
stration.
After buying our tickets the three
of us had 81. 1t would seem that We
could not see very much for that, but
we did, and when We got back to
Poughkeepsie Norris had 10 cents,
Harmon had 5 cents, and l had about
so cents. but we had the recollection
of a fine trip. ,
We got to New York about o'clock
%. m. We walked and rode up and
down Broadway. and the electric dis
plays on the majestic buildings were
grand. indeed. There were thousands
and thousands of people walking the
streets in every direction. We went
to see The Midnight Sons" at the