The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-08-26

Friday, August Goth, was a red
letter day for HendersOn-the big
gest event in the history OF the town
and county.
The weather was perfect and moth
ing seemed lacking to make the big
picnic and barbecue the brilliant and
ENJOYABLE success it was designed
to be. Every man from the highest
to the lowest who had to do with it
had done his full share all working
together with single purpose, hav-
inc but one object in view. And
there were not a few men from the
country who came in and gave their
services freely where they could do
the most good in cooking and serv-
ing the dinner.
With favorable weather conditions
what else could have been expected
but for success to crown their efforts?
And yet we dare say the day was full
of surprises to many persons. They
were not expecting things to be done
on such big scale. Nor did they
anticipate the pleasure that they got
out OF it. The magnitude OF the
thing was a revelation surpassed
only bv it's magnificence. But that
is the way our people have of doing
things.
During the early hours OF the
morning the crowds began to arrive
and it was plain to be seen that the
invitation so generally and gener-
ousy sent out to the people OF Vance
and adjoining counties to come and
be the guests of the business men and
citizens of Henderson for the day and
partake of the hospitality and enter
tainment provided for them, had
been us generally accepted. By ten
o'clock the streets were thrOnged-
the biggest crowd that had ever been
seen here on any occasion. When
| the parade moved there were fully
10000 people up town. At the
picnic grounds the crowd WAS estl-
mated at between eight and ten
| thousand. Seven thousand dinner
tickets were distributed and it was
estimated that two thousand per-
sons went to the tables through the
! back way who had not been provided
with tickets.
THE STREET PARADE.
The street parade was an imposing
spectacle-the principal amusement
feature of the day for the masses of
the people. Immediately after the
arrival of the special train from Raj
eigh which brought the Third Regi-
ment band, the military companies
from Raleigh, Louisburg and Frank
linton, together with a number OF
distinguished gentlemen, prominent
officials OF the State Guard and 9th
ers, the cavalcade of soldiers. floats,
mounted marshals and automobiles
moved up West Garnet street beyond
the Southern Railway station where
the parade was formed in order.
Headed by the Third Regiment
Band the grand pageant stretched
itself out more than Il mile in length.
The marshals all mounted on gaily
caparisoned horses, led the way May
or II. T. Powell was chief marshal,
with the following assistants: Lady
Marshals-Mrs. Andrew j. Davis. Jr..
Miss Olive Harris, Miss Julia Cooper,
Miss Mildred Lewis, Miss Helen Har-
ris, Miss Isabelle Perry.
Assistant Marshals-Col. Henry
Perry, J. H. Brodie, Capt W. X.
Sturges, S. p. Cooper, Spotswood
Burwell, Robert Davis, George B.
Allen, Samuel Watkins, Jr., Capt W.
L. Written, George A. Rose, A. I. Sey-
mour, J. r.. Clack, j. r. Carter, D. y.
Cooper, Jr., Peter Gill, Walter Aston,
Joe I. Jones, R. A. Powell, ". H.
Wester, Jr., W. f. Wilson, r. B.
Powell, Thomas D. Peck, Perry Poy-
thress, l.. W. Barnes, n. c., Harris,
Capt. c. J. Smith. E. W. Adcock,
Erskine Clements. Phil Hunt.
At the given signal the procession
moved down the street to Gilmore $
crossing, thence down William into
Andrews avenue ard to Swain
grove on the Southeastern edge oil
town where the picnic was held. Fol
lowing is the order in which the pro
ceSSlOn moved:
FLOATS.
George A. Rose Co, big red rose
full length of dray with drivers heaG
looking Ikea big black "bumblebee'
only visible in the centre.
Allen Moss Hardware Co., decor
ated wagon with malleable stee
range, Devoe paint.
Allen-Moss Hardware Co., iro1
, land roller.
, Corbitt auto-buggy, "Made in Hen
derson." driven by j. T. Nelson.
Henderson Bakery, Max Martiny
, proprietor
c. W. Harton, groceries.
I'll. .. Falkner, groceries.
1 Miss Rosa Thomas, millinery.
5 Henderson Cafe, Jesse Biggs ridin.
an OK with cloth signs, 81 room ant
+ eat at the Henderson Cafe
! Following right behind che "cow.
and part of the same advertise
? ment, with face blackened and roos
i ter feathers stuck in his hair Indian
j fashion, disguise quite complete bu
!, for his nose and the size of his feet
+ Ernest Brown, the comedian of loca
t minstrelsy, drew attention to himse
: and the skeleton-like horse he rod
as he carried two banners bearin
the inscription, Il don't, but l wi
hereafter, which also served the pul
pose OF preventing the animals rib
!. from bpInS~ Poupfed