The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1909-07-09
GREATEST CELEBRATION EVER
HELD IN THIS CITY.
CROWDS WITNESS THE FEATURES
ENTERTAlNs MANY GUESTS AND
HAS A GOOD TIME.
NOT AN ACCIDENT TO MAR
Norfolk Commercial Club and Com
nittees Worked Hard to Make a
Success and Everyone Is Pleased
With the Result Of Their Efforts.

Success and Everyone is Pleased
With the Result OF Their Efforts.
Norfolk entertained one of the big
gest crowds of people ever In the city
on Saturday at the celebration of In
dependence day. The day was ideal
cool and little cloudy. the extreme
heat Of the week before giving way tC
weather that was just the right tenn
perature, at time when 1t was mos
needed to add to the pleasure of the
festivities.
Norfolk enjoyed being host to its
many friends In surrounding towns
and country.
Norfolk hopes its visitors extracted
as much pleasure from the day as die
its townspeople.
The celebration on Saturday was
probably one of the most successful
events of the kind ever held in this
city. The success of the occasion IL
largely due to the Commercial clut
and the various committees who ard
uously worked to make the event one
that would reflect credit upon the city
as well as to those business men who
contributed of their means to finance
the project.
People began arriving early in the
morning to be in time for all the fes
tivities, both by team and rail, and
when the special train from Madison
reached the station more than half ar
hour late, the streets were literally
packed with people. Madison fur
nished the largest town delegation
more than 600 people coming by train
while others drove over by team and
automobile. Columbus, Platte Center
and Humphrey were also represented
on the special. Other towns with del
egations here were Pierce. Plainview
Foster, Hadar, Battle Creek, Tilden
Neigh, Oakdale, Stanton, Pilger, Bee
mer, Wisner, Hoskins, Winside and
Wayne.
The committees who had charge OF
the various arrangements were early
at work and by o'clock everything
was in readiness. In fact, much OF
complished the afternoon and evening
before. For the accommodation OF
those who wanted to hear the oratory
q large tent had been erected on
South Fourth street, Just off Of Nor
folk avenue, and this had been com
fortably seated. Directly in front OF
this in Norfolk avenue, a large booth
covered with green boughs had been
erected for rest booth and informa
ton bureau. Along both sides of the
street at the outer edge of the side
walks ran long rows of seats, while
shade was provided by massing green
foliage to telegraph, telephone and
electric light poles.
The color decorations were striking
and beautiful. At intervals there were
stretched across the street strings OF
red, white and blue electric lights
which gave a particularly handsome
appearance at night. For day effect
great numbers Of American flags were
attached to these strings of lights
while at either end OF the street, fac
ing the coming guest, were great ban
ners carrying the words welcome
Have a Good Time" expressing the
sentiment Of the city toward it's visit
ors. Practically every business house
in the city was profusely decorated
with national colors.
Norfolk avenue from First street to
Seventh was filled with refreshment
stands of various kinds; there were
some side shows. bowery dance OF
two, band stands at every street inter
section, and the various apparatus
used in connection with the free at
fractions. The entertainment commit
tee and the committee on sports were
kept busy all day long giving instruc
tions, keeping the crowd informed OF
coming events and generally seeing
that the visitors were entertained
The crowds were orderly and seemed
to derive much enjoyment from what
was going on.
Music by four bands during the day
and evening was excellent and enjoy
able, and it was no small degree OF
pride that people compared the Nor
folk and Madison bands with the two
professional show bands that took part
in the festivities. The Grafton of Hon
H. B. Fleharty of Omaha was all that
the occasion could require, while the
parade, water fight, fireworks, night
parade, the troupe of trained dogs and
goats, the stunts of AL Richie the
strong man, the baseball game and
the firemens' midnight ball of fire, al
attracted interested attention.