Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-07-09
VERGENNES CELEBRATES.
soOth ANNIVERSARY OF THE DISCOVERY
OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN.
Addresses by Hon. John Barrett, Ex Minister
to Siam, and Other Disting uished Men
over Five Hundred Take Part in the
Parade-Banquet in City Hall.

The first gun in the Champlain Tercen.
tenary was fired at Vergennes early on
Saturday morning and from that time
until the last rocket sizzled out in the
darkness at the fair grounds the ancient
city enjoyed the biggest, grandest and
most successful celebration in its history
A crowd of over 5000 people was present
and had the weather been less threaten
ing. many more would have been pres
ent. That the old town had done itself
proud was the unanimous opinion OF
everybody, and the public-spirited citi-
zens of Vergennes, and of the neighbor-
ing towns of Ferrisburg, Monkton, Addi-
son, Panton and New Haven are open to
the heartiest congratulations on the
splendid success which they attended to
Samuel de Champlain, their public tri-
butte.
The street decorations consisted of an
artistic arrangement of bunting, flags,
banners and festoons, and two large
arches were erected on Main street,
these embellished with flags, foliage and
portraits of heroes, added very materially
TO the gala dress of the leading thorough
fare. At night, these arches were parti-
cularly beautiful when illumined with
countless red, white and blue lights.
Several inches of mud on the street
made very poor marching for the par
AIDES, and interfered with the athletic
events, but every item advertised on the
program was carried out Never for
minute did the stream of events let up
and frequently they overlapped.
Although the heralds rounds and the
morning salute really opened the day,
the program began after the morning
trains had arrived. There was brief
parade through Main street and the
Algonquin Indians gave brief exhibit
ton on the Bixby Memorial Library site.
This proved very interesting, due more
to the unique dresses and makeups of
the performer than to their performance
es. The Indians were in full war paint
and feathers all day and presented a
very striking appearance on the street.
The athletic events were run off on
Main street. and amused the large crowd
immensely, although no records were
broken. 1t was an old-fashioned field
day and was enjoyed as SUCH
THE PARADE.
The parade at 80 was one of the larg-
est and finest ever seen in Vergennes.
Over 500 people were in line and the
procession was nearly half a mile long.
The parade moved off from opposite the
fair grounds in the following order:-
Vergennes Band.
Indians in Costume.
Pageant-Court of Henry Nv. of France
Woodmen in Costume
Pageant - Champlain and Indians in
Canoes
Pageant-George Washington
Stevens Hose in Uniform and Helmets
Float-Industrial School Girls
Mounted Indians
Float-Grand View Grange
Float Warmers Drug Store
Middlebury Knights of Pythias
Middlebury Band
LIE Garde de Honneur. Rutland
Float-Vergennes Grange
V. F. d. in Uniform
Pomona Grange
Catholic Order Foresters of Vergennes
and Middlebury
Float NJ. W. A,
Mounted Heralds and Cowboys
Float-Ryan Firm
Float. B. Noiseux
Float-Industria School
Industrial School Boys
Float-E. G. and A. w. Norton
Uncle Sam Twins
Many of the floats were extremely ar
tistic, and gave proof of much labor
time and thought on the part of thei
creators.
THE EXERCISES.
The exercises in the park were lis
tened to by crowd that filled all tn
available space. Rev. p. Gavin Duff,
offered the invocation and the larg
chorus of ESQ voices accompanied b
two bands, all under the baton of Prof
David NJ. Annes of the Damrosch OF
chestra of New York, sang choruses in eS
cellent fashion and received great ar
pause. The official chorus "Chan
plain" was sung and pleased immensely
but the finest work appeared in the in
depreciation of Kipling's Recessional.
Father Vezina was chairman and o.
the platform with him were John Bal
rett, orator of the day, Lieut.. Gov. Mead
ex-senator Stewart, Congressman d. I
Foster, Judge Bliss, Rev. Duffy, Pres
dent Thomas of Middlebury colleg,
members of the Vermont commission
and several others. In few suitab
words, the chairman introduced I'll
speaker of the day, ex-minister to Sian
John Barrett.
JOHN BARRETT's ADDRESS.
Mr.. Barrett said that he felt at hon
in Vermont, as he was born in the count
OF Windham, where he had turne
grindstones, picked potato bugs an
taught school. Some of his old pupi
might be in his audience, or as he hun