The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1910-02-25
Speeches by Judge J. T. Wills,
Ex-Gov. Broward and S.
j, Hilburn,
All Nature Smiled Upon the Occasion
and With Cloudless Sky.

All Nature Smiled Upon the Occasion
and With Cloudless Sky.
In the presence Of such crowd as
has rarely, if ever before, gathered in
this city, Putnam county's great highway
bridge across the St. Johns River was
opened to the public last Tuesday.
1t would be hard to estimate the
crowd. Men who have lived here for
40 years say there was never such vast
crowd in Palatka before. II was a
crowd made up largely of home people.
II was sober crowd. An orderly
crowd A crowd calculated to make
one feel proud of the fact that he lived
in Putnam county. People began ar
irving on Monday afternoon and they
kept coming by train, and boat, and pri-
vate conveyance all through the night,
and up TO noon on Tuesday.
All through the early hours of Tues
day the people flocked to and walked
out on the great bridge. They all liked
it.
About 10 O'Clock in the morning
Johnny J. Jones' famous Italian band
commenced its street concert and
Lemon street was thronged. And such
music! Rarely has band held forth in
Palatka that could approach it in the
matter of such exquisite harmony of
sweet sounds. The band held the
crowd spell bound with delight.
The Parade Over Bridge.
Promptly at II o'clock the parade of
automobiles and carriages formed on
Lemon and Front street and at the
given signal, headed by Sheriff Kenner-
ly, Chief of Police VarneS and their
deputies as out-riders on horse back, the
procession started. Following the men
on horse came the string of beautiful
ly and gaily decorated automobiles,
those in the lead containing President
Selden, Vice-preSident Walton, and
secretary de Montmollin, of the board
of trade, Mayor Davis, Col. Hilburn and
other prominent members of the board
with the distinguished guests, members
of visiting commercial bodies and the
speakers Judge Jas T. Wills and Ex-
Gov. Broward.
There were some 20 or more large
touring cars in the line, followed by
carriages, the whole making beautiful
procession across the bridge to East
Palatka, where it turned and re-crossed
TO the Woman's park on River street,
where the speakers stand and barbecue
had been arranged for the feast of elo-
quence and flow of grub
The business houses of Palatka, and
the great mills of the Wilson Cypress
Company, A. T. Squiers, Tilghmans,
the Selden factory and other business
places had closed down for the exercises
and the park was crowded.
The Speaking.
President Geo. B. Selden of the Pa
latka board of trade called the crowd to
order and introduced Hon. S. J. Hilburn
who delivered an eloquent address OF
welcome, pointing 10 this first of Put
nam'S modern achievements with pride
and predicting even greater things for
the future. Mr. Hilburn'S addresa was
the occasion for frequent and enthuSi
astic applause as he told of the rapid
settlement of the county and the glories
that awaited the completion of improve
ments now under way. He was followed
by
President Geo B. Selden who read
letters of regret from Gov. GilchriSt, |
CCuulOl IdildlSllO, wi. NOU w. bdNlo,
Frank Clark, and Hon. w.
A. MacWilliams.
These letters were as follows:
Tallahassee, Fla, Feb. 7, 1910.
Col. H. NJ. de Montmollin,
Secretary Palatka Board of Trade,
Palatka, Florida.
Dear SIR
appreciate very much the invitation
TO be present at the celebration upon the |
occasion OF the opening of the Putnam
county highway bridge, at Palatka on
February I'D Previous invitations will
prevent my accepting the same.
ItaffordS me pleasure to note the in
tereSt taken in the construction OF roads |
and bridges throughout our state.
Yours very truly,
ALBERT w. GILCHRIsT,
Governor.