The Mankato free press., 1910-11-25

Iwho crowded about, thanking them for
coming and for their long wait. Two
bands were playing at the time and
his words could not be heard at any
distance. The children then marched
off, under the guidance of their teach
ers, happy in having done their part
in welcoming home the foremost citi-
zen of the state.
An Informal Reception
An informal reception followed for
an hour in the lobby of the Saulpaugh,
and hundreds of Mankato people and
strangers thronged the spacious hall
and shook the hand of the governor.
Many ladies were among those who
gathered to assist in doing honor to
Mankato's favored son. The occasion
was entirely informal, and was most
enjoyable.
Governor Eberhart was guest of
Mayor Meyer at dinner at the Saul
paugh. This hostelry had been made
beautiful with elaborate decorations.
The scene that greeted the governor
up and down the streets on his ar
rival must have been gratifying to
him in the extreme. The thorough
fares, in spite of a sprinkle that be-
gan to fall about the time the train
arrived, were filled with joyous
crowds, and the stores and residences
were gaily decorated with flags and
bunting and portraits of himself, and
the windows brilliantly illuminated
The street decorations were on a scale
never before attempted in Mankato,
and probably the private decorations
excelled any before seen here
Streets Ablaze With Light.
The electric arches were lighted, ard
strings of electric bulbs crossed each
other OH the Saulpaugh and Stahl
house corners. Huge oil paintings of
the governor, secured from the re-
publican headquarters in Minneapolis.
were suspended back to back near the
city hall, across Front street, and were
lighted by circles of electric lights. A
similar painting was placed inside of
the circle of the arch on Jackson street
opposite the Free Press office. Other
decorations attracted attention and
some of the store decorations were
beautiful and tasteful in the extreme
Nothing was lost upon Governor
Eberhart, who again and again ex-
pressed his astonishment and apprecia-
tion of the hearty and sincere welcome
extended him by his fellow townsmen.
Never before was a Minnesota COVER
nor so royalty welcomed back to his
home city, and Minnesota's present
chief executive showed by word and
facial expression that he fully ap-
preciated the high honor shown him.
Spoke at Several Places.
Before the parade in the evening
Governor Eberhart was taken in John
Nyquist's automobile to West Man.
kato, where he spoke for two or three
minutes in front of C. F. Hallman's
store. A large crowd had assembled
there, but the ma ority had left be-
fore the arrival of the governor, fear
ing that they might be missing some.
thing down town. The remnant of the
crowd gave him hearty welcome, and
he expressed his appreciation of the
honor shown him.
The auto then whirled the governor
to North Mankato where he addressed
a large gathering in front of the viii
lage hall, and spoke five minutes or
more, in a similar strain. Here, also,
he was heartily welcomed Rain was
falling lightly and the idea of hav-
ing the governor speak at different
places on Front street was abandoned.
Big Crowd Witnessed Parade.
The parade in the evening was
something more than an hour late in
starting. This allowed the arrivals on
the early evening trains to see it ALL
Each train during the day had brought
in scores of people, and the evening
trains brought in hundreds. A big
crowd came from New Ulm on the
7:45 p. m. train, including the militia
company and the Second regiment band.
The streets along the line of march,
Front, Second, Broad and the cross
streets, were ablaze with lights and
fireworks. Red, white, green and blue
fire were burned as the parade ad-
vanced, and numerous torches were
carried in the line The fireworks were
shot off on the grounds in front of the
Chicago and Northwestern depot, and
were of most excellent quality. The
eight inch bombs were new thing
for ManEatO ond 1yoro cbot b,cL so%o