The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-05-28
MOBILES BIG
CELEBRATION
COMES TO END
SECOND CENTENARY OF THE
FOUNDING OF THE CITY BY
THE FRENCH UNDER l5ER-
VILE AND BIENvILE IS OBJ
SERVED IN AN APPROPRIATE
MANNER.
BY Ben n. Thomas.

addresses, delivered by some Of the
most prominent men In the country,
teemed with patriotism and optimism;
a Historic Night" at the Mobile The
atre when the deeds of the early
pioneers Of the south were extolled and
euIogfzed, and a joint flag raising, at
which the colors Of the five nations
whose flags have fioated over the his
toric city OF Mobile, were flung to the
breeze by representatives OF the pow.
ers who had been delegated for official
participation, were some of the fea-
lures of Mobiles celebration OF the
second centenary Of the founding OF
the city by the French under Iber-
vile and Bienville, which came to a
close tonight.
MagnIfic cent decorations, in which
the flags of France, Spain, Great Brit
ainf the United States and the Con-
federacy were conspicuous upon prac-
ticaIly all the buildings in the business
section of the city, the decorations of
the municipal and county buildings
being particularly gorgeous, with the
crowds upon the streets, congeSted at
every possible point of vantage, gave
the city, for the two days Of the cele-
bration, every appearance of Mardi
Gras, with the grotesque features Of
the annual celebration omitted.
BIuejackets Present.
At the last moment it was decided
that the battleships Minnesota, Mis-
sissippi and Vermont, designated by
the secretary of the navy for official
participation in the ceremonies, should
remain at Pensacola, but a special
train, carrying a large delegation of
officers and three hundred bluejackets
was run from Pensacola to Mobile in
order that the navy might be fttingly
represented. Rear Admiral Aaron
Ward and Rear Admiral Lucien Young
reached the city on Thursday accom-
panied by their stats and remained
during the celebration
The signal for the Inauguration of
the celebration was flashed from
washington by President Taft at ten
o'clock on Friday when the first
rs ~eant began it's march around the
original limits of the city, disbanding
ne municipal building where a
bronze tablet, concentrating the an
niversary, was placed. Addresses were
made by the governors Of Alabama,
Mississippi and Louisiana and the
tablet accepted on behalf Of the city
by Mayor P. ]. Lyons. Hundreds of
school children, divided into five COM
panies, each company waving the flag
of one of the nations represented, par
ticipated in the ceremonies.
A touch of pathos was added to the
scene, especially from the standpoint
of the patriotic southron, by the pres
ence of the Stars and Bars, the be-
loved flag Of the Lose Cause, whose
only representatives were the battle
SCARED veterans, now few in number,
who made every sacrifice for what
they thought was right; and particu-
larly touching was the raising of the
banner so cherished in the south on
the staff in the place of All Nations, y
Duncan Square, by the survivors Cd
the mighty struggle of the sixties.
NIags of Many Countries.
Officials of the different countries
raised the fsgs of the respective ma
tions to the music Of the national
airs; the Stars and Stripes, the tri-
color Of France, the banner of Spair
and the brilliant ensign of Great Brit
ain were cheered enthusiastically, the
demonstration being particularly great
when the colors Of the Union were un.
furled. The Stars and Bars were
hauled to the masthead to the stirring
strains of Dixie" amid the cheers o.
thousands who had massed in the
square in anticipation of the cere
mony. But 1t was just memory tina
they cheered; a tribute to the heroes
Cf half century ago.
Every point of historic interest IL
the city was marked for the benefi
of visitors, and at many OF these his
toric spots permanent tablets or mark
ers were erected, with approprtat,
ceremonies, for the benefit of futur,
generations. The parade passed owe
a line of march which formed tn
boundary of the city, as shown upol
plats of the time of Iberville and Bien
vile, and the principal ceremonie
were held In front Of the municipa
building, located within the boundar
of the original city and which, Itself
is Of more than ordinary historic in
terest.
While Mobile Is a Catholic strong
hold, the Catholics, as a. church, di
not officially participate in the cere
monies, the church celebration of tn
bicentennial Of the city having oc
Cured on February 20. consisting o
an immense parade of Catholic so
cieties and parishes, which was re
viewed by his eminence, James Car
dinal Gibbons, of Baltimore, from tn
porch of the residence OF Bishop Ed
ward P. Allen, OF the diocese of Mo
bile. Archbishop Blenck, OF New Or
leans. and a number of bishops from
the southern dioceses were also pres
emit on that occasion, the ecclesiastical
party, OF which Cardinal Gibbons wal
the center, numbering nearly score
The church celebration was deepl,
impressive, particularly the scene a
the episcopal residence as the parad
passed, each of the thousands o
narchers raising his hat to the car
dinaI and the others who made VI
the party, and at the cathedral Of tn,
immaculate Conception, where pontif.
cal high mass and benedictlon were
celebrated.
The history of Mobile is, in part, the
history of the Mississippi basin and Of