The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-11-04
WALKER ACCLAIMED BY ! HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS
 IN WEST END PARADE
Enthusiastic Applause Greets "Mayor of
 West End" at Notable Celebration
Mayor and Many Other Guests of Prominence Cheered at Fes- tiva| to Mark Completion of State Street
 Pavement

To the martial music of the Wheeler & Wilson band, over a superb wooden block pavement of icy smoothness, between lines of citizens ablaze with torches of red light, hundreds of citi- zens of the West End marched through State street in the formal celebration, last night, of the com of it's kind in Connecticut.
 Mayor Buckingham. members of the Common Council, and men in many in the celebration, and one and all paid homage to that veteran citizen of the West End, Peter Hummel, the man who engineered the celebration and made the splendid demonstration possible.
 But 'he central figure of the cele- braTion was Alderman Daniel E.. Wal kcr. popularly known as the Mayor of the West End, who was lionized by the voters, cheered by men, women and children, and lauded by the speakers. The celebration was not designed as a political rally, but it plainly showed the feeling of the vot- man Walkers candidacy for return to the Common Council.
 The celebration began shortly after 8 o'clock.
 The parade came first and started from Howard avenue. It was headed by Sergeant Blansfield and a squad of police. Following them was the Wheeler and Wilson band with 8 num- Der of marchers behind them all burn ing red fire. Then followed long line of automobiles with Mayor Buck ingham riding in the first one and Alderman Walker in the second with former Alderman J: N. Near. In the dermah R. G. DeForest, President P. H. Brady of the Board of Aldermen; Alderman Malcolm Macfayden, for mer Alderman John O'Connell and others.
 From one end of the splendid street to the other, men and women lined the curbS, and children ran back and forth across the street, their shrill cries of childish ardor reflecting the enthusiasm of the entire section over the inauguration in the new epoch of the West End. For State street now takes it's place as the second street in importance in the entire city, and next to Main street is the leading com mercia1 thoroughfare of the industrial capital of Connecticut
 The continuation of the celebration came however when Chairman Hum mel called upon Mayor Buckingham to make a presentation speech and rendered to Alderman Walker a su- perb likeness of himself. The pho tograph is a life size head of the AL derman, the finest work of the J. P. Haley studio, mounted in superb frame, and marked with silver plate bearing the following inscription: Presented to Alderman Daniel B. Walker by the residents of the West End r, QnrrQoiQtinr Q af hiS offnrtC ir, the Common Council in their be- half''
 As the parade passed up and down the fine thoroughfare. cheer upon cheer greeted it. The huge team load of youngsters that brought up the rear roarious yells, and ever and anon there could be heard the cries for "Walker!''
 When the parade brought up at State street and Howard avenue, and the automobile bearing the notables ranged themselves in the side street, Peter Hummel, logged out in a re- splendent tile and a Prince Albert. arose in his automobile and lifting his hand, commanded silence.
 Then in brief and characteristic speech he introduced Mayor Bucking- ham. The Mayor was given a rous- ing cheer. He said he felt it a great pleasure to be present at gather ing of such proportions and such en- thuSiasm.
 This marks the beginning of new era for this section,' said he. '"This means that State street becomes the principal artery for traffic from New York to Boston. This means that hereafter State street ranks next in importance to Main street. The resi- dents of this section are indeed to be congratulate that the improvement has been carried through so success fully.'
 He paid tribute to the efforts of AL dermen Walker and DeForest in bringing the work to completion.
 Cries of "Hurrah for Walkeri' Hes as good as elected now!'' and the like kept ringing out from the crowd at intervals during the Mayors speech.