Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-12
10000 IN MONSTER
SONG SER VICE OPEN
CTTY'S CELEBRATION
Wilmington Settles Down to
Festivities of Old Home
Week = 10000 Visitors
Expected Each Day.

WILMINGTON, Del, oct. 12.-This
city is crowded with visitors today. If
there is any mistake in the expectation
that 10000 visitors will be entertained
each day this week, it is because that
estimate will have been too low.
After 10000 persons opened tho celebra-
tion yesterday afternoon with song serv-
ice, Wilmington settled down TO its
celebration Today marks the annual
parade of the Italian societies of the
city in honor of Columbus Day a legal
holiday in this State. The parade this
afternoon is wholly in charge of these
societies. At least 1000 members, with
their bands, were in line. Mayor Har-
rson w. Howell, members of the COM
mittee and numerous city officials wit
messed the parade from the big review
ing stand in front of the courthouse.
Old Home Week will be opened for
mally this evening at the Hotel dupont,
when Mayor Howell will tender a public
reception. He will be assisted by mem-
bers of the general committee, city
councilmen and other city officials. 1t is
expected that Governor Charles r. Miller
and other State officials also will be
present. For those who do not attend
the reception tonight. band concerts will
be held In parts of the city.
A great part of today was spent by
members of various organizations in drill
ing for the parades. The various COM
mittees met to put the final touches to
arrangements for these events.
School children Of the city are ready
for their parade tomorrow afternoon
when 1t is expected 11,OOO boys and girls,
each carrying a flag or pennent, and
many floats will be in line. The chief
marshal of this parade is Thomas F.
O'Donnell, a member OF the Board of
Public Education. He will he assisted by
n number of aids, most of them students
at the Wilmington high school
Members of the Wilmington Saenger-
bund will give an athletic exhibition AT
Washington Heights tomorrow evening.
The Delaware Saengerbund, the largest
and best known male chorus in Delaware,
will appear in concert at the same time.
Wednesday will see an Industrial par |
ede in the afternoon under the general |
direction of a committee of which Joseph |
S. Wilson is the head. At least $50 de- !!
corated floats, employers and employees, |
will be in line One of the feature floats |
in the parade will carry the Atlanta, the |
famous old engine of the Baltimore and |
Ohio Railroad. The engine was built in |
1892; Joseph Brady, who ran the engine |
on its regular runs, will be at the throttle |
Another feature will he an old stage
coach of the Wells-Fargo Express Com
pany, built In 1868, and once used on a
regular stage line
Fraternal orders will parade Wednes-
day evening, and it is estimated that
5000 men will be In line. Lu Lu Temple of
Philadelphia, will enter 1900 men and a
band. All secret orders in the city will
participate
Thursday will witness the military
parade in the afternoon and the parade
of the Boy Scouts in the evening. In
addition to the Delaware militia and the
Delaware College cadets, militiamen from
the regulars from Fort
du Pont and the military branches of a
number of local orders will participate.
Friday afternoon local firemen, to-
gether with a number of visiting fire
will parade. In the evening
Mardi Gras festivities will be held, ending
with a mummers' parade, a general
masked carnival and street dances with
prizes
Cash prizes will be offered to best deco
-ated machines in the automobile parade
afternoon. In the evening a
river carnival will be held on the Chris
llama river. There also will be n regis
cred shoot on the grounds of the dupont
Club in the afternoon
Many invited guests. including the
Mayors OF n number of cities, have ac-
'epted invitations to come here this week.
They will be entertained by Mayor Howell
Ind special committees.