The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-07-06
Aside from the Usual Noise
There Was Little to
Mark the Day
MANY PICNICS HELD;
TWO BAND CONCERTS
Ban on Early Celebration
Kept the Uproar in
Bounds

Nothing of the spectacular attach Il
itself to the Fourth of July observance
in Barre this year. Because OF the usual
noise and very conlmendablc display
of the national colors in all quarters Of
tie city, visitor from another planet
must have known, perforcc, that some
thing unusual was in the air, but it is a
safe bet that in few OF those 1873 years
since the nations first birthday has
there been saner celebration of our
independence. That man who forecasted
a quiet commemoration in Barre for
1914 was hugging no delusons. Not
since the lid went down with crash for
a very anxious period of some five weeks
back in the fall of 1912 has Barre been
locked up so securely as last Saturday
| Business of every description played
'possllm from Friday night lntil this
morning. All along the street, the mer,
camille establishments, barring few
fruit shops and stores where tirecrackcrs
were dispensed, offered a coll welcome
to him who would enter. A few boot.
blacks were busy in the morning, the
postoffice windows were open until 10
o'clock, and drug stores were ready for
customers until midforenoon, but when
the BARRIERS laid away their tools at
noon, practically every door was closed.
The town dropped off to sleep, a drow-
sy dreamer for the rest of the day
All of the tixins for a might before
were in evidence in the evening watches
Friday. OF bonfires there were many,
scattered hither and yon about the city.
Around / o'clock on the morning OF the
Fourth, the auto fire truck answered d
needless call for bonfire near the hotel
Northern. Boys had started blaze on
the pavement and word of explanation
from the tiremen and the police sutiiced
to convince the celebrators that the paw
ing was never intended for such pur-
poses. For the most part, the partici-
pants were orderly all through the night.
After II o'clock, dealers were allowed
to sell firecraekers, and there was gen
eral rush for the stores where such indie
pendence day requisites were to be had.
From that hour on till morning, .he
noise was materially heightened. Bon
fires in nearly every ward were reflected
in patches of yellow on the sky. The
police chief and an augmented squad Of
uniformed officers were everywhere
throughout the night.
Early Saturday morning nearly 500
persons entrained at the Central Yer
mont depot. They were bound for the
st. Albans celebration, and perhaps an
,ther 250 who left in the morning were
yoing TO Northfield. Barre was we'll
represented at both celebrations. A
quad OF 25 men from Canton Vinton
eft at 2:l5 for the railroad city, and
company of Woodmen went to North
leld in time to participate in the fore
loon program, At o'clock, or there
bouts, the Barre Citizens band gave
n open-air concert in city park BY
hat hour, most everyone had left the
ity and the size of the crowd indicated
hat the music might better have been
aved for some week night In the
venlng, however, the musicians per.
ormed again and We're greeted by
lrge audience.
Picnic grounds on the outskirts of the
ty We're crowded with pleasure seekers.
Washington county Hbernians and
lembers of the ladies' auxiliary to that
rganization gathered at Dewey park.
ounty Socialists had a program of
imes, etc, at Shepard's grove, and in
ichardsons woods at Edgewood the
irst Baptist church held its annual pic
c. Many were entertained at an out
z at the Morrison farm on west bill,
here there was an elaborate pyrotech-
cal display in the evening. After mid
ght, an overflow gathering of patriots
atched the remnants OF +. NJ. Laws
'eworks supply 90 up in fire and
noke. II was one OF the most sttrac.
We displays of the night. In the wav
baseball there were double-headers Mt
,rlin street and Intercity park.
Getting back to the main factor in
e agreeable celebration OF the day. il
rst be said that the outdoor condi.
lns could not have been more sqtisiac-
". The weather was gloriously IN
eping With the story book conception
a Fourth of July celebration. Evsf
zee the weather man took over tha
* Of furnishing special brands tor
cial occasions. he has been trvmg Ia
{ something that would please on the
urth He seems 10 have found the
-ht ingredients Saturday. In the first
ice. the weather was sort Of pro-
iation for the sable days leading inn
'diately up 10 the Fourth. Again, it
S a welcome change from the oppres-
e Fourths Of the past few years.