Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1916-07-05
CELEBRATION At
MESA PATRIOTIC
Huge Throngs Gather at
Neighboring Town to do
Honor to the Stars and
Stripes; Bands Play
Throughout the Day

Well, it's over, and every commit
tee is breathing one long sigh of re-
lief. Not but that they all enjoyed
getting ready for Mesas great, big
glorious Fourth, but it was some
work and some more responsibility
Then too tie voice of the knocker
was heard in the land, and he
mournfully told how Prescott and
Florence would have all the crowd
and how it would be too hot for any
body to come, etc. But they came
on the train and in autos, wagons,
bugeies, horseback and on foot -
came by the thousands. and had a
good time, and went home dusty,
tired and happy. Plenty of people in
Arizona for all the celebrations on
tap this Fourth
II was a noisy-q quiet holiday; noisy
with the roar of autos, the popping
of fueiess torpedCes, the laughter and
talk of the gathered thousands; noisy
with the splendid music of the Indian
band, the orchestras of the dances
and big pipe organ in the theater,
nut quiet insofar as drunkenness and
/ disorder were concerned. A fight or
TWO among the overly joyous in the
| wee small hours of the night, but the
| efficient force of night police prompt
! " squelched the trouble and landed
| the trouble makers in the bastilc
People who had limited darkly of a
/ possible uprising on the Fourth
! should have been here to see the
/ hundreds of light hearted. laughing
! MexiCans who joined in the jollity of
! the occasion
The first day was Indian day. and
| those Of Mesas citizens who knew
many of the Indians state that they
all expressed themselves as having
the time of their lives Three tons
Of watenmelons looked like 80 cents
after the five tribes got through
with the lot.
Perhaps the parade WAS somewhat
Of d disappointment There were
some slight bitches. for which no ono
was TO blame. in the arrangements.
but for all that, it wasn't a bad pa
radc. There were some beautiful
floats and a long line of decorated
autos. The Roy Scouts. some school
children, Spanish war veterans and
men on horseback. Several of the
Sunday school classes had beautifully
decorated floats and the fire trucks
and chemical wagon were lastly
draped At the park the crowd list
ened to the reading of the Declare
ton Of independence by Miss Alton
Clark and splendid address by Hon
Geo. Stoneman
The committee on the celebration
wishes to extend thanks to the Mesa
paper and the Phoenix papers which
so generously granted space to adj
vertise the affair, to thank also Su-
perintendent Brown Of the Indian
schoo! who loaned Mesa the Indian
band for the occasion and especially
to thank the band members for their
untiring work and their unfaiIine
courtesy and good humor in the
splendid help they gave and which
contributed so greatly to the success
of the celebration.
During the rush and heat of prep
araticn more than one ovcrworke t
committeeman was heard to say "Nc
more for me- 1t sounded amusing
/ ~paiiii'S NUN 81 many heSd boosters
Watch them next time they arc
called on and see them get into the
collar and pull.
It would be ingratitude in the com
nlittec to fail to thank Phoenix and
the other towns of the valley fol
their splendid fellowship in entering
so Heartily into the holiday with thu
local people. Next year Mesa vii
do her best to return the favor t.
the town having a celebration.
1t was great time in the Gate
City but all the same. midnight OF
the Fourth found most of this duiet
populace very very sleepy and hap
PLY tired.