Bridgeton pioneer., 1916-07-06
WAS
BIG FEATURE
The Fourth of July Civic
Demonstration.
UNIQUE Line.
Ferracute Men Provided the Big
Surprise of the Afternoon With
Monster Reptile.

How few of us can remember the
celebrations of the Fourth of July 80
and 60 years ago; how few us can re-
call the martial spirit which stirred
the young blood in the parade of
those days. Some can. Some remem-
Der the tall, gaunt form of Ed. Cosier
as he beat the big bass drum, and the
shrill fife of Lut Loper and others,
and the rattle and roll of the kettle
drums as the parade went forth
through Commerce Street, following
the chief Marshal Daniel M. Woodruff
How smart looked the little band of
soldiers, commanded by Captain Mar
ion 'uBois, or some one else, who
had cen service under Uncle Sam
thosc young would-be soldiers, with
their natty uniforms of blue coat, red
sash and white trousers with their
tall lue caps and red cockade!
Those were great celebrations to
the youngsters of that time. Sc in
the years to come will yesterdays
parade be looked back to by the
youngsters of today.
The parade of yesterday was a
great parade, as we'll in ensemble as
in detail.
The Chief Marshal James w.
Trenchard and his aides, w. H. Clark,
of West Avenue, Frank McGalliard,
George Elmer and others, on gaily
caparisoned horses, directed the for
nation at East Commerce ST. and
East Avenue.
And when the parade was ready to
move, the thousands which lined
both sides of Commerce Street, from
East Avenue westward to the Aca-
DENY grounds, were delighted with
The Marshal and his aides, the
Bridgeton Concert Band, old soldiers
in decorated automobiles, Knights of
the Golden Eagle Commandery, Band,
Various Tribes of Red Men, Knights
of Pythias. Fraternal Order of Moose.
Preceding these were Company K,
under command of Captain Leonidas
Coyle, Hope and Welcome Council, Jr.
O. U. A. M. Uniformed Guards. All of
these carrying their arms, Uniformed
Boy Scouts, Ministerial Association,
Commercial League, Fife and Drum
Corps, Junior Civic League and Camp
+ ire Girls. The Boys of 1916" of
Rcadstown, carrying guns. Ferracute
Machine Co. employees. There were
several bands of music and among
them the ACCORDION band.
The whole procession was brilliant
with colors, and the uniforms of
knights of Pythias and Commandery
OF the Golden Eagles were especially
heautiuful.
The employees of the Ferracute
Machine Co. provided the unique sur
prise of the afternoon. AS they were
first seen coming over the dam from
the works they resembled a monster
green worm, with hCrns as long as a
Tall anu eyes do ldI sc do Iioh
head, while from the back bristled
great spikes. The monster looked
hideous. The thing was a huge tube
of green gauze reaching almost the
whole length of the dam from the
works TO East Avenue.
This tube was as large as hogs
head. The men walked in single file
inside this tube, their heads protrud-
ing out the top, mounted with point
ell cap. Only the mems feet could be
seen at the bottom as they marched.
1t was a novel sight, and everybody
agreed it an unique stunt.
Arrived at the Academy grounds,
the organizations entered a roped off
enclosure and drew up in their re-
spective order in front of the speak
ers' stand ON the east side of the Aca-
deny At the close of the Grafton
they still keeping their formation
marched from the grounds by the
driveway at the southeast corner into
Broad Street, thence down Broad to
Laurel TO Commerce and dismissed.