The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1916-06-24
CITY OF DICKINSON
WAS CAPTURED
BY ELK HERD
GREATEST CELEBRATION AND
LARGEST CROWDS ON CITY
RECORDS.
Hotels and Restaurants Resieged by
Crowds Till Supplies and Help
We're Exhausted.

!
Crowds Till Supplies and Help
Were Exhausted.
Last Saturday closed the biggest
two days of good sports and fun
that Dickinson has ever seer. The
city began to take on signs, very
early in the week, that some big
doings were coming off and every
body was pulling for good weather.
The heavens wept as if grieved to see
the "old west" come back, only to
vanish again beyond the horizon of
our golden fields. But the weather
man was good, simply gave the
ground a sprinkling-then two glori-
GUS days for the big show.
Wednesday saw numerous visitors
and cowboys eagerly waiting for
something to start. Crowds poured
in to the city all day Thursday and
by that evening the streets were
fairly swarming with visiting Elks
and other enthusiastic beings, fully
expectant of having their greatest
wishes fulfilled.
All Thursday evening was busy
one for the Elks in their home. A
large class of new members were ini-
tiated and hundreds registered to re-
ceive their passes for all the big do
ings.
Friday morning was beautiful
one and Dickinson was in gala attire.
Business and public buildings were
fairly covered with appropriate deco
rations of "red, white and blue" and
purple and white. The Elks' home
was beautiful sight. The elaborate
decorations outside were fittingly
cent building by the American flag
over a large Elk penant on the flag
pole. The interior fairly shone with
the beautiful fixtures and purple and
white. The whole of the upper two
stories were thrown open to visiting
Elks and their families. Light re-
freshments were served and some en-
tertaining features in the music line
were given at intervals. The dances
both Friday and Saturday evenings
were attended by over capacity
crowds.
The parades and wild west show
passed off with few accidents. Minor
injuries occurred to two of the riders
and three or four autos got their
noses bumped in the crowded streets.
Early Friday morning everything
was booming, large crowds gathered
in the business portion of the city,
dozens of cowboys were in groups,
eagerly awaiting their chance to take
part in the parade and pranks at the
wild west arena.
Parade Covers p Blocks
The grand parades were strong
features Of the two days entertain
ment. Glendive's band took the lead
followed by their lodge, Grand Forks,
Fargo; then came jamestown band
and lodge; Valley City lodge; Bis
marck band and Bismarck lodge; Will
liston and Devils Lake followed by
Dickinson cowboy band, Mandan
lodge, Dickinson lodge, mounted
Elks, rough riders, then the big auto
parade.
Some of the features of Saturdays
parade were the large number of men
and girl riders-a good parade in
itself. Mandan were live ones and
made a hit with their "Klu Klux
Klan" uniforms, recalling to most Of
the spectators stories of the "old
SOUTH" Glendive came down with a
good bunch to enjoy the fun and
it is safe to say that they did their
part of the entertaining. One Of the
Montana city's gags was a skeleton
of an elk mounted on wheels. They
went to considerable trouble and ex-
pense to secure this empty frame but
were rewarded by the amount Of
mirth it created as they dragged it
along in the parade and people read
the most fitting inscription "The Only
Dead One in the Bunch"
AS near as the writer can ascertain
the parade was two hours passing the
business portion of the city and ex-
tended over % blocks, bringing up at
the. big arena where Manager Card
ner had the big wild west events
ready to start at given signal.
The Wild West
The large, well-fenced and we'll
protected "colleseum" was packed to
it's capacity, there being nearly 5000
people, most of whom had seen the
previous days sports. Fancy rope
spinning and different stunts occu-
pied the attention Of the crowd till
the other events were ready. The
first bunch turned loose were the
broncho riders entered for events,
followed by cowboys and cowgirls.
They posed for a panoramic picture
then beat it and gave way to the
pretty cowboy quadrille, which was
watched with much interest and done
so perfectly that it could be produced
in the movies. E. H. Phillips was
the very efficient cowboy caller and
his picturesque way made hit with
the whole crowd. The participants
were: George Gardner, N. D. Nichols,
w. j.. Ray, Bill Follis, Mrs. George
Gardner, Mrs. N. D. Nichols, Mrs. W.
! ]. Ray, Miss sybil Clark. Among