Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-08-31

, band gave Splenuld program.
Promptly at 3 80 p. m. the Fire.
mont band opened the program
with an overture. This was fol-
lowed with song Freedom Tri-
umphant" by a chorus OF young
ladies directed by Miss Bertha Hill
labrand.
lne chairman OF the programme
committee, Mr.. e. l.. Blue, then
opened the meeting with the fol-
lowing declaration:
Zone hundred years ago, by the
grace of God and the wisdom oil
man, that which was destined to
become the most beautiful village
in the state of Ohio, was placed
upon the map-and they named it
Perrysburg."
He then stated that the events of
historical interest would be treated
in a sketch written for the occa
sion by DR.. Dwight r. Garfield,
who was then introduced.
The Doctor was greeted with APP
plause. and the sketch which he
read was greatly enjoyed. He
found it difficult to crowd one
hundred years into twenty min
ute's time but he made that brief
period mighty interesting to the
Immense audience.
A second selection by the band,
and Home Again by the chorus
followed.
The chairman introduced the or
ator of the day, Attorney Eugene
Rheinfrank. of Toledo, and paid
him high compliment as a pro
duet of the old home town. The
speaker was welcomed with hearty
Applause.
The following are selections taken
from the Grafton delivered by Eugene
Rheinfrank at the celebration of Per-
lrysburg's first centennial, August "a,
1915:
My Fellow -Townsmen, Ladies and
Gentlemen:
Today our love for Perrysburg
crowds out all other emotions. One
hundred years have passed since the
beginning of this village, and Perrys-
burg's first century is now a thing OF
history What privilege it is to help
celebrate such an occasion! What "a
glorious demonstration we have just
had of the splendid civic pride which
today has entered every home and
stirred the blood of every individual,
society and organization of our beau
tiful town!
Every citizen has, by participating
in this celebration, done honor to every
other citizen. | never saw anything so
gratifying as the sight of Perrysburg
on parade. The pageant which we
have beheld bespeaks the spirit which
should crown the successful close of
our first century. 1t is not the spirit
of envy, of hate, of malice, of unfair
business competition, of rivalry and
antagonism, of selfishness, and of in
difference to public affairs. 1t is not
the spirit of bigotry. On the contrary,
we have witnessed the inspiring spec
tacle of all our business men, all our
professional men, all our lodges, all
our churches, and all our people, par
ticipating as with one mighty heart
beat in the celebration of this glorious
centennial. :
|
What a century this has been for
Perrysburg! She-for on account of
her superb beauty we can only think
of her in the feminine-has been in
close touch with the march of national
events. Apart from the maelstrom of
metropolitan life, she has yet been
hear the call of great opportunities.
| IF tho cti aUants of tho War
of 1912 were almost coincident with
the founding of Perrysburg. Just be-
fore being plated into lots, our lands
received veritable baptism of fire.
With such beginning, it is no wonder
that the men who subsequently occu-
pied these lands have always been
brave and patriotic-that their patri-
otism has been instilled into the life
blood of our youth, and that when the
Nation called Perrysburg furnished her
full quota of boys in blue for the de-
fense and preservation of thu Union.
Fifty years ago, IN the greatest
crisis of the century, Abraham Lincoln
heard from Perrysburg. In the armies
which went forward to meet such a
crisis, Perrysburg was represented by
the finest soldiers that ever carried
American arms. Many of them are
honoring US with their presence here
today. Comrade Yeager informs me
that of those who enlisted from here
only 120 still remain with us. We
never can express to them the full
measure of the nations gratitude.
Their deeds will continue to be written
in prose and sung in poetry throughout
the ages, and the magnificent Soldiers
and Sailors monument near which we
are gathered will crack and crumble
away long before American posterity
shall forget the brave men who put
down the Rebellion.
We would be remiss on this occasion
if we did not give some thought to the
important sieges of Fort Meigs. Be-
Il canSe of its location at the very edpe