Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-07-06
A GLORIOUS 4TH.
Tazewell Has Celebration I'M
equalled in It's History-Mili-
tary And Red Cross Make
Fine Showing.

The First real Fourth of July cele-
bration to occur in Tazewell within
the past half century was held here on
Wednesday, under the auspices of
the Tazewell County Red Cross or
ganization.
Tazewcll people were astonished at
the immense crowd that assembled
early in the morning, and the perfect
order and decorum that prevailed
throughout the day.
The crowd present was variously
estimated at from 5000 to 5000, and
some were bold enough to assert that
the latter figure did not include all
the visitors. There was not an Incl
dent throughout the entire days's GER
emonies that could have in any way
marred the solemnity of the occa-
sion.
The exercises were begun at IL
o'clock in the morning by the as
sembling of the monster parade at
North Tazewell, which began its jour
ney to Tazewell after the arrival of
the train from the west, bringing the
military companys and the officers
from Cedar, as well as a number of
visitors and Red Cross workers.
The parade was formed by Major
j. f. Bullett and his Adjutant, Lieu
tenant May, and Corporal Gardner
acting as Orderly, leading, followed
by the band of the Second Regiment,
Companys d and B of the Second
Regiment, Colonel Robert F. Leedy,
escorted by Judge S. G. Graham and
Major Jas. P. Whitman, wearing the
Confederate Veterans UNIFORM, and
Marshalls R. B. Gillespie and c. II.
Peery.
These were followed by representa-
tions of the various Red Cross ac-
cessories as used in actual war-am-
balances, Red Cross hospital and 9TH
er conveyances. A striking feature
of the parade was the wagon drawn
by mule and driven by Squire Geo.
Peery. The wagon contained the
"knitters," Mrs. Peery and Mrs. Mary
sumably knitting a pair of socks for
"the boys at the 'front.'" The float
occupied by M. j. Hankins, repre-
scnting John Bull, and Ernest Lew
is representing Uncle Sam, and sew
eral young ladies representing CO.
lumbia and the allied nations, with
Uncle Sam driving the wagon, was
an attractive feature of the parade.
These were followed by decorated au-
tomobiles bedecked with emblems of
the Red Cross and the Stars and
Stripes.
A number of children, bearers of
the flag, were formed at the Pres
byterian church, and joined the pa
rade and marched to the Court House
The colored delegation of the Red
Cross also joined the parade at this
point. After passing down Main
band( followed by the civilians, re-
turned and assembled in front of the
Court House, where the large flag
was raised with military honors, in
cluding the Star Spangled Banner,
played by the band. At this point of
the program, COL Leedy's address
was made, an account of which ap-
pears elsewhere.
The parade was about mile long
and was the. most spectacular and
striking display ever made in Taze-
well county. Those who are capable
of judging state that the long pro-
cession and perfect order and the
ease with which the large crowd was
handled would have done credit to q
town several times larger than the
town of Tazewell. 1t was a specta-
Gle that had never before been seen
in small town, or ever undertaken
except in the small cities.
The prime object the Red Cross
people had in mind was to impress
upon the people of the county the
seriousness of the war situation in
respect to even the humblest spec
tator of the days festivities. The
wishes of the promoters were graft
fled when the military and band
and mounted officers and Red Cross
display turned into the head of the
Main Street, with the band playing,
flags waving, etc.