Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-07-22
VICTORY C[LE:
BRiAT|0N| HELD
The Largest Impromptu Celebration
Ever Staged in Webster City
RejOices Over Western
Front Victories.
REV. METCALF MADE SPEECH
Big Parade Moves Through Business
FL
District, While Crowd Cheers
VociferOusly.
REV. METCALF MADE SPEECH

The largest impromptu jollitication
celebration ever staged in Webster
City was held Friday evening in re-
joicing over the wonderful advances
being made overseas by the American
and French troops. 1t is estimated
that upwards of 5000 people were
here and that more than 600 automo-
biles were upon the streets. A free
will offering to the Red Cross, thrown
in large flag, amounted to $1,000.
A call had been sent out in the
columns of the Freeman-Journal and
also over the rural telephone lines
asking the people of the city and
community to congregate on the
streets at Z o'clock BY that hour a
large crowd was out and the streets
were lined with autos.
The Parade.
The Webster City band, led by Wes-
ley Schaub, formed at the city hall,
where the parade started, the band
leading. Following came the monster
First National bank flag, carried by
thirteen men and following this were
seventy-eight automobiles, two floats
and the fire truck loaded with boys
who beat pans. One of the floats was
put in by Hanrahan & O'Connor with
Uncle Sam sitting in the rear seat
and an effigy of the kaiser hanging
behind. The other float belonged to
Nathan Boynoff and carried an effigy
OF the kaiser in the rear seat.
Most of the automobiles were dec
Grated with flags and were Justify
cheered by the crowds as they pass
ed. The parade moved through the
business district of the city and fin
ally stopped at the intersection Of
Second street and Wilson avenue.
where the band gave some selections.
Rev. Metcalf Speaks.
The Rev. Arthur Metcalf of the Con-
gregational church of this city was
drafted from the crowd for an i'm
promptu address. He was lifted upon
the dummy policeman, from which
point of vantage he delivered brief
patriotic address.
He reminded the vast congregation
OF perhaps 5000 people which closed
ID about him Of the passing anniver-
sary of the razing of the Bastile in
France. The demolition of this de-
tested prison-fortress by the outrag-
ed citizens Of France July IA, 1889,
was one of the first signs of the forth
coming tempest of the revolution and
was hailed with equal surprise and
joy by every well-wisher to freedom
throughout the civilized world.
Rev. Metcalf, himself an English
man by birth, declared that the AL
lies now united would remain united
even after the war. There is moth
ing bigger in history than this mess
age" he said. "All the people who
love liberty have joined hands and
they will stay Joined for the promo
ton of world democracy"
The American advance yesterday is |
the first great victory the United
States has had to celebrate in the
present struggle, but, as Rev. Metcalf |
APPLY put it, we are just getting in |
practice for others that are going to
follow. Have you noticed" he ask
ed, (which way our boys are headed?"
They are going eastward on their way
20 Berlin, hand in hand with the tri-
color and the union jack. There are
weary days before us, but this is the
beginning of the end for the kaiser
and the kaiser's government" Mr..
Metcal declared.
He then called attention to the
nag, borne by thirteen men, before
MIN, and invited the throng to make
q contribution to the Red Cross by
throwing twenty-five cents a piece in
% its expanse. The flying coins and
their Jingle sounded exactly, as he
phrased it, like the bombardment of
Berlin. Barney Brin started the CIV
ing by contribution of S.
Following this, the band played sew
eral more numbers, completing the