Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-11-12

SOME NIGHT,
SAY CITIZENS Is.

: 1t was a Coney Island, Mardi Gras, a,
New Years celebration and election
night %jubilation all rolled Into epne-
that jolly affair Of Grand Forks and
East Grand Forks, citizens last night.
All the necessary ingredients were
there: The smiling, faces; the shout,
Ing; the dancing in streets and on
sidewalks the footing of auto horns,
the waving OF many thousand flags
the pageant Of smartly decorated
motor vehicles moving slowly up and
down the streets; the red lights, and
even the, confetti which was showered,
upon the jolly, population here and
there.
And then there was the band-that
municipal organization Of (which the
city is so proud-and s. A. T. G. men
from the university lending a desir-
able martial color to the celebration.
The home guards of Grand Forks and
East Grand Forks led the. procession
around again no one KNOWS how
many times.
Some night" that's the remini-
scent chorus heard everywhere today.
1t all came about because the world
war had ended, and the enthusiastic
celebration which started yesterday
morning before A O'clock, continued
through the afternoon reaching its
climax during the evening.
All Was Impromptn.
A characteristic feature Of the v3o.
tory fete was that it was all SO i'm.
promptu, so absolutely devoid Of
formal preparatory arrangements,
and nothing had even been thought
Of early yesterday when M. M. Merrill,
captain Of the home guards, hastily
outlined some tentative plans which
were equally hastily discussed with
some other men-and then, lin" the
course Of an hour or SO, everything
"jes' grey up" marching, singing,
playing. dancing, shouting, and SO IN.
To give details of what happened in
the streets last night would be an inn
possible task, for ten thousand things
body was there, anyhow, so what's
the use Of trying to describe what all
have seen and, especially, heard.
The lack of formality was con-
spicuous and perhaps did much to-
ward making the spontaneous out
burst of victory joy the greatest pub
lie affair known in the two cities.
The Gun and the Hearse.
A "heavy field piece" looking like
some Of those which Germany has
had to surrender to the Allies, at
tracted much attention as did also a
hearse said to contain the defunct
cession was not exactly solemn, but
quite impressive because of the fact
that the "mourners" were dancing
around the hearse or on top Of it. In
some mysterious way the casket dis
appeared some time during the eve
ming, and the latest report Of it's
whereabouts would indicate hat it
has been turned into ashes-like the.
house Of the Hohenzollerns.
The university soldier students who
attracted SO great attention during the
morning hours, were marching again
last night-solemn, dignif1ed looking
ment of their ranks perfectly. The
Grand Forks home guards, led by
Capt. M. M. Merrill, Inc the East
Grand Forks home guards led by
Mayor c. j. Kelleher, costumed as
Uncle Sam, made a great hit with the
people, in the streets as did also the
Grand Forks municipal band, inces-
sanity playing martial and stirring
airs.
For hours the everJncreasing
crowds surged along the Sidewalks,
panied by all kinds of freak "musi-
cal" instruments and here and there
entertained by l~ight-footed dancers"
who astonished a grateful public by
numerous semi-oriental snake and
torch dances as well as by ballet di-
vertissements looking almost as
though they had been recently i'm
ported from P%etrograd.
Altogether the night was one of
solid and lasting hilarity, and the
fun was kept up until-but. it's better
not to say exactly when it all stopped.