Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-07
STAGE GIGANTIC
CELEBRATION At
RUMOR OF PEACE
Nee Early Hours Nesterday Find
thousands in BHSiReeS Section
Cheering and Singing.
UTY WHISTLES ARE BLOWN
Messages sent TO Mayors of Rock
Island and Moline Say Ger
mans Seeking Peace.

4 more demon stratiye Celebra-
.an I'm which thousands have par
fcipate6 has seldom been held in
pork island than was staged late
ss1urday night and early Sunday
thousands of people, thinking
hat SEINE great disaster had occur
81 nccassifat.ug the blowing of the
vate~worgs whistle as a warning,
-rsbed 90 the streets and made their
nav To the business section Of the
.i,r Others were under the i'm
,-ession that q great fire was in
srogress. and realizing the city's
5sndfcanped situation, hurried to
he downtown portion TO offer their
balu Guns were fred and bells
-nng. alt Of which helped to create
more excitement
The whistles Of Rock Island and
uoline were blown as the result of
t.Iexrar1s received by Mayor Will
lam McCouoChie Of Rock Island
. and Mayor Martin r. Carlson of
Moline from the Hearst papers in
frbscago They announced that
steDs had been taken by the Ger
man government to accept Wilson s
psace proposals. The messages
fHrther stated that whistles were
baing blown and bells Tung in Chi
eago in celebration of the event
Roth local officials on receiving the
messages ordered the city whistles
blown and the demonstration on
the part Of the people followed.
shortly after l O'Clock yesterday
morning more than 5000 people
were either in the business section
az the city or were on their way
there. Immediate demonstrations
began. Red lights were burned,
bonfrez built, songs sung and pa
rades held.
Parade Held.
With an American flag at the
lead. fully 5000 Rock Island people
fell into march and paraded up and
} down Second avenue. finally cross
ing TO Davenport. where a celebra-
ton was not in progress. The pa
raiders made their way to the Black
hawk hotel. where America" and
The Star Spangled Banner" were
sung until the very foundation of
the building trembled
As the paTaders were returning
over the bridge from Davenport an
automobile was halted and its oC-
cupants. all men, were asked to re
move their hats in honor Of the
flag. which was then passing. The
occupants Of the car a. first refus-
ed. and the driver struck out and
hit one of the celebratoTs.
Forced to Salute.
This uea&v caused a riot, as the
machine was soon surrounded, and
the men in the car were struck sew
eral blows Result Of the affair
was that the occupants were com
PEELED to remove their hats and sa
Lutte the flag. and the name and
street address Of the driver was
taken for the purpose Of collecting
SO damages. promised by the dTiy-
er, for striking one of the celebra-
tors. On returning to Rock Island
the paraderz entered the hotels 9nd
sang and cheered-
Not only were pedestrians taking
part I'm the demonstration, but
thousands of automobile owners
brought out their machines loaded
with friends and helped make the
affair successful Machines carry
ing huge flags Illuminated by the
glare Of electric flashlights made
their way for hours throughout the
business district
All aS Ono.
Rock Islanders have perhaps new
er before taken part in such an af-
fair People in every class of life
intermiRgied. sang and cheered
when word reached their ears that
the Germans had been forced to
seek ar end Of the war.
One lyurhiug occurred. kaiser
Bill" was strung high at the corner
70 Second avenue and Nineteenth
streets a. . o'clock in the morning
Empty sacks filled with refuse and
straw represented the much hated
|, ruler.
4 Corpet5Sfa and drunmers with
heir Instruments paraded the
streets, making noise of every de
scriUtion to help keep the celebra-
ton in action.
lasts for Hours.
It was daylight before the last
OF the merrvmakers had made their
way 70 forgotten beds and rest
Gasolinelass Sunday requests
were forgotten by all when it was
announced that a surrender pro
posal was euroute from the enemy
10 Washington No one seemed to
care about burning gasoline, but
thought only Of an allied victory.
Il was Rock Islands first demon
str2tiOn since the enemy has been
atenptiue TO- secure an end Of the