Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-07-10
RECORD CROWD CELE.
.BRATES IN MANCHESTER
STARTS WITH BIG
STREET PARADE. MANY AT.
TRACTIVE FLOATS.
SERGT. BULGER IN ABLE ADDRESS
Free Acts, Ball Game, and Four Bands
Amuse and Entertain Vast
Crowd.

~~SsSy
Amuse and Entertain Vast
Crowd.
The Fourth of July was fittingly OBJ
served in Manchester this year, when
crowd estimated at twelve thousand
people assembled here to participate
in the big celebration which had been
planned by the officers Of the Delaware
County Fair society. The day was
ideal, and the roads leading to Man
chester were in excellent condition.
Early in the morning crowds were
coming by automobile and train, and
when the hour for the parade came the
down town streets were packed with
cars and pedestrians.
Attractive Floats.
The merchants OF Manchester and
others interested in patriotic activi-
ties did themselves proud in the ar
rangement of the floats. The parade
was bigger and better than any that
had been arranged before. The parade
formed at the court house square, and
was headed by Editor Charles Barnette
of Farley. Charley impersnated
Uncle Sam in realistic fashion. Fol-
lowing Uncle Sam" came one Of the
four bands, members of the Grand
Army of the Republic and the Womans
Relief Corps, in automobiles. Then
came the floats, the other three bands,
the soldiers from Camp Dodge, and
one of the sailor boys who was at
home on leave of absence.
At the Fair Grounds.
Immediately following the parade
on the city streets, the vast crowd
started for the fair grounds where the
exercises of the day were given. From
the time the crowd commenced to go
into the fair grounds in the morning
until about three o'clock in the after
noon, nearly nine thousand paid ad-
missions were registered at the two
gates. It is also estimated that 2250
automobiles were parked on the fair
grounds during the afternoon. When
1t is taken into consideration that all
children under ten years were admit
ted free, it is not putting the estimate
too high when we say that twelve thou
sand people were on the grounds dur
ing the afternoon.
Sergt. Bulger Gives Able Address.
Sergeant Bulger, who was the speak
er of the afternoon, gave an interest
ing address. telling of his experiences
in the early stages Of the war. The
Sergeant was a member of the British
Expeditionary army, which fought
against such terrible odds in the OPEN
ing days of the world war. He spoke
very plainly of some Of the contempt
ible deeds perpetrated by the Huns,
and of the underhanded methods used
to deceive the British and Canadians
Sergeant Bulger was in the thick of
the fight, being a survivor Of one Of
the first gas attacks made by the Ger
mans.
Attractions Please.
The officers Of the Fair society tried
hard to secure such attractions as
would please the crowd, and that they
succeeded in this is evidenced by the
fact that everyone seemed pleased
with the days entertainment. Four
free acts were staged during the af-
ternoon, which gave general satisfac-
ton. The local horsemen put on
some of the best races witnessed here
in many day. The horsenen agreed
with the Fair society that whatever
purse money was paid them for stag
ing the races would all be paid into
the treasury Of the Delaware County
Loyalty League for the benefit of the
soldiers relief fund.
The ball game between Ryan and
Cedar Rapids turned out to be hard
fought contest, Ryan winning the
game by score of 5 to 4.
Much credit for the success Of the
day is due to the bands from Lamont,
Oak Grove and Colesburg.
The bands were very generous with
their numbers, and were heartily ap-
plauded by the crowd.
Soldiers From Camp Dodge.
Twenty soldiers from Camp Dodge,
in command of Lieutenant Under
wood, participated in the activities of
the day. The boys arrived on the ear
ly morning train, and were escorted
to the armory where they left their
equipment, and were then taken to
different homes in the city, to be CIV
en- an opportunity to sleep in an hon
est to goodness bed as some of the
boys put it. On the morning of the
Fourth the boys We're taken to the
United States Fish hatchery. =, Inas-
much as most of the boys We're from
the Dakotas and Minnesota and had
not seen the hatchery before, that
scenic spot had peculiar charm tor
them. Returning from their trip to
the hatchery the hos assembled TT
the armory and fell in line with the
parade.
The war department made a change
in the ruling which made it impossi-
BILE for the boys to take the gas masks
from the camp The government is
taking every precaution to prevent
German spies in this country from
getting next to the manner OF con-
struction of the gas masks; and or
dered that no bayonet drills be given
except on the drill grounds at the can
tonments. This explains why the boys
from the cantonment could not give
all of the drills which the crowd had