Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1919-08-21
THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE ATTENDED
ENORMOUS CROWD VISITS AU'
DUBON TO PAY FITTING
WELCOME TO BOYS

WELCOME TO BOYS
A crowd estimated at no less than
ten thousand people assembled in
Audubon last Thursday to officially
welcome home the soldiers and
sailors of Audubon county who
had served in the world war
The town was handsomely deco
rated for the occasion and present
ed an especially pleasing appear
ance. Every business house in the
city was decorated, practically all of
the work being done by professional
decorators who had been hired by
the committee.
The feature of the morning was
the parade at 1900 o'clock. About
three hundred soldiers and sailors
gathered in front of the court house
to Join in the parade, but all OF
them did not get to participate on
account of a Misunderstanding in
the hour. The parade was headed
by the Brayton Band. then came
the soldiers and sailors of the coun-
ty. the members of the G. A. r. and
w. r. c., in beautifully decorated
automobiles, and bringing up the
rear was the Audubon Concert
Band. The place of honor in the
parade for the w. r. C's was given
to Mrs. Barbara Johnson, who is
the only remaining Civil War nurse
in this part of the state.
At the noon hour a picnic dinner
was enjoyed. People gathered in
groups in the park and in all parts
of the city for dinner. The COM
mittee furnished free coffee and
cream. And special thanks ~
due Mrs. VIM. Rucker who made
and served the splendid coffee and
to the Audubon Creamery Co. for
furnishing the cream.
At 1880 the speaking program
began. H. J. Mantz was chairman
of the day He introduced Father
Costello who made the address OF
welcome to the boys, and he did II
in his pleasing characteristic way.
The response on the part of the sol
diers and sailors was made by Geo.
r. voss of Extra and he did nne
lob of It in a few well chosen words.
The speaker of the day was Hon.
N. E. Kendall of Abba. He is re-
cognized everywhere as Iowa's silver
tongued orator and he did not dis
appoint the thousands who remain
ed to hear him more than an hour.
He spoke OF the splendid service the
bows had rendered the people not
oniy of the United States, but of the
world. His we'll rounded senten-
ces bubbling over with American
ism were frequently applauded. he
said we were all Americans now
that the hyphen had entirely disap,
peared and we all stood for loo
percent Americanism. Mr.. Ken
dall's address was considered the
best of its kind ever heard In the
community. Many got to meet
him personally and he regretted
that ne was compelled to leave so
early in order to make train con-
nections for another town where ne
was to speak the following day.
A long program of sports took
place on South Park which was
watched with keen interest as the
soldier boys contested and con-
tended for the prizes that had been
offered. The ball game between
Audubon and Guthrie Center also
furnished amusement and enter
tainment TOT the HuHuIcuS "ho VI
Joy the national pastime.
The Brayton and Audubon bands
merged into one big organization IN
the evening and rendered an hours
concert that was greatly appreciat-
ed.
At nine O'Clock the dance began
on the large platform that had been
erected east of the Audubon hard
ware store. This feature was In
charge of Wilbur Kennels, and II
proved to be a splendid feature OF
the big celebration. Everything
went of smoothly and the dancing
was not only INDUCED In by the
soldiers and sailors. but by many or
the home folks.
BY midnight all of the conces-
sions began to pack up their tents
and from then on till morning the
streets began to look like the day
after"
1t was the greatest celebration
ever held in Audubon and 1t Will
always be a credit to the people OF
the county who contributed so lib
orally that the boys from all sec
lions of the county might enjoy
this one big official occasion.