The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-09-26
Celebratio nto Disseminate In
formation and Enthusiasm
for Oldest City as Site of Pur-
chase Show Successful.
ALL WEST FLORIDA
SENT DELEGATES
Perfect September Weather
With Just a Tingle of Autumn
Added Much to Pleasure of
the Gala Occasion.

The great Centennial Day celebra-
tion made good when Pensacola gave
her biggest welcome to the people OF
the hinterland yesterday. 1t was a
tremendous outpouring OF hospitality
and good will toward the citzenry of
West Florida who came my hotor,
train aond boat into the city TO give
their support to the centennial move
ment. Dazzling September sunshine
was an aid to the festivities and the
crowds were in a holiday mood.
From the time when the first Wis
isitors began arriving by train and the
parade got under way, until midnight
when the last dancers at the Pal
metto Beach pavilion waltzed to the
final Home Sweet Home" the day
was a success.
crowd estimated at seven thous-
and was on the grounds for the bar
becue during the day. The army and
navy contributed to the making of
the big event. Flying boats gave de-
monstrations of aviation and one OF
the observation balloons from the
station came out for the benefit of
the visitors. The artillery band from
Fort Barrancas was on the job for
the parade and ployed later in the
day at the pavilion, The shipbuilding
plant, another big force in the activi-
ties of the city, did its part in the
general scheme of entertainment
Postponed one day in order that
crowds from out-of-town might view
the sight?, the launching of the Rock
port from the ways of the yard
thrilled scores of men and women
from the interior country.
The crowds were larger when the
big feeds Were served. and platters
of barbecued meats, bread and pickles
were handed out. Many times they
were repIenished by members OF the
barbecue committee before the ap-
petites of the hundreds had been sat
isfied.
Led by Grand Marshal F'elo Nc
AIlister and his deputy marshals and
the Pensacola fire department, the
parade which opened the days fes-
tivities got under way at the hour
set. The Barrancas band was next
in line and just behind them the place
of honor was given to John b. Jones,
father" of the centennial movement.
John S. Beard, a member of the com
mittee who spoke before the Florida
Purchase Commission; DR.. +. G.. Rem
shaw, chairman of the committee OF
one hundred, and Mayor Frank ID.
Sanders. Behind them came city and
county officials, members of thef
women's tag day committee, and the
West F'lorid a delegation, Mrs. II. A.
Brosnaham, general chairman, and
party, led the women's division A
distinctive bit of color in the line OF
march was the decorated car in which
rode Mrs. James Macgibbon and her
assistants. Streamers of red and
white were used on the tonneau and
drivers seat.
Centennial hackers gave an added
impetus to the movement when
speeches were delivered in the beach
pavilion.
Calling upon the women who had
come out so strongly to win the day
for Pensacola, John S. Beard said that
he hoped that the efforts of tho
ladies' who had assisted would gal
vanize the male c6fpses into anima.
ton"
Peter L. Rollo asked that Pensa..
cola and West Florida bury ths
hammer and get out the horn"
John II. Collins, OF Milton, pledged
the undivided support of Santa Rosa
county lot GenSdcOla as the only site
for the centennial Judge T. r. James.
Of Okaloosa county, bore him out in
the statement that all the outlying
counties were ready to push the
movement with all the energy and vim
possible. Rivers II. Buford, Of Mari
anna, paid a glowing tribute to PEN
sacola, as the exposition city of the
future. r w. Wagers, a Detroit busi-
ness man, brought a message of north
ern interest in the south and the great
Importance which would come as the
result OF holding the centennial here
John b. Jones made another plea
for the centennial. THE clock on the
OF F'lorida's progress is about
10 strike the hour of twelve" he told
he crowds. "A new day in her life
IS about to begin, patriotism and
siyic pride demand that Ler people as
of American constitu-
ional government during the first
1ne hundred years after FIorida's pur-
'hase from Spain should commemorate
md celebrate that great event by
he holding of an exposition.
And so the Florida Purchase Cen
ennial Exposition was proposed, and
[ has since been ordained by resolu-
ions by the legislature of the State
# Florida that this shall be an in
ernational exposition so that the
world may know Florida, the patrio-
SIN and national pride may mako