The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-09-03
CROWDS PLEASED
WITH BIG LABOR
DAY PROGRAM
CROWD is SUPPOSED TO HAVE
BEEN BIGGEST AND BEST
EVER IN CITY

Sometime the old time-worn state
ment "It's the best we ever had"
seems to be overlooked by the crowd
which assembled in this city on La
Dor Day to witness and enjoy the
exceptionally fine program which the
committees had prepared was absc~
lutely the best and biggest whichever
got together in this city and in like
manner we can say that the various
numbers on the program for the day
were also of the best which had ever
been punched together for a days
entertainment and amusement, with
out exaggeration and so far We have
been able to hear not a person has
been found who criticized any of the
events on the program. Only one per-
son was known to be under the
Weather from drinking too much
lemonade and as he was soldier OF
the "hard- boiled 32nd" he had per-
feet right to feel that way, because
it would have been wrong to criticize
a soldier on Welcome Home day,
anyhow.
The parade started as per schedule
from the G. A. r. hall and after it
reached Main street it headed east.
1t was headed by the Greenville band
after which came the soldier boys who
had been induced to march in the
parade. There were z sailors, -
wearing marine uniforms. The sight
of these men marching in their uni
these men, marching in their UNI
forms-the first body of uniformed
soldiers and sailors to march since the
beginning of the war was soul STIR
ring and they were loudly applaud
ed. Next came the Sons of Veterans
acting as escort to the gallant old
boys in blue, the men of the Qrano
Army of the Republic, fast dwindl-
ing and disappearing force, but every
one of them possessed OF a quick step.
Following came Alfred Moore with
the truck containing Wild Howe and
the famous fife and drum corps and
then came the noble women of the
local Red Cross organization. To
see them recalled the vast amount
of good work which they done during
the war. The Camp Fire girls, Boy
Scouts and Rebeckahs came next ana
then follawed William Ortt in a
bort Tauring car, behind which trail
ed an auto body in process of con-
struction, the work of the local bort
factors. backing this marched the
men of the bort factory, in full force
carrying bort banners. Next came
the Belding bar with Orlie Ham
mond, local j5ggler, accompanying
them.
The fire truck headed the floats,
Ames e. Ungers Republic truck exhi-
bits, one from the White Star Line,
Harold Wood and then came large
auto float made up on the BeldingHall
Co. truck driven by Herb John
son, showing the company's refriger-
ators. The frozen north scene shown
was very realistic and created a cool
wave in the atmosphere as it passed
along. The exhibition was jointly
between the Beldlng-Hall Company
and the Miller & Harris Furniture
Co. and their local agents. Ollie Taft
driver for the Belding Bros. d Co.
truck came next with a float made up
Of silk mill products. An aeroplane
came next and in it were Art James
and Frank Simons. Cobb q Donovan
Ford Garage owners, had fine float
which advertised Ford service all
the time and the float of the Belding
Lumber Co, brought up the rear Of
the float section.
Decorated autos were, Martin War
ncr.. Mr.. Condor, Patsy Costello,
Elmer Heether and Frank Phillips.
A small aeroplane next and then a
group cf h0rribles. The Old Grey
Mare club was out in force and had
the oldest grey mare that they could
find to pull them. They announced
in stentOfian tenes that Immediately
after the parade they would return
and raise the long looked for flag
pole. This they later on did, apol-
igizing for the long delay since the
money was raised and also apologize
ing for the condition of the pole at
the time of raising it. The later
little farce took real well with the
crowd and Lloyd Underwood, acting
as chairman of the meeting took sew
eral hot shots at members of his own
club and the flag pole committee.
Erastus Sparks, Bert Castle, Roy
Hartman and Robert Wells were also
in the parade with rigs and this
finished it.
Following is list of the winners
of the prizes given for the various
contests and sports.
Decorated utomobiles-First, Pat
Costello; Second, M. J. Warner, Third
Elmer Heether, Fourth, Carol Ring
Floats-First, Art James; Second,
Belding-Hall CO., and Miller & Har-
ris Furniture Co.; Third, Beldine
Brcs. e. Co.
Decorated Bicycles-First, f. JOS
lin; Second. l., Brown.
Largest Load-First Arthur Moore
Oldest Horse-Old Grey Mare club.
M Best decorated windows-First,
Jensen g. Wheeler, Carleton Wheeler,
decorator; Second, Fristoe q Rum
mixer, John O'Dcnnell, decoratora