Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-07-09

places of haven from the rush and
crush of crowds and shelter from rain |
and sun.
Accompanying the Civil war veter-
ans was the oldest soldier in the coun-
ty and one who has probably been
a resident here ongest-Lemach Ora
ham, who reached 81 years during
this month. For 70 years he has liv-
ed at Springville, on the place his
father homesteaded in 1S48. Mr.. Ora
ham was a member in the Iron Bri-
gade, Co. l. To the Censor he said he
had celebrated 81 national birthdays,
and last fridays was the most thrill
/ ing and best he mad experienced.
On every vacant space in town re-
freshment stands served the thirsty
throngs, and they all did a rushing
! business. The merry -go-round was
a great drawing card for the young
sters, and it was busy every minute
| The proprietor tells that he never saw
such a Fourth of July crowd, nor sold
so many tickets in one day.
1t is estimated that there were 5000 |
automobiles in the city, parked in ev-
cry outlaying street, on vacant lots |
and backyards. 1t was one of the |
tasks of the day to manage this fea- |
ture, but it was done in a systematic |
manner by City Marshal Cowden and |
his l3 assistants. 1t is a remarkable |
fact that no accident occurred, either |
to persons or machines. And it is |
most significant that the occasion was |
entirely free from intoXication These |
marshal forces were on duty contin- |
uously till midnight caring for cars.
During the afternoon result of the |
great international prize fight in which |
Jack Dempsey took the worlds cham |
pionship from Jess Willard in the |
fourth round, was announced through |
out the crowds by megaphone, Corpo- |
raj Losey Wood giving the informa- |
ton. Corporal Wood made himself |
very useful as general announcer for |
the days events.
What an eloquent tribute to the alb |
sence of booze was seen in that order |
ly crowd-not an accident, not an ar |
rest, not a word of boistrous or I'M
gentlemanly conduct, not an intoxi- |
Gated man. The presence of open sa-
looms in our midst would have made |
veritable hell of what proved to be a |
perfect day.
Never before in the history of her |
people has Viroqua so worked togeth- |
er for the success of an undertaking |
as upon this occasion. To Chairman |
Dyson must go the lions share of the |
credit. His work of planning and ar
ranging was of highest executive /
quality. He proved pre-eminently to |
be the man for the place, giving of his |
fIn1n and NIT bout
keeping his head and temper in the |
midst of all the thousand and one de- |
tails and perplexities incident to the |
celebration. But the huge success of |
the day was made possible by the |
close cooperation of all committee |
heads and members and specially ap- |
pointed workers, mention of whom by |
name would include a large part Of |
the business and professional men in /
the city.
A veritable mountain of ice cream |
was consumed on Friday-990 gallons
of the cooling delicacy.
The city wore a holiday appearance
in decorations. H. E. Rogers, Jr. was
chairman of the committee, A. J. Beat |
looking after the work the few days |
Henry was away. A feature of the
decorations was the four notices SPAN
ming Main street: "We'll say you did
it. And they said Americans couldn't
fight" "You all look good to us"
you are the men who got the Kais-
er's goat"
The Spanish-American soldiers made
a good showing after Fl years out of
service. There were 16 Of them, Dr.
Nye and Jack Loveless coming from /
Viola, Sever Simpson from Manning, /
Erick Erickson of Richland Center, /
Melvin Steenberg from Retreat. The
others are Viroqua boys, Ole r. Moe, I
NJ. j. Felix, Elmer Strait, Garfield /
Pencil, Oliver Helgeson, Edwin Tain
ter, William Crume, Claud Seeley, AL
bert Burkhart, Peter Hexvold, c. NJ. +
Powell.
The attitude of all Viroqua business
men in closing their stores the entire Il
day was most commendable. It show |,
ed proper respect for the soldier boys
and demonstrated that the city of vi
roqua had no thought of making one
cent of profit out of the big celebra-
ton.
The general comn1itte desires that
al D4i15 against LuE EEAEDEdLt0H COM
mittee be sent to w. D. Dyson at once.
N. D. Helgeson had charge of the
erection of the celebration tents-for
the band, ladies, etc.
Chairman Dyson wishes personally !
to thank the corps Of loyal workers !
who made the day successful by their
earnest unselfsh efforts.
The lunbermen contributed of their F.,
stocks that the bowery, platforms, ia /
bles, etc, might be built, and the gen ]
eral committee desires to thank them. +
BenBrown's movies furnished pleas Ii
ure to thousands, being a continuous {
performance with pictures that pleas j
ed. Every soldier and his sweetheart I
had free access at ali times Charlie I
Chaplin in his Shoulder Arms stunt {
had realizing effect with the soldiers. {
The group Of eight artists from the {