Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-19
WHOLE COUNTY VEL COMES HOME
ITS SOLDIERS ANb SAILORS IN
GALA CELEBRATION ON JULY e
Heroes Of Great Conflict Are Feted
From Early MOrninf Until
Late at Night

ed her arms and heart to her sol
diers. sailors and marines of the
world war.
Unique in light of the fact of il
being the first occasion of like mag
nitude and kind in the history of
the county, success of the big day
on which Mercer county paid no
mage to those veterans who gave
themselves at their country's call,
proved a real achievement.
Too much credit cannot be given
the corps of workers representing
the various townships, the sports
committee and D. J. VanAtta, gen
eral chairman. These men planned
and worked that he service men
there to see and experience might
known that the welcome was
whole-hearted and sincere-that it
came from proud and happy pop
ulace truly cogniZant of the merit
of valOr. at home, in the camps or
overseas.
1t was a day unequaled from
many angles by any festival on
county records. Pleasure was the
keynote-from 9 o'clock in the
morning until y o'clock midnight
that night
Entertainment OF All Sorts.
Exhibitions OF broncho busting
given by expert horsemen of Mer-
GER county, launched the days pro-
gram at the fair grounds. Then
followed music by several bands
and continuous round of free at
fractions. Feature of the morn
ing's program was an eight-round
boxing match between Joe Steven
son of near Aledo and Clarence
Tweed of Keithsburg, in which
Tweed earned the decision on
points. Then came the baseball
game, one of the best exhibitions
Of the national pastime ever offered
Mercer county lovers of the game.
Matherville and Keithsburg clash
ed, with the result that the latter
nine triumphed at the long end of
a l to 0 count.
without delay or disturbance of
any kind the program as previous
~ announced was carried out Elk
perts at estimating crowds placed
the number in attendance at ap-
proximateIy $4,000 Thousands of
automobiles, rigs and vehicles of
every sort were parked on the fair
grounds. All roads led to Aledo-
the county, except az this spot, be
iGg practically dehabiIitated The
day was declared a Holiday and
business for the most part was at
a standstill
Prominent Men Speak.
In the afternoon George A.
Cooke. ex-supreme justice; Elisha
Lee. chairman of Mercer county's
exemption board, and Captain Os-
car Z. Carlstrom, states attorney,
were the speakers. Mr.. Cooke pre-
sided on the speakers P1atform.
Following the speaking came
several free attraction features and
then an eight-rOund boxing match
between two Rock Island profess
sional boxers, which offered much
entertainment for the spectators.
Adjutant General Frank S. Dick
son of Springfield, who was to have
been one of the principal speakers
of the day, was enrOute to Aledo
when he received orders to report
back to the state capital for strike
his trip here.
A huge 35-ton tank. one of the
largest made, a caterpillar tractor, !
used for hauling big guns in
France. and a large seige gun were |
on hand at the fair grounds as an |
exhibit from the Rock Island arse |
nal, secured through the efforts OF |
Congressman W. J. Graham. A |
crew of five men accompanied the |
land cruiser and demonstrated it |
in action.
Airplane Arrives.
Expectations were that the air |
plane fleet of three promised Chair I
man Van Alta from the Chanute |
fields at RaHtoul would not arrive,
when the bout closing the program
at the fair grounds began with still
no sign of the airmen. After the
finish of the boxing match, how
ever, the crowd had partially left
the grounds when the hum of mo-
tors and the whir of a propeller
was heard approaching from the
east. 1t was an airplane ordered
to this city that morning, but
which had encountered difficulties
on the journey, making it many
hours late II landed and its pilot,
Lieutenant r. B. WOodelton. was
received by Mr. Van Alta and 9th
er members of the committee.
Immediately after supper the
birdman assembled and performed
hair-raising feats over the city.
With him. occupying the mechani-
aian's seat. was John McRoberts of
his city, formerly a lieutenant in
he air service.
Street Dance in Evening.
Free attractions were then given
on a platform erected at Seventh
and College. built to seat the must
clans who rendered the music for
he big street dance so success
July staged from 9 o'clock until
he hour of midnight The unique
feature proved a fitting climax to !
l solid day of pleasure and re-
,eived the hearty endorsement of |
-oung and old alike.
fET BETTER BUTTER PRICES.
Farm women in many parts of !
he south have doubled their re-
.ai0ts for butteT In some instances