The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1920-09-08
LABOR DAY
BROUGHT OUT
A LARGE CROWD
ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN
BIGGHST GATHERING OF
PEOPLE EVER IN CITY

4 WCiC lOkClilCI 1OI tIc UIOP-
osition of arranging a parade upon
have been i'm Belding Monday they
would have geen amazed at the pro-
portions which "a real Labor Day
program and celebration has attain
ed and they would have been highly
gratifed with the start which they
had made. The Knights of Labor in
1882 held their little parade. In 1884
they held another one. Resolutions
were then passd that all Labor Day
parades were to be held the first
Monday in September and within a
few years workers began to agitate
for legal holiday on that date. C)l-
orado was the first state to set the
day aside as a legal holiday and with
in a few years many other states
had done so until today Labor Day
| is legal holiday in practically every
state in the Union.
The 1920 Labor Day celebration
was a memorable one for the COM
mittee who were responsible. for its
staging here, all right and they will
perhaps take some time to rest up
now that the weeks Of worry and
strain of getting everything around
so that everything would fit in all
right without hitch and the crowd
would have a day of perfect, or as
near perfect enjoyment as it would
be possible for body of men to plan
for. AS for them attaining the ends
which they were striving for, every
body seems to be of the opinion that
they did and there is absolutely no
justice in any one registering a kick
because everyone had good time
if they were of a mind to look for
it and had optimism enough about
their nature TO allow of them enjoy
ing a good time when they were
around where pleasure and enjoy
ment were found and as for a crowd
well, well say that there never
was a larger aggregation of people
gathered together at any one time in
the history of Belding than were as
sembled here on Labor Day.
The day started out with ideal
weather and the program was carri-
ed out as scheduled with the excep-
tion of several of the attractions
which we're booked and which sent
substitutes in their stead. This could
not be held against the committee
on any way however, as in such cases
the substitutes were every bit as good
have been had they appeard.
The parade formed at the G. A. R.
hall grounds and then went to Main
street turning to the right on Main
street went as far east as the Bel
rockton, where they disbanded. 1t
was headed by the men who COM
posed the various committees in
charge of the Labor Day doings, then
followed Orlie Hammond, comedian
juggler, performing his tricks, next
came the Belding Band, dispensing
their splendid music, next came Bel
ding's first automobile-the famous
Jacquet, moving along in the parade
like a prince among automobiles and
| it certainly won the admiration of
the crowd of people who saw it and
the people of this city who have been
boosting for and awaiting its ap-
pearance on the streets, especially.
Decorated automobiles came next in
the parade and the first in line was
owned and driven by Martin Warner,
Ceyneth Brown and Ruth Ranney
came next in the Ranney car, deco
rated up a la Hawaiian style. 1t
was followed by the Gene Hudson
automobile driven bv Miss Hudson
and another automobile driven by
Mrs. Earl Norton and decorated by
herself and Mrs. Glenn Lee. Edwin
Thompson in Chevrolet came next
and following him came Henry Fried
| ly decorating an automobile. Next
came float made up by the Belding
Basket Co. and following this was
1905 Cadillac automobile, entered as
the oldest automobile and drawn by
span of mules. Bud Ranney and
Charles Brown were in possession of
this rig.
Three Mexican bandits, Warren
Gardiner, Ralph Balcom and Otis
Currie came next and then a clown
family, headed by Harry Dimmick.
Bert Riker with his truck as an ad-
vertising float for the Miller e. Har-
ris Furniture Co. featuring their
photograph stock came next and fol-
lowing him came a float by the Bel
ding Bros. and Co. featuring their
yard wide silks. The oldest horse
came next being one of the animals
from the Ranney farm which has
passed its 26th birthday.
Belongs splendid fire truck, with
its wide awake hose company" came
next and following them Lawrence
Currie riding a gaily decorated COW.
iutIl tdiut LWO HOfotSs iuOIt duJotuO
biles driven by Clarence Cottrell,
William Moore, L. Carpenter, Noble
Peterson in 1911 Ford, l.. Emmons,
containing a number of individuals
with gaily decorated costumes and
hats. Edgar Joslin, in George WASH
ington colonial costume on a bicycle
also appeared in the parade.
Take it all in all the parade was a
big feature of the day, although not
as many people had taken the inter-
est in it as were expected and it
could have been better by having
more people and attractions in il.
The rest of the days activities and
program was carried out as near the
published schedule as was possible
and but small amount Of complaint
was heard relative to the way the
committee was handling the various
numbers on the program and at the
same time they were recipients of a
great deal Of we'll nerited nraise for