Evening star., 1927-10-02
ningonians to Share in Celebration at York. Once Capital

0oPANoA
sent the House and Senate. This
measure was passed and the COM
mttee appointed as follows: House.
Floor Leader John Q. Tilson of Con-
necticut, Representative Ernest r.
Alderman. New Jersey; Representa-
tive Charles r. Crisp. Georgia. and
Representative r. Walton Moore, Viz
ginia. Senate-George II. Moses. New
Hampshire; T. II. Caraway. Arkansas,
Simeon d. Fess. Ohio, and Claude a.
Swanson, Virginia.
The Secretary Of State, or some one
representing him. is also scheduled to
make an address.
On October IA there will be a great
civic and military parade. a section
of which will represent the Colonial
Congress and the rifle company from
York County. each participant in q
historically correct costume Of the
Revolutionary period.
Saturday, October Is, an industrial
and agricultural parade will show the
progress that has been made by the
city and county during the past $50
years.
The mornings OF all three days will
be devoted to historical meetings, the
afternoons to parades and outdoor
activities and the evenings TO the
pageant. AS will be noted in the pro-
iogue of the pageant, Hope and Fear
are both present in their respective
tower and dungeon. These two points
Will be illuminated or not, as the
spirit of the times as portrayed in the
pageant dictates. Dancers in white
Will show the white Rose gradu-
q M
the pageant-the White Rose being
the symbol Of the City of York. A
choir Of some 500 voices has been
organized to take part at appropriate
times in the program.
X
THE center of the town, locally
known as ''the Square" will be
decorated. Eight large lamp posts al
the entrance of four streets will each
De decorated with the name of an
important victory or general and the
portrait painting Of one Of York's
patriots. together with approximate
insignia. such as the eagle and seal
OF the United States. Twelve smaller
lamp posts will each bear the name
OF one OF the 13 original colonies, while
Hennsylvania will be represented above
the Square" in the center.
An art group will be a special fea.
ture of the pilgrimage from Washing.
ton, the Capital City of TO-DAY. to
York, the colonial Capital. II is from
the Wagner collection, photogranhed
from the original paintings made bv
William Wagner before 1890. WaD.
ner was one Of Americas foremost
engraVers in his day. These historic
pictures were rescued by the Con.
servation Society of York County.
among the historic houses still
Standing which will be especiaIlv
called to the attention of those making
Ine historic pilgrimage, as one of
was occupied by Gen. Gates as his
headquarters while president of the
Board of War. This house is nrac.
cicaliy IN the same condition TODAY as
IL was then except that the first floor
mas been converted into business omar.
ters. A small window in the west
gaple. where this house projects sew
eraI Ieet above its next-door neighbor,
may be seen today.
On October II, 1777. while the Con.
tlnentaI Congress was sitting in YORK
1t authorized the committee of intelli.
gence to speedily bring a printing
press to York for the purpose of con.
Veylng to the public the intelligence
that Congress may from time to time
receive. Ten days later the press of
Hall & Sellers of Philadelphia was set
up In a building known as the home
OF MAI. Clark, and there all the pro.
ceeuings OF congress were printed as
Wei as much continental currency.
On October 81 official news of the
victory of Saratoga was brought 10
the continental Congress by James
Wilkinson. aide to Gen. Gates, and this
was recorded in the register in these
words: "A letter of the 18th of Octo.
Der from Gen. Gates with the copy of
the. convention at Saratoga whereby
Gen. Burgoyne surrenders his whole
Army, was read.''
AS result of this official confirma-
ton of Burgoyne's surrender there
was great rejoicing, and Henry
Laurens, who had been elected to sue
ceed Hancock as President. appointed
committee to draw up a thanksgiy-
ing proclamation, which was reported
as follows:
1t is therefore recommended to the
legislative powers of these United
States to set apart Thursday. the 18th
day OF December next, for solemn
Thanksgiving and praise" This was
the first national thanksgiving in the
history of the United States. Copies
OF the proclamation were sent to the
governors of the 13 Colonies.
On November the Congress Off
cially thanked Gen. Gates.
On November Is the Articles of Con.
federation had been passed by Con-
gress and were ready for ratification.
In the early days Of December, 1777.
a regiment, under Col. Thomas Hart
ley Of York, known as Congress-
own. was stationed at the Capital by
Washington's direction as a special
guard to the Congress.
X X X
nNE of the outstanding events dur
ing the period that York harbored
the Continental Congress was the ar
rival there of Baron Won Steuben, a
member of the staff of Frederick the
Great of Prussia during the Seven
Years War. The baron landed at
cock furnished him and his party with
sleighs. drivers and saddle horses for
the inland journey of more than 400
miles to York, Pa. He arrived at
York February Is, 177S, and was re-
ceived by Congress with distinguished
honors. He was given the commission
of lieutenant general of the American
forces and sent to counsel with Wash
ington at Valley Forge.
Gen. Washington was not slow to
recognize Won Steubens ability, while
Won Steuben perceived in the ragged
army which he passed in review the
existence of soldierly qualities which
needed nothing so much as training.
Alert and untiring, he worked with
these soldiers from morning till night,
showing them how to advance, re-
treat, or change front without falling
into disorder; how to perform-in
short, all the rapid and accurate
movements for which the Prussian
army had become so famous. This
training was so effective in the disci-
pllne OF the Army that, had it not
been for the treachery of Gen.