People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1893 — THE COLUMBIAN FO URTH. [ARTICLE]

THE COLUMBIAN FO URTH.

Celebration of Independence Day on the World's Fair Grounds—Historic Flags Displayed Patriotism Expressed in Speeches, Songs and Concerts —Tbe Fireworks. Chicago, July s.—Tbe turnstiles at Jackson park on the Fourth showed that 274,817 persons paid for admission to witness the grandest celebration of Independence day that was ever held. Ihe grand stand and speakers’platform were built just east of the terminal station. On either side sat half the chorus of 2,000 voices. It was almost 11:80 o’clock when Director General Davis rapped long and loud for order. He made no speech, but simply introduced Rev. Dr. Canfield, who made the opening prayer. At its conclusion Vice President Stevenson delivered an address. While he was speaking Silas G. Pratt, the leader of the chorus, was preparing his 2,000 singers for the next thing on the programme. At the signal the band struck up “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean.” When it came to the chorus the crowd joined in and “Hurrah for the red, white and blue” came with a*wilL Promptly at 12 o’clock Mayor Harrison gave the signal and Mrs. Madge Morris W’agner, of California, a lineal descendant of the man who took the old liberty bell from Philadelphia to Allentown, Pa., in 1777, when the English threatened Philadelphia, and Miss Minnie F. Mickley, of Mickleys,. Pa., touched the key which sent word to Troy that it was noon in Chicago. At the same instant the Paul Jones flag and the flag of universal peace were hoisted. Between them stood Mayor Harrison with Andrew Jackson’s sword in one hand and the. flowers from Jefferson’s tomb in the other. Cannon boomed on the lake and the mocking-bird whistle sounded in unison with the hoarse notes of deeper-toned steam whistles. The little flags flutterel in the crowd, handkerchiefs and hats waved and the roar of thousands of voices swelled the . ovation. When the tumult died away ! Mayor Harrison spoke briefly. Hampton L. Carson, of Philadelphia, followed Mayor Harrison. He delivered the oration of the day, “The Old and the New Liberty Bells.” While he was speaking the following telegram to Maj. W. O. McDowell from the office of tfie Clinton H. Meneely Bell company, Troy, N. Y., was received by the operator on the platform: ‘ The. Columbian liberty bell was sounded the instant you touched the button at noon of this grand Independence day and this ringing was followed by the playing of national and patriotic airs on the grand chime made by us for St Patrick’s cathedral, New York city. Thousands upon thousands of pairiotic citizens have called to see this historic bell, many coming long distances. The glorious day, bright and clear, Seems to have been granted as a special favor to liberty lovers. You can announce to the 260,000 friends who have made such splendid offerings to this bell that their gifts have crystallized into grand form and that the new liberty bell has been set ringing to aid peace and good will throughout the. whole world. “Clinton H. Meneely.” James S. Norton, of Chicago, was the last speaker. The rain was falling briskly, but no one seemed to mind it. After his address Mr. Norton read the declaration of independence. The exercises closed with everybody singing “My Country, ’Tis of Thee” and the “Doxology,” not, however, before Mayor Harrison had called for “Three cheersffor America.” It. was a real old-fashioned never-tet-be-forgot-ten Fourth of July cheer that broke the clouds and brought out the sun for' the first time during the day. When it died down the band struck up the “Suwanee River,” and the crowd joined in. This was followed by other songs of like character, and for an hour the impromptu concert continued.

Fully 150,000 people gathered along the plaza between the Manufactures building and the lake to witness the pyrotechnic display, which began promptly at 9 o’clock. It was a unique spectacle which the Midway Plaisance presented to Fourth of July sightseers—a spectacle which never before was and never again may be seen in this country. The queer people of the Plaisance had their own celebration. The avenue was decorated with a continuous row of steamers, flags and lanterns on each side, and every turret, dome and minaret was gay with little streamers. About noon a long cavalcade of Bedouins, the Wild East show, mounted on camels and spirited horses, gayly caparisoned, moved toward the west end of the plaisance. They were followed shortly by a procession of Turks with the star and crescent intermingled with the stars and stripes. A vigorous pounding of drums announced a delegation of donkey boys, swordsmen, jugglers, wrestlers and dancers, as well as bronzed Soudanese from the Cairo street. Richly robed Chinese followed them and then Dahomeyites with their wild music. - A procession of painted stolid Pottawatomies stalked along in a dignified manner uttering occasional whoops. After the queer people had taken their stations in the open grounds at the west end the Tattersail British artillery came galloping in just on the edge of noon. At 12 o’clock the stars and stripes were unfurled from a lofty pole to the salute of the British artillery. The various nationalities vigorously cheered in a score of tongues, and fifes, drums, tomtoms and gongs saluted the stars and stripes. Then there was silence for a moment and a Mohammedan priest in gorgeous robes made a prayer with sonorous voice to the accompaniment of amens as ferverently uttered as if it were a camp-meeting. Commissioner Burton, the orator of the day, made a short cosmopolitan speech of welcome. _

The largest pie ever made was baked at Denley Dale, England, for the queen’s jubilee. It spoiled, however, so that when it was opened the stench was awful. The next week another was made, of six hundred and seventytwo pounds of flour, thirteen hundred pounds pf potatoes, one heifer, two calves and two sheep. The London Optician says that great men are usually blueicyed, and instances SJiafceffcqjpfo,, Secret#, vLodka, Bacon, Milton, Goethe, Franklin, Napoleon, Bismarck, Gladstone, H Oxley, Virchow and Renan.