Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 June 1883 — SEMI-CENTENNIAL [ARTICLE]

SEMI-CENTENNIAL

The Fiftieth Anniversary of lowa’S Settlement Commemorated at Burlington. The Oity Gay with Bunting and Flowers— Speeches, Processions and Fireworks. o ' The oelebration in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of lowa, which took place In Burlington on the Ist Inst, proved to be one of the greeted events of this kind which ever occurred in the West The greatest enthusiasm prevailed, and the entire population es the oity and the surrounding country, and the many thousands of gnasta from all parts of the State, including even the remotest seemed to unite In th'e one aim to make the day a successful one. The city, says a Burlington dispatch, woke up deoorated in the roost gorgeous manner. The business part of town was literally covered with the national colors and ornaments of verdure. A large number of banners were hung across tne streets bearing inscriptions suggestive of inoidents of the past-fifty years. It was particularly noticeable that not merely the business houses and public buildings snowed their decorations, but that the residence part of the city was equally adorned. The number of strangers is estimated to have exceeded 120,000. All the railroads had issued half-fare tickets, and the number of people present doubtlessly exceeded that present at the great oentennial celebration in 1870. The exerolseß were opened with free-air concerts from several or the ohuroh steeples, upon which followed a parade of the Fire Department and a subsequent exhibition of the wafer works of the olty. Banda played at all the prominent places in the oity during the forenoon, which was mostly spent in sight-seeing and the visiting of friends, eto. The great parade of the day took place at 1 o'clock, ana uroved one of the most notable features The march began after fifty guns had been fired in Indication of the fiftieth occurrence of the day, ahd moved through the principal streets tq the public park. The procession was about a mile In length, and almost every single society had their own music corps Arrived at the park, where an immense crowd had already gathered, the procession divided around three speakers' Btands which had been erected and very tastefully ornamented, and the exercises then took places Tfie Hon. A a Dodge, sen of Henry Dodge, the first Governor of Wisconsin Territory, and first Senator from the State of lowa to the United States Senate, one of the oldest Inhabitants of the State, In the name of the city of Burlington, addressed the visitors, and extended to them a warm and hearty welcome, which was received with enthusiastic applause. The orator of the day, the Hon John H. Craig, of Keokuk, lowa, was then introduced, and delivered a masterly address, holding his hearers intensely Interested for more than two hours He was followed by the Hon. George W. Jones, the oolleague of Gen. Dodge m the United States Senate when the State was first admitted, and by Prof. Parwin, of lowa City, who entertained the audience with reminiscences of the olden times. The following speakers also delivered orations: The Hon. Wesley 0. Hobbs, Thomas Hedge, Jr., W. B. Culbertson, Dr. a Cole, the Hon. A 0. Adams, the Hon W. W. Belknap, the Hon. Judge Davis, of Lee county; John W. Burdette, Mr. George O. Duffleld, of Keosaqua; Cfol Sanger, of Des Moines; J. D. M. Hamilton, of Fort Madison, and H. M. Clark, of Wayne county. After the exercises in the pork the crowd dispersed to meet soon again on the river shore to witness the regatta, arranged by the Burling ten Boating Association. In the evening a very fine pyrotechnic display was exhibited from barges anchored In the river. A grand ball concluded the festivities and the programme of the day. The anniversary was celebrated at Dubuque by a banquet at one of the hotels. Speeches were made In honor of the event by Senator Allison, B. B. Richards, J. KGraves and D. J. BurriiL The first settlement of the State was at Dubuque, and this fact was largely dwelt upon by the speakers /