Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1891 — A Celebrated Celebration. [ARTICLE]

A Celebrated Celebration.

INDEPENDENCE DAY WAS GRANDLY OBSERVED IN RENSSELAER. It was a truly great celebration in Rensselaer last Saturday, and fully met every reasonable expectation; and it was attended by an enormous crowd of people, from all the surrounding country. And a good natured, good looking, good comlucted crowd it was. The day was ushered in by the ringing of bells and firing of - guns, about 4A. M.; and soon after that was heard the inspiring strains <f martial music, from Monticello’s pride, their fine band of 16 or 18 pieces, as they marched down from the depot, from the early morning train.

At 10 o’clock the Wild West aggregation paraded the streets. Some 20 or 25 splendid horsemen, well costumed and disguised, some as Indians, some as cow-boys and some as western <le--j)eiadues. Next came the -Deadwood stage coach.” A veritable stage and mail coach, to all appearances, of the far wests tyle, loaded with strange looking, long haired and long whiskered individuals, together with valuable mail and express matter. Soon the “Wild West” company, all developed into relentless robbers, assailed the coach. The horses were put on a gallop, and after a running fight clear through the town, with guns and pistols freely firing on both sides, the coach escaped. The return trip occured a little later, however, and with more disastrous results. For this time the robbers overcome the stage, slew its driver, robbed the passengers, rifled the mail bags and careied into the proverbial “captivity worse than death,” a fair damsel, the only female passenger. It was really exceedingly well done and was a realistic and thrilling performance. The exercises at the speakers’ stand then followed. Judge Hammond presided, the Monticello band furnished the music, Rev. T. F. Drake the prayer, C. R. Peregrine read the immoatal Declaration, and Rev. I. I. Gor by, of Rensselaer, made an excellent short address and Hon. D udley H. jChase, of Logansport, an excellent long one. After dinner the 100 yard foot race came first. The starters were young McCurtain, of Barkley Tp., Hall of Union, Al Robinson, a fam-ous-runner of Medaryille, and the redcubtable young Indian chief, Oshkosh. Tne latter won, in about 11 seconds, with Robinson a close second. Purse $5. The potato race was next, and required a run of about a mile, all told. The starters were McCurtain, Hall, Hogan and Lookaround, a very stalwart Indian student. McCurtain won the race, with- Lookaroundnot ten feet behind, with his last potato. Purse 85. lime The starßis in’ the 500 yard race were Oshkosh, Robinson and Hall. Hall fell early in the fray, and Robinson gave it up, when fifty yards from the pole. Purse $10; $7.50 for first and $2.50 for second. Time 1:18|.

The matched game of base ball was the next feature, and it too was a complete success; The Indian student’s club, Young Americans, played against the Monon club, the Goodland club having flunked, to save being beaten. Both sides playfed well but the Indians won easily, by a score of 14 for them to 4 for the Mono ns. The purse was $35 —$25 for the winners and $lO for the losers. - The balloon ascension, managed by Prof. M. M. Forsman, the celebrated aeronaut of Peoria, HI., was the last act of the day, and it was, by full consent, as successful an event of the kind as anyone present ever witnessed. The only unfortunate feature was the lateness of the hour, caused by the high wind and consej quent (linger of burning the balloon, during inflation, until it subsided. Many persons from the country had therefore gone away before the ascension took place. At just before sunset the great air bag floated up into the air, tearing below it the j>arachute, and below that the daring aeronaut. The balloon drifted southward with the wind, as It arose. When about half u mile high, and the size of the man had dwindled to a span

in length, he pulled the rope that loosed the parachute, and at once shot downward. The parachute soon opened, and thereafter the descent was slow and safe. The aeronaut alighted in a hedge just south 61 the ; new college building, and was unhurt, except a few scratches from the thorns. The balloon turned over, immediately after it was deserted, collapsed and sank to the earth, alighting north of the-college, in the trees. Neither balloon n: r parachute w ere injured m the least. The place of descent was about a mile from the place of ascent.