Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1899 — The Day We (Didn't) Celebrate. [ARTICLE]

The Day We (Didn't) Celebrate.

Rensselaer was a deserted village on the Fourth, there being scarcely enough people left in town to keep themselves in good order. The principal excitement of the day was caused by one of the newly landed Oregon horses which got contrary minded and laid down in the street near the Makeever House, and refused to get up until some one fired a giant cracker near the Oregonian’s recumbent form, and then he remembered he had business elsewhere, very promptly. This horse incident called together about all of the remaining population. but as all our orators had been shipped out of town, for the benefit of other places, there was no one to make them a speech. There was a vast amount of powder shot away here during the day, in the form mostly of giant firecrackers and in the evening quite a display of fire works. Our people went away in every direction, and by every known means of conveyance. Those going on the cars, as shown by the number of tickets sold during the da}’ was about 400. Large numbers followed in the wake of the Citizens’ band to Rose Lawn, where there was a good crowd and a good time, and where C. W. Hanley, of our town, made a fine oration. An incident at Rose Lawn was the explosion of one of these cheap and dangerous cannons. Kenneth Morgan of Rensselaer, was chief gunner, and thinking it was not making enough noise, he crammed a lot of wet sand on top of the powder, and when he “let her went” she went all to pieces, and big and little chunks of cast iron flew in all directions. Seven or eight young fellows stood in a semi-circle around the gun, but luckily no one was hurt, except that a small piece.hit Morgan on the neck, but his four inch collar received the principal force of the blow. The gun contained some 300 pounds of “pot metal” and that none of the flying fragments killed any of the bystanders was truly marvelous. Many others of our people went to Fair Oaks, ’where another Rensselaer orator, E. P. Honan, mac e a good speech. Wheatfield also celebrated in good shape, drawing a large crowd from the northern portions of the county. That town also, drew upon Rensselaer’s large and excellent stock ofcoratory for its principal speaker, in Rev. B. F. Ferguson, whose address fully justified the people of Wheatfield in their selection of an orator Mt. Ayr also had a good crowd from Rensselaer and a good celebration. So also did Parr, in its Sunday school picnic. In all these places the rains interfered considerably with the exercises, especially in the forenoon. National Educational Association— Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific K’y. j In the lovely city of Los Angeles, California, the above named organization will hold its J 4th Annual meeting, July 11th to 14th 1899. The Great Rock Island Route has issued a handsome book containing views and necessary information as to trains, rates and routes, and this will be sent to you by addressing with postal card or letter, John Sebastian, G. P. A-, Chicago.