USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > History of the Cuyahoga County soldiers' and sailors' monument > Part 33
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" The right of the line was held by Memorial Post, 96 strong, under the command of Captain D. G. Nesbitt. Army and Navy Post, Captain L. W. Day, had So mem- bers ; Brooklyn Post, Captain John Sweisel, 24 ; and J. B. Steedman Post, Captain J. B. Fay, 20. Forest City Post was commanded by Captain I. L. Buskirk. Cleve- land City, O. J. Crane, and Commodore Perry Posts were also represented in the line. Thirty members of the Sons of Veterans were commanded by Captain J. C. Blackburn. A number of invalid veterans rode in a wagon.
" A brilliant feature of the parade was the Military Third Division. There was the glint of polished arms .and the maneuvers of finely trained bodies of men to interest the crowd, and the Soldier boys were equal to the occasion. They never marched better, and never .appeared to better advantage. Colonel J. J. Sullivan was the Marshal of the Division, and he was assisted in the command by Captain J. C. Roland, Chief of Staff; Captain H. R. Adams, Assistant Adjutant-General ; Aides, Captain Julius Carrington, Captain D. Z. Norton, Captain J. S. Dickle, Captain J. W. Warwick, Captain H. A. Griffin, Captain J. D. Connolly, Captain Charles P. Salen, Captain C. E. Sullivan, Captain Eugene Ong.
" The First Cleveland Troop, under the command of Lieutenant H. B. Kingsley, had 40 men in line, and Colonel C. L. Kennan commanded the Fifth Regiment,
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the members of which appeared in fatigue uniforms which they wore during their recent campaign in the coal regions. The regiment was headed by the Grand Army Band of Canton. Colonel Kennan and his staff on horseback led the regiment. The regiment was rep- resented by Company G, Norwalk, Captain H. L. Stew- art ; Company K, Captain D. H. Pond; Company A, Captain L. R. Davies; Company F, Captain C. X. Zim- merman ; Company L, Captain .A. F. Lawrence ; Com- pany B, Captain Fred. Lawrence. There were 250 ml1en in line.
" The Cleveland Light Artillery, Captain G. T. Mc- Comell, had 58 men in line ; Association Rifles, Captain J. C. Beardsley, 58; Cleveland City Guards, Captain W. A. Hare, 62; Cleveland Scots Guards, Lieutenant P. . 1. Mckenzie, 48; Chisholm Scottish Guards, Captain J. W. Thompson, 33; Gattling Gun Battery, Lieutenant D. O. Caswell, 43; Cleveland Grays, Captain HI. Frazee, 102 ; and Company A, of the Seventy-fourth New York Regiment, Captain W. A. Damer, 38 men.
"The Fourth Division of the procession was com- posed of the uniformed civic and semi-military organi- zations. Colonel John W. Gibbons was in command. His Chief of Staff was Colonel Martin A. Foran, his Assistant Adjutant-General, Major D. W. Johns, and his Aides, Captains S. A. Taggart, Morris Porter, N. Weidenkopf, A. L. Bryan, and J. Stovering. The First Brigade of the division was in charge of Colonel Charles A. Davidson, whose Aides were Captains E. H. Towson, F. H. Durstine, and George Davis. Colonel John Dunn commanded the Second Brigade, his Assistant Adjutant- General being Captain John Wilhelm, and his Aides, Captains James Rochford, John Vevera, John Malow- ski, John Weser, John Fruck. The Sixth Regiment, Uniformed Rank Independent Order of Odd Fellows, led the First Brigade of the division. Colonel C. L.
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Alderson was in command, his staff consisting of Major C. E. Benham, Captain R. W. Drackett, Major Philip Hyle, Captain A. J. Spencer, and Captain H. G. Sipher. The Odd Fellows were 300 in line, exclusive of the Odd Fellows' Band of Cleveland, which marched at their head and consisted of thirty pieces. The next organi- zation in line was the Second Regiment, Uniformned Rank, Knights of Pythias. The regiment was com- posed of 250 me11, and was preceded by the Drum and Trumpet Corps of the Second Ohio Regiment, Knights of Pythias. Colonel T. W. Minshull commanded, the following being his staff: Lieutenant-Colonel G. H. Macey, Major A. Petzke, Major F. J. Panek, and Adju- tant Tony S. Deisner. Seven companies of the regiment were represented. Following the Knights of Pythias were Companies A and B, Commandery No. 9, Knights of the Golden Eagle. Sixty men were in line, Captain Samuel Eaton commanding. Alpha Division No. I, Royal Arcanum, 18 men in line, marched next, Captain C. M. Hiles commanding. Next was Anchor Castle, Knights of the Golden Eagle, 14 in line, Captain Miller commanding. The Middleton Fife and Drum Corps preceded the Avery Drill Corps, under the command of Captain W. A. McDonald. Forty were in line in the drum corps. The Gray Cadets, Captain R. H. Morgan, presented a good appearance, and were 70 men strong.
" Major M. Millard and Adjutant Dudley Wick, Jr., were in charge of a battalion of Boys' Brigade, which 1111111bered 310 recruits. The companies were as fol- lows: Pilgrim Cadets, Captain John Glueck; Living- stone Cadets, Captain F. M. Douttiel ; East Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church Brigade, Captain C. L. Chalfant ; South Presbyterian Church Brigade, Captain McQuillet; Franklin Circle Church of Christ Brigade, Captain Clyde Lawrence ; Second Presbyterian Church Brigade, Captain Ralph Huntington ; Jennings Avenue
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Methodist Episcopal Church Brigade, Captain Harry Keim; Music Hall Cadets, Captain Clayton Horning ; Euclid Avenue Presbyterian Church, Captain Amos Denison ; Willson Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, Captain Frank C. Brainard ; Brooklyn Village Method- ist Church, Captain E. T. Foote ; Trinity Cathedral Knights of Temperance, Captain F. R. Morley. The battalion of Boys' Brigade was accompanied by an effi- cient drum corps. The Patriotic Sons of America were next in line, 25 strong. The company was commanded by Captain C. C. Benham. This ended the First Bri- gade of the Fourth Division.
"The Second Brigade was devoted to the Catholic societies. First was the Hibernian Rifles, in two com- panies, commanded respectively by Captains M. P. Cum- mings and John Fleming. Seventy-five mnen marched. The Cleveland companies of Knights of St. John fol- lowed, 446 strong, as follows: Knights of St. George, Captain Girard Hippler; Knights of Father Mathew, Captain J. T. O'Brian ; Sheridan Commandery, Captain C. A. Dainz; Immaculate Conception Commandery, Captain John L. Noonan ; St. Francis' Commandery, Captain F. Armbruster ; Washington Commandery, Captain P. H. McMahon ; Shields Commandery, Cap- tain T. G. Smith ; Lafayette Commandery, Captain Joseph Graham ; St. Peter's Commandery, Captain A. Besinger ; St. Michael's Commandery, Captain John Widerowski; Washington Cadets, Captain F. M. Finu- can ; Knights of St. Wenceslaus, Captain Joseph Dick. The Knights of St. Kasimir, 28 in number, came next, Captain M. P. Kinola in command, after which the Society of St. Wenceslaus, 30 strong, under the com- m1and of Captain Florian Finkes, marched. The Knights of Father Mathew, of St. Malachi's Assembly, 34 in line, were commanded by Captain Ignatius Long- tin. St. Imri's Society, preceded by the Pythian Cadet
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Band, marched 21 in line, under command of Captain John Balasc. St. Ladislav Society of St. Elizabeth Church turned out to the number of 100, and was com- manded by Captains John Weiger and John Nemit. St. Peter's Society of St. Prokop's Church, under the command of Captain V. Sprosty, was present 100 strong. The brigade devoted to the Catholic societies closed with two carriages. In one of these rode Rev. George Vahey and Rev. Dr. Patrick Farrell, while in the other were C. J. Manix, President, W. M. Dillhoefer and J. W. Bartunek, Vice Presidents, and George S. Gibbons, Secretary, of the Catholic Central Association.
" The following were the Marshals and Aides in the Fifth Division, which was devoted to the exhibits of business houses both in manufacturing and mercantile lines : Colonel Elroy M. Avery, commanding ; Assistant Adjutant General, Captain Jolın J. Dalton ; Aides, Cap- tain W. T. Robbins, Captain E. L. Harris, Captain E. S. Bullis, Captain W. H. H. Gorham, Captain Arthur A. Kuntz, Captain Harry C. Mason, Captain D. W. Shaw, Captain Paul Bernhard. First Brigade-Major Charles H. Smith, commanding ; Adjutant, R. Marshal Coulton ; Aides, Captains O. A. Ross, T. W. Hill, Henry E. Morri- son, Edward W. Moore, J. L. Smith. Second Brigade- Major William M. Bayne, commanding ; Adjutant, Cap- tain L. J. Rowbottom ; Aide, Captain Dr. F. W. Davidson. Third Brigade-Major Charles W. Burrows, command- ing ; Adjutant, Captain David S. Perkins; Aide-de- Camp, Captain G. W. Kohlmetz. Fourth Brigade- Major L. I. Pope, commanding ; Adjutant, Captain E. M. Carleton ; Aides, Captain D. W. Davis and Captain J. H. Bigelow.
" The floats and wagons which bore the advertise- ments of the business men of Cleveland were of varied design and many of them very handsome. First came an historical float which was designed by Cooks Bros.
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The float was typical of Cleveland when it was founded in 1796, and contained five figures, one of which repre- sented Moses Cleaveland.
"This was followed by more than three hundred handsomely decorated floats and wagons, emblematic of the merchants and manufacturers of the city, all combined making up such a gorgeous display as was never before witnessed in our prosperous city.
" The cool shade afforded by the City Hall building at the close of yesterday afternoon was greatly appreci- ated by the ladies and gentlemen who sat in the large stand which had been erected in front of it for review- ing the procession. The stand was on the north side of the street, and, besides occupying a large portion of the sidewalk at that point, it extended some distance over the curb. The interior was of ample size for seat- ing several hundred persons, and the chairs were ar- ranged in tiers rising one above the other. The front and sides of the stand were tastefully decorated with bunting and flags, and the top was arranged with a canvas cover, to be used in case of rain. Fortunately this safeguard was not needed. Admission to the stand was by card only.
" The head of the procession was hardly well started out Prospect Street when the seats began to be filled, about as many ladies as gentlemen being seen. As the procession appeared in sight on Superior Street, near Erie Street on its return, patrolinen on guard compelled the people who were pressing too close to the entrance to the stand to make way for the occupants of the car- riages, and when the mounted police had passed, the vehicles were driven close to the stand, and the passen- gers quickly stepped upon it. First appeared Governor Mckinley with Mayor Blee, the two passing to seats at the center of the stand amid the cheers of the specta- tors. Following close came the City and County offi-
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cials, Postmaster Anderson, the members of the City Council and School Council, the members of the Mayor's Cabinet, the members of the Monument Com- mission, and prominent clergymen, attorneys, and busi- ness men. The center of the front of the stand was occupied by the Governor and the Mayor, who stood and received the salutes of the men who passed before them. Governor Mckinley stood with his hat off, and bowed repeatedly as his name was uttered. Occasion- ally he spoke in reply. Several times, when the de- tachments of the Boys' Brigade and other organizations of boys passed the stand, he uttered a commendatory word for the steadfastness with which they kept up with the procession. It was 4:30 o'clock when the head of the parade reached the stand, and the Governor and Mayor remained in their places until it had passed, it being then after 6 o'clock."
The appearance of the city and the scenes enacted were graphically portrayed by the enterprising Leader reporter as follows :
" The city wore her gayest dress yesterday. A mill- ion flags and more fluttered in the breeze. Thousands of yards of bunting draped the fronts of the public buildings. Thousands of yards were likewise used on the business blocks. The Public Square and the down- town streets radiating therefrom were aglow with colors. In the brightness of the sunlight they presented a gor- geous view. Wherever the eye was turned, flags of the Nation appeared. Not only in the business portion of the city did patriotism break forth in display, but also in hundreds of homes, and the country's Inde- pendence Day was marked by brilliant demonstra- tion. Flags sprang from lawns and flower beds as if by magic. Silken banners waved from mansion and cottage alike. Everywhere was the spirit of loyalty felt. On the West Side, and on the East Side, on the
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South Side, and on the lake was its presence made known.
"The Public Square was the center of decoration. Dotted with countless and multi-colored sunshades, summer hats, and dresses, the groundwork was com- plete, so far as a Fourth of July crowd was concerned. Looking up Superior Street the first feature to attract the attention of the observer was the tall electric light inast, from the top of which went out long lines of little flags, reaching to the buildings at the sides of the Square. Like the ribs of a vast umbrella did they spread over the crowd. Some of the flags were red, others blue, others white, and still others red, white, and blue combined. Myriads of brightly-painted paper lanterns swung from their fastenings underneath the trees. Telegraph poles were wrapped in colors from top to bottom and added to the general holiday appear- ance. The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, from its four flag staffs, presented bright emblems of the Nation, which fluttered proudly from their fastenings. Hun- dreds of little banners were suspended from the electric railway wires above the streets. All around the Square the buildings were gayly dressed. On the west side of the Park the windows were draped with bunting and supplied with flags. From the top of the Old Court House a large emblem unfurled its folds. Just under the eave was caught another, which formed a semi-circle of colors and stars. Similar drapings adorned the balcony and windows. At the entrance door was placed a large portrait of Grant surrounded with flags. On the north side of the Square, the Wick block and the Society for Savings building presented a lovely sight. Streamers of the national colors crossed each other diagonally on the front of the former block and formed a square at the top and sides. The general effect was augmented by dozens of little flags and
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streamers. From the top of the tall building of the Society for Savings waved one of the largest flags in the State. Near the end of the staff were fastened two ropes reaching to either corner of the roof. To these ropes tiny streamers were attached. Over the eaves fell folds of bunting. In the middle, near the top, were pinned long rows of colors, which spread fan-like toward the bottom. 'Liberty' and 'E Pluribus Unum ' were displayed in paintings. Half circles of flags fell from the sills of the windows. A bright new banner floated from the rooms of the Historical Society. The West side of the Government Building was draped in tri- colors, with the addition, here and there, of a stripe of something else. Long streamers decorated the balcony, and many bunches of bunting were swung from the windows. Several flags of larger size were raised upon the roof. The Cuyahoga Building did much towards making the setting of the Square complete. Bright new flags were fastened outside every window, and in some were arranged, in decorative styles, various sym- bols appropriate to the day. The main entrance was prettily draped. The other buildings to the east of the Square were also adorned. On the south the hand- somely decorated dry goods stores attracted attention. On the Euclid Avenue Block was a large star in colors, while on either side was arranged a shield. Bunting spread over the front, falling from the middle to the outer walls. On one of the stores was a large sign bear- ing the words, 'Greater Cleveland.' The decorations of the Forest City House and the adjacent streets were nicely arranged. To those who glanced along Ontario Street, a glimmer of flags appeared. All of the stores were furnished with an abundance. E. R. Hull & Dut- ton's store was covered with them. Crossed between the windows and fastened in other designs, they brightened the scene. A large flag floated from
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the tower and another was swung from the opposite corner.
" From the foot of Water Street to Euclid Station on Willson Avenue, the line of march of the procession was honored with special decorations. Superior Street, on both sides, was draped in color. The tall blocks, with their many designs, expressed a welcome to the Veterans and the visitors which will long be remem- bered. The balconies of the Weddell House and the American House were wound about with bunting and studded with stars. The big store of J. L. Hudson made a special effort. Festoons of cloth almost con- cealed the front. Long stretches of solid blue mingled with equal lengths of red and white. Across the front, midway from the ground, were displayed the words : ' The Brighter Star-Our Country.' At the main en- trance a picture of Lincoln, draped with old Glory, was to be seen. Looking down Seneca Street from Supe- rior, toward the lake, the front of the New Court House loomed up in its dress of bright colors. The statue of Justice was enshrouded in a handsome flag. At her feet, on the top of an arch, was the head of Liberty, from which radiated streamers of bunting. The win- dows were neatly festooned. Upper Superior Street, in the vicinity of the City Hall, was viewed with delight by the crowd. The Municipal Building itself was hand- somely fitted out with flags which jutted from every window. Little banners and big banners joined to- gether in doing honor to the day. The Hollenden at- tracted favorable comment, being adorned in gala attire from basement to roof. On Euclid Avenue the large blocks were nearly all made radiant with bunting and flags. A great deal of originality and no small amount of expense were manifest in the display. The Public Library and school headquarters building, after almost a day's work, was made to look exceedingly beautiful.
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A wide expanse of bunting, converging at the center, set off the front. On either side of it were other drap- ings of a similar character. Folds of the national colors fell from the sills of the windows and the balconies, while scores of tiny flags fluttered in the breeze. Over the main door was a framed portrait of Garfield, sur- rounded on all sides by the colors he loved so well. The Stillman was supplied with numerous decorations. In the Arcade a great deal of festooning was done. A beautiful floral wreath was received yesterday from Mrs. C. F. Johnson, formerly Miss Ellen F. Terry, who was a member of the Sanitary Commission. It was placed in the Monument to decorate the panel representing the Commission. Mrs. Johnson was invited to be pres- ent at the exercises of the day, but was unable to do so. Her home is in Hartford, Conn. The wreath was com- posed of white carnations and English hardy doy. At- tached to it was a silken band upon which was written, 'Ave et Vale ' in Latin, meaning 'Hail and farewell.'
"Never has the Public Square looked so beautiful as it did last evening during the illumination in honor of the Nation's birthday and the dedication of the Soldiers' Monument. Its entire space, hemmed in by towering buildings, was a blaze of light of many tints, and it seemed as though a chapter out of the experience of Aladdin had been thrust into the Nineteenth Century. Everything within the enclosure was made to do service for the central effect desired. The trees seemed to be made of delicate fire with their load of fairy Chinese lanterns, which also hung in rows and festoons all about the Park. Every color and tint imaginable was shown by them, but the national colors were predominant. The lanterns were likewise of all shapes and sizes, and the appearance of the aggregation, as they shifted their position under the influence of the gentle breeze that swept through the place, was most quaint and fairylike.
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The entire space in the two western sections of the Square was adorned with lines of these frail beacons. They hung thickly from the boughs of the trees just above the heads of the crowd, and cast a dreamy light over the fountains, the flower beds, and the people. The amphitheater in the northeast section was also thickly set with the lanterns, and thousands of specta- tors who witnessed the display of the evening from that vantage point looked like a misty vision. Another beautiful feature of the illumination was seen over the streets leading into the Square. The cross wires sup- porting the street car trolley wires were hung with the little glass lanterns, which became so famous at the World's Fair, on Wooded Island. The tiny cups were of the three colors which unite in the Stars and Stripes, and they were arranged in regular lines along the streets. The effect was, to a spectator at a little dis- tance, like that of a ceiling set with brilliant points of vari-colored fire. The scene was dazzling in its splen- dor. These little lights were on Superior and Ontario Streets and Euclid Avenue and the number made use of was very large.
"But the most brilliant effect of all was that pro- duced on the electric light mast in the center of the Square. The mast had been trimmed and decorated in a manner never before attempted. At the top were the eight arc lights as usual, but even the light from these had undergone a change. Instead of the bright, white light that is wont to stream from the high point of the mast, the colors of the rays were red, white, and blue, as in the other lights round about. But this is not all. From the top of the pole to the platform, which stands about twenty feet from the ground, there wound in spiral form a line of bright incandescent globes which fairly filled the center of the enclosure with effulgence. The effect of the flashing points was charming and
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most attractive. The globes were varied in color, run- ning through the shades of blue, violet, purple, green, and finally red and white, and the number of separate lamps was so great as to render the combined radiance almost too strong for the eye, if the one watching it were close to the mast. The gleaming cohunn, with its intensely bright spiral, loomed upward like a triumphal monument, and the attention that it received from the spectators easily exceeded that given any other feature of the evening's display.
"At various other points in the Square were arc lamps set in globes of the prevailing colors, giving light as well as patriotic inspiration and aiding to flood the city's central park with chromatic harmony. The il- lumination fell with renewed splendor on the immense spread of bunting which decorated the Square. The long, radiating lines of flags that stretched from the top of the mast and the banners that covered the faces of the nearby buildings, were alike thrown into promi- nence and they added greatly to the brilliancy of the scene.
"From the top of the tall building of the Society for Savings were turned in various directions the beam-like rays of three powerful electric search-lights. These were manipulated by expert hands, and under the skillful di- rection of the operators the various points of interest in the central part of the city were in turn illuminated.
"Off in the dark sky, rendered doubly dark to the eye grown accustomed to the glare of the immediate vicinity, there would suddenly appear the outlines of a tall building, thrown into prominence by the searching reflector. This would pass out of sight as another ob- ject appeared. The group of spectators in the park watched the strange effect of the light, as it was turned for a moment on some of their number and as quickly moved in another direction again. The Soldiers' and
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Sailors' Monument, standing somber in the half light that reached its top, was frequently thrown into strong relief against the sky by the light that slowly traveled up and down its granite column. First the gigantic figure of Liberty at the top would be seen, as plainly as in the brightest sunshine, and then the flash would move down towards the tablet room and the bronze groups that stand about the wide esplanade. Two of the lights were covered with glass screens colored a deep blue and a bright crimson, and these were turned upon various objects in the Square. The immense flag which floated from the roof of the Society for Savings build- ing was illuminated several times by the combined ef- fect of the three lamps. Thereby an exceedingly beautiful effect was produced. Each color in the flag took on a deeper tint of its own and the red stripes were of a red as deep and pure as though all the ver- milion and cochineal of a continent had been called into use for the producing of that very tint. The blue straightway became a royal purple of a richness alnost impossible and the white served to accent the effect of the whole.
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