It Will Be Hot Stuff
Missoula's Celebration of the Glorious Fourth.
HUNDREDS OF VETERANS IN THE CITY
There Will Be Parades, Tournaments, Games, Dances and All That Sort of Thing.
The arrangements which have been made for the proper celebration of the national holiday are very complete. If the weather remains propitious the day long to be remembered in Missoula. The entertainment to be provided will be interesting and well worth seeing and is of a character that can be enjoyed by all.
The ball game at the grounds near the depot this morning promises to be the best one that has been seen in this city for several years. The Spokane team which came in on the delayed No. 2 is composed of players. They have been successful in defeating the crack teams on the coast and if they should defeat the home team they will practically be the champions of the northwest. They will play ball for all they are worth. The members of the home team feel that they are to meet foemen worthy of their prowess. The team is in good form and are confident that, barring accidents, they can win the game, but they know they will have to play ball to do it.
In the afternoon there will be a grand parade commencing promptly at 1 o'clock. It will form at the corner of Cedar street and Higgins avenue. The committee having the arrangements for the parade in charge extended an invitation to the Bioda club to take part in the parade as an organization and received the following reply:
Missoula, Montana, July 2, 1895
To Executive Committee Mounted Knights:
Your request for the Bioda club to appear in the parade on the Fourth was presented at the meeting of the Bioda club last night, and, after due consideration, they decided that they knew of no better way of expressing their patriotism, and their appreciation of Mr. Bonner's kindness, and their hearty good will to the Mounted Knights, than by accepting your kind invitation.
Secretary Bioda Club.
The parade will proceed from Higgins avenue in the following order:
Platoon of police.
Garden City band.
Gov. Rickards and escort.
Missoula Board of Trade.
Bioda Club.
Mounted Knights.
Baseball floats.
Soldiers on bicycles.
Secret societies.
Fort Missoula band.
Grand Army of the Republic.
Missoula fire department.
Bicycle company.
Young America.
Citizens in carriages, floats, etc.
The line of march will be as follows: From Cedar to Pine, up Pine to Madison, down Madison to Front, west on Front to Higgins avenue, up Higgins avenue to Cedar, down Cedar to Woody, up Woody to European hotel and disband. This will be a most advantageous point as persons in carriages can continue on to the grounds, while those on foot can board a train which will be in waiting at the depot.
The train will leave the depot for the fair grounds every half hour and the fare will be 25 cents. At the fair grounds the tournament will begin at 2 o'clock. This will be a unique and interesting entertainment. The gentleman who is fortunate and skillful enough to win in the contest will have the honor of selecting the lady whom he wishes to crown queen of the coronation ball. The following are those who will take active part in this feature of the day:
Geo. Ogden, knight of the round table, colors red and white; Harry Kelly, knight of the White Metal, silver and gold; Fred Crain, knight of the red cross, grey, blue and red; J. A. Walker, knight of Dundee, black, yellow and red; A. Beckwith, knight of Missola, blue and black; F. Allison, knight of hope, black and blue; W. ES. Settle, knight of the lone star, black and white; E. Mix, knight of the double eagle, red and yellow; T. Hatheway, knight of the turf, blue and white; Frank Cronkrite, knight of the plains, white and red; Lieut. Moss, knight of the Biodas, black and yellow.
The next number on the program is the bicycle drill by twenty soldiers of the Twenty-fifth infantry. This performance will be something entirely new to the people of Missoula and in fact to nearly every one. The use of the bicycle in the army is rapidly gaining favor at army headquarters. The soldiers of Fort Missoula have become particularly skillful in the management of the two-wheeled vehicles. They are frequently seen on the streets of the city and riding between here and the post, but the drill including the use of fire arms while riding will be something entirely new and interesting to every one.
At 3:15 a short address will be delivered by Gov. Rickards. Following the address the next portion of the program is the bicycle race for a purse of $12, $8 and $5. This is open only to participants in the bicycle drill.
The next is a boys' bicycle race at 3:45 for a purse of $10 and $5. Following this at 4 o'clock comes the second ball game, Missoula vs. Spokane.
A large pavilion has been erected at the fair grounds and those who may prefer dancing to witnessing the other portions of the entertainment can do so. The dancing will commence at 2 o'clock and continue all the balance of the day. Music will be furnished by the Twenty-fifth infantry band. The Garden City band will be stationed in the grand station. Trains will run for the depot at 1:30, 2:00 and 2:30, returning at 6:00, 6:30 and 7:00 o'clock.
In the evening at the K. of P. hall the coronation address will be delivered at 9 o'clock, immediately after which the grand march will begin. At 10:30 o'clock there will be an intermission for viewing the fireworks to take place on the island on the south side of the bridge. Spectators will find the bridge an excellent point from which to view the display.