As will be seen by the opinions of our business men and the village clergy the Nation’s birthday was celebrated by the liberty loving people in a very appropriate and suitable manner. The day was all that could be wished for as it was hot in the sun and cool in the shade. The business houses and residences were beautifully decorated and the streets were lined with trees which presented a very pleasing appearance, and the village fathers deserve a great amount of credit for it. Mayor Cook, W. S. Cowen, Dr. W.A. Thometz, Geo. T. Sherwood spared no time or pains to have all the arrangements perfected before the morning of the Fourth and their efforts were crowned with complete success.
A very fitting tribute is paid by one who visited Shannon and printed in the Freeport Journal Tuesday evening “This pretty little city has had many Fourth of July celebrations in her history, but the one yesterday far surpassed anything the village has ever attempted. The committees in charge of the affair did good work and the results of their labor were very gratifying. Shannon justly claims to be one of the prettiest towns in Carroll County and the village looked unusually attractive yesterday. The business houses were decorated with flags and bunting and the streets were lined with large shade trees cut from the neighboring woods. The crowds began to arrive early and the morning trains from Freeport and Savannah brought immense crowds.”
The parade lined up as follows:
President of the Day R. M. Cook in carriage Village Council in carriage Lanark School band School Children Union Soldiers Shannon band Young Ladies representing states and territories Express Devil Shannon Modern Woodsman Lodge Rock Creek band Rock Creek delegation Greiseman & Neisemeir, float Good & Kavelage, float Spanish soldiers Oscar Kempmeier with traction engine and threshing outfit Decorated dray, E.S. Kaufman
The procession was formed at 9:30 and started to parade through the principal streets at 10 o’ clock, and was an imposing sight. The parade was in the charge of W.S. Cowen as Chief Marshal and Dr. Thometz, Geo Sherwood, G. W. Whitmore and H. T. Mitchell, his assistants. It was a creditable affair and kept the marshals busy, and was followed to the park by a large crowd where the sham battle took place. This was one of the main features of the day and was enjoyed by everyone who witnessed it. There was one decoration that is deserving of special mention and that is the residence of Dr. R. C. Miller. The house was beautifully decorated with flags and bunting completely encircling the large porch the main entrance being decorated in an arch over a portrait of Wm. McKinley, and on every front, projection and point of view the American Flag was afloat. To the front of a tent of red, white and blue was staked the words “Remember the Maine 266” draped in mourning to represent our brave heroes. A cot was placed in the tent for the wounded, stacks of arms two in number, over the photos of Dewy and Sampson, a campfire over which the old “iron kettle” hung and was a very attractive feature. When this point was reached a salute was fired and the sham battle was started.
After the parade the crowd assembled at Shannon’s beautiful park where there was excellent music by the Glee Chorus, Dewey Four and the bands. There was a reading of the Declaration of Independence by Miss Fannie Gettemy and the oration by Rev. B.A. Dickens who is an eloquent speaker and delivered a pleasing address.
The piece of music entitled “ My Sweetheart went down with the Mine” sung by Miss Cora Healy accompanied by the Shannon Band was a great surprise in the way the music to most to our citizens, and was a treat to the music loving people and elicited a great deal of favorable comment. Miss Healy was loudly applauded.
After announcements by Mayor Cook, an adjournment was taken for dinner. The afternoon was devoted to athletic sports, and at 1:30 the Rockford and Glena ball teams were escorted to the park by the Shannon band and about 500 people witnessed and exciting game of ball. The Game was a good one and full of sharp plays and wound up with a decidedly hot finish, Galena winning by a score of 11 to 7.
The races were the next thing
Foot race--- Plash, Pried and McCracken, Mt. Carroll, Puterbaugh Lanark, Coundly Shannon. Plash won first money, Puterbaugh second Cloundly of Shannon won the third money instead of Pried. The results of this race were given out wrong.
Boys bicycle race under 15 years--- Chas. Staunton, Gust. Nohe, A. Schofield Mt. Carroll; Joe Thometz, F. Cheesman Shannon, Thometz won first; Cheeseman second; Schonfeild third.
The free for all amateur bicycle race distance 2 miles- W. W. Whitmore Shannon; E.A. Emmert ; W.E. Blinkley Lanark, Whitmore was first, Emmert second. Blinkley didn’t show up. This race caused a great deal of excitement. As every man, women and child in Lanark liked Si Emmert the crowd from that place fully and were eager that he should win. The esteem in which he was held in his town made his defeat the harder to bear for when they saw Whitmore leading Emmert by about 100 yards on the home stretch they thought there was surely something wrong with him and he finally rode over the scratch safe and sound but a little in the rear. One young gentleman from Lanark who plays a prominent part in the Gazette offered to bet $ 5 to a 10 cent cigar in the forenoon that Si Emmert would beat Whitmore by two blocks but after the race he was nowhere to be found he disappeared as if by magic. The rest could not understand how it happened. Billy Whitmore is now the fastest rider in the county.
Biscuit race-Won by G. Weinmoring
Wheelbarrow race-Won by Wm. Brink
Rock Creek was awarded the first prize for the largest delegation it having thirty teams in the parade Geisemman & Neisemeir received the first prize for the best decorated wagon representing their business in the parade. Before the display of fireworks Andrew Ludwig arose and read a synopsis of the beautiful song, “My Sweetheart Went down with the Maine.” Miss Cora Healy sung it with the band accompanied to a large crowd. The fireworks were all that could be desired and are acknowledged to be the best in Northwestern Illinois.
The Committees have never been published. They are as follows:
Committee on Finance-R.M. Cook
Committee on Program-Dr. M. A. Thometz, W.S. Cowen, G.T. Sherwood, P.L. Huber
Committee on Arrangements-G.W. Whitmore, Joe Kraker
Committee on Music-H.L. Kuter
What the business men, village trustees and ministers said when asked their opinion.
B.F. Shiley- The Fourth was all right but Santiago was better. It was certainly a success. The most orderly crowd we have ever had here.
A. Diehl- Take all in all it was a pleasant affair. The military companies done well for the time they had. Sampson’s present to the United States on its anniversary was the best of all.
John Kraker – Never had any better everything was good and everybody seem to enjoy themselves.
Rev. Father Beuter- I think the fireworks were grand; everything went off from first to last. I must say the procession was very imposing; order could not have been better in such a great crowd.
B. E. Brown – The celebration was a good one. Better then I had any idea could be gotten up in such a small town. The Committees were all right.
Geo.C. Byers- So far as I can see the celebration was an entire success and a credit to the people in the manner which it was carried out.
Dr. R.C. Miller-The large gathering was without any exception the most mannerly I have ever seen, forcibly reminding me of the one great family and we certainly are under obligation to the surrounding county.
David Boyd- All had a good time it was a good day.
Harry Cook- The celebration was first class, the best behaved crowd I have seen in the town, no drunkenness and boisterous noise for such a large crowd. The committee deserves praise.
A.S. Babb- I think it was one of the grandest successes of anything ever held in Shannon and the Committee deserves a great deal of the credit.
J.J. Glasser- It was a marked success I couldn’t say anything to the contrary.
Ed. Burt- I think the celebration was a real success.
John Knorr – I think it was a grand affair. I want to say I am glad their were no arrests made.
Dr. J.I. Smith – It was the nicest and cleanest crowd we have ever had in town, I think a good deal of the credit is due to the head of the present city administration.
Ed. Wicke_ I think the 4th was fine had all I could do.
Marshall Reddington- We made no arrest; had no occasion to make any at all. The behavior of the crowd could not have been more orderly; I was surprised as there was not even the sign of a fight. No one go drunk in Shannon but some got off the train in Shannon feeling pretty rich. A good word often times saves lots of trouble. My men were instructed in the morning to enforce the law and the crowd seemed to understand it.
Theo. Solt- It was one of the best behaved crowds I have ever seen. There seems to be nothing left undone by the committee, nor nothing overdone it was just right.
Aden Byers- The celebration was all O.K.
Chas. Doll- The Fourth was good the fireworks were the best I have ever seen in America
W.W. Booth- I didn’t have a chance to see much, but from what they say it was the best ever held in the county the committee did excellent and deserves lots of credit
A. Williams- The Celebration was good; better then I expected heard many praises of our little city was a good for the town. No arrests were made.
J. H. Osbourne – It was a hummer everything up to date and all connected deserve credit the fireworks were good.
S. Coundly- It was all right I have no knick coming.
R. M. Telfer- You don’s need to ask me about it at all.
Henry Melchoir- It was a good celebration I enjoyed it. Our Village fathers are to be commended for the way they had the town cleaned up and the old residents say the streets were in better shape then on any similar occasions heretofore. The success of the celebration proved that Shannon has some citizens who are loyal to the best interest of the town,
