COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES even the w ires lent themselves lo the purpose of the decoration committee, all uniting in m aking a scene th.it was gorgeous in its mag nificent splendor. There w as scarcely a resi dence within the town limits that did not show its loyalty to the spirit of the occasion. Many strangers were heard to exclaim that the deco rations were more elaborate than they had ever seen in a place the size o f Bloomsburg. Beauti fu l arches electrically illuminated were erected at the Town Hall, Courthouse, Market ^ l u r e . F ifth and Market, W est and Main, I.conard and Main, East and Fifth streets. That at M arket Square w as erected by the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Royal Arcanum, and the others out of the general fund. T he Centennial exercises opened on W ednesday evening. Aug. 27, 1902, in the Methodist Episcopal Church, where an audi ence o f 6w o thousand people assembled. It w as an inspiring sight, and an occasion never to be forgotten. On the platform sat all the clergymen of the town, and addresses were made by Rev. D. K irkby. rector o f St. P au l’s Episcopal Church, whose text was Psalm xlviii, 9 - 14 : Rev. J . R . Murphy, pastor o f S t. Columba's Roman Catholic Church, whose subject w as "T h e Ethics o f Politics”; and R ev. Dr. W. M . Frysingcr, pastor of the M ethodist Episcopal Church, who took fo r his discourse, "W hat do wc owe to the Blooms b u rg o f a hundred years ago, and what do we ow e to the Bloomsburg o f a hundred years from now?” T he addresses were all able and appropriate, and were listened to with marked attention. Rev. T. D . Smith of the Baptist Church offered the invocation: Rev. W. R . W hitney. Methodist, read a scripture lesson; R ev. M . E . M cLinn, I.utheran. made a p rayer; and R e v . | . W. Bentz, Evangelical, pronounced the benediction. 'The music fo r the occasion was furnished by (he Centennial Chorus, organized from the variou s churches and numbering nearly one hundred, led by P rof. O. H . Yetter. They rendered K ipling’s hymn. "G od of our Fath ers.” and Mozart’s "G loria,” and led in the hymns. "A ll Hail the Pow er o f Jesu s' Nam e,” "H o ly, H oly, H oly.” and "A m erica.” M ade up as it was. of the town’s best vocal talent, the music was all beautifully ren d e r^ . M rs. Fred Holmes presided at the organ. N ever before had there been such an assem blage in Bloomsburg. Never before had an audience listened to addresses from the same platform, at the same time, by Episcopalian. Roman Catholic .ind Methodist clergymen. It wa.s a most auspicious opening of the celebra
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tion, and it was fitting that wc should show our loyalty to our town by first showing our loyalty to (he Great Creator. On Thursday morning, Aug. 28th. at 8 o’clock, (he ringing o f all the church bells and the blowing o f all the factory whistles for five minutes ushered in the prt^ram of the day. Brass bands arrived from W ilkes-Barre, Cata wissa, Berw ick, Buckhorn and Lime Ridge. The Bloomsburg Band gave its service gratu itously both days. A il incoming trains brought throngs o f visitors, and the streets looked like a county fair. Governor Stone, who had accepted an invi tation to be present, arrived in the morning, accompanied by his private secretary, in time to attend the Historical meeting in the Normal School auditorium at half past ten o'clock. A large audience w as present. Upon the stage and in the audience were many men and women who helped to make Bloomsburg a pro gressive industrial and educational center. M ayor Townsend presided, and opened the meeting with appropriate remarks. H e then presented to Roland Hemingway the prize offered by the Century club for the best his torical essay on the "T ow n o f Bloomsburg,” the prize being ten dollars in gold. Addresses were made by Governor Stone and Hon. Fred Ikclcr, a brief histoty* of the several churches in Bloomsburg w as read by Rev. D. N. K irkby, and an historical address on Bloomsburg was delivered by Col. J . G . Freeze. Several selec tions were sung by the Centennial Chorus. .At half past two the civic and industrial pa rade started from the fa ir grounds. It was headed by mounted police, followed by W . O. Holmes, chief marshal, and his aides. C . W. Funston, C. W. M cK elvy, A. W . D uy and S. H. Harman. Then foUowed. in order, the Bloomsburg B a n d; Governor Stone and M ayor Tow nsend; Bloomsburg town council; Dan ville Post, G . A . R .; Ent Post, G . A . R .; the Catawissa B an d; Knights of the Golden Eagle o f Bloomsburg and C ataw issa; Lim e Ridge B an d; Patriotic O rder Sons o f A m erica: O r der o f United .American Mechanics; Orange ville B an d; Jun ior O . U. A . M .; B ric k l^ ’crs’ and Masons' Union o f B erw ick; Y . M . C. A . Cadets o f Berwick, led by Col. A . D. S ccly; lohn K nox Commandery. Knights o f Malta, No. 12 . o f W ilkes-B arre; the Berwick Ban d; the Locomobile Club o f Bloom sburg: the Ninth Regiment Band o f W ilkes-B arre: in dustrial and mercantile floats. A prize of $25 was awarded John K n o x Commandery for best appearance o f secret organizations, and a specLil prize o f $20 for exhibition drill.
