Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/436

 COLUMBIA AXD MONTOUR COUNTIES C are y; Conncdicut* Libbic C ritz; Massachu* sctt5, M ary G ulick; T exas, Mollie J. W aplcs; North Carolina, Emma A. Lau bach; South Carolina* Libbie R a n k; Gcof^ia, Gu$sie F ra tt; Louisiana* Fanny Bordner; Kentucky, Emma W oods: Tennessee, Ruth B asset; Maryland* Alice R ockafeller; Alabam a, M artha B. Lau* bach : M issouri, M. W. B e a v e r; Virginia, Lib* bic F a u x; California, M ary G ibbs; Missis* sippi, Malinda C leaver; Florida, I^ u ra Flanigan; Rhode Island, A ggie Hasten; Mich* igan, Abbie B righ t; Oregon, Emma Sechler; Delaware, A da P ra tt; New Jersey, Ella H eath; West Virginia, Alice W ilson; Nevada, M ary B rob st; Minnesota, Annie M. H cfler; Arkansas, H arriet G arre tt; K ansas, M ary Beabnd. Territories — Nebraska, Hannah K gcr; Colorado, M aiy I^ v c t t; Washington, Mary A. Thom as; Dakota. Emma A. Brower. “ Another attractive feature in the proces­ sion was the ladies on horseback. M iss Pitner was dressed in red. M iss Jennie Koons in white, and M rs. D. Gearhart in blue; Misses Mary Appleman, M ary Pursel and Lucy Everett, all skillful riders, occupied a promt* nent place in (he cavalcade. “ T h e procession was one o f great length, including carriages and wagons filled with voters, as well as ladies. T h e wagons were handsomely decorated with wreaths, flags and banners. “ When the procession arrived on the grounds the meeting w as organized with the following officers: President, Thomas Beaver, E sq .; vice presidents. William Hancock, Isaac Rank. John Grove, John T itlcy, G. M . Shoop. Rev. M r. Bam itz, William T w ist, Dr. William H. M agill. George A . Frick, Thompson Foster, Charles C. Baldy, Rev. Jo h n Cook, Joseph Diehl, W. H. Hasscnplug, Dan Morgan, Samuel W are, Charles Hock, Philip Maus. Cornelius S ly e r and others; secretaries, W il­ liam Lew is. T . O. Van Alen. “ The addresses delivered by Hon. WilUam H. Armstrong and Clinton Lloyd, Esq., o f Lycoming, were eloquent. M r. Lloyd is one of the most eflfcctivc speakers in the State. Mr. Armstrong is knovs'n as a man o f marked ability, and his address w as one o f great power, and was delivered amid the plaudits of the vast assemblage. “ In the evening many buildings were illu­ minated and tastefully decorated. Fireworks added to the brilliancy of the scene and the enthusiasm was unbounded. Thus ended one of the memorable days in the annals of Danrille. The Democrats also had a brilliant demonstration in that cam paign; but I can

383

find no record o f particulars, or I would take pleasure in transcribing them fo r this page.” T h e Great H oax One incident of the past that attracted much comment from all parts of the country, and the mention o f which even now will bring a smile to the face of the gravest of the “ old tim ers," is the visit to Danville of the bogus Japanese embassy, in i860. A t that time the Japanese commissioners came to America to return the visit o f Com­ modore P erry, bringing the treaty that had been negotiati^ with them, in a varnished box. A large escort attended the commis­ sioners and the occasion of their arrival at Washington w as made one o f great p o i^ . A choice coterie of the rc.sidcnts o f Dan­ ville decided to organize a fake embassy of their own, send bogus telegrams to the town and hoax the citizens into believing the am­ bassadors were coming hither. They staged the affair fo r Ju ly 4th, and so well did they carry out the program that most of the popu­ lation were convinced of the reality of the visit. They had costumes prepared, arranged for the burgess to erect a reviewing stand* and had out the Are department and several bands. The Catawissa railroad (rain was halted at Sechlcr's run and the masqueraders boarded it. On their arrival at Danville they were met by the authorities and escorted around the town, finally stopping at the re­ viewing stand, where addresses were made by both sides. The pretended Commodore Foote, who was supposed to accompany the embassy a s inlenirctcr, addressed the crowd in Eng­ lish. The speech of the buigess was trans­ lated into Gem ian by the commodore, by the other interpreter into Greek, and (hen re­ peated to the embassy. So well did the affair proceed that fo r days ic was difficult to con­ vince the townspeople that the whole thing w as a farce. One prominent citizen wanted Thom as Beaver to start up (he iron works for the benefit of the commissioners, even though the day w as a holiday. Among the participants w e re : David Clark, Charles Cook, D r Simington. Dr. George Yeo­ mans. Peter Baldy, W, W. Hays, Isaac X. G rier, John and Samuel Hibler, Col. Samuel Strawbridge and Robert Adams. There are some places in a community (hat one can never fo rg e t: places around which memory has hung a chain that will not loosen or break. Sometimes that memory is but a