382
COLUMBIA AND MONTOL’R COUNTIES
gomery and Joseph Maus, all propelled by the water of the Mahoning. Farm ers in (he vi cinity took their grain in sacks to the m ills; the miller ground it for a toll o f one-tenth. ICxccpt fo r the Baltimore, Philadelphia, or Reading markets, it was seldom put up in barrels. Steam power had not been intro duced in the place or neighborhood, except at Boyd’s mill, which w as then a new one on the left bank of the river a1>ove town. "W hisky was the Archimedean Jevcr that moved the world. Contracts could not be made or performed without its potent aid. Tlte merchant kept it on his counter, for his cus tomers would not purchase goods without it. It was indispensable at musters and elections. The fann ers' fields could not be cultivated without its use as a motor. M r. Robinson, in the vicinity, offered (he laborers who were employed in his harvest fields extra pay i f they would dispense with it, but they refused. The (emi^rance cause w as a d v o cat^ by its friends, but its opponents, numerous, defiant and vio lent. determined that their libcrtie.ft should not be subverted by a few fanatics w*ho were worse than the Feclcrals. "T h e half century just closed has been an eventful, almost a marvelous one. In 1826 we had no railw ays, telegraphs, typewriters, gas, petroleum, no canals, iron fum aces, forges, rolling m ills; no bridge over the river, no fire engines o f any kind, nor many other indis pensable improvements, deprived o f which we would speedily retrograde to what wc were at that |)crio(l. T he population has increased more than tenfold, and DanviUe has kept pace with the rest of the world, and shown an energy and perseverance worthy o f her. notwithstanding the many depressions and conflicts incident to her position as a great m anufacturing center. Ife r numerous sons, dispersed throughout the great West, and in other portions o f our vast republic, now in exile from her borders, took with pride upon her onward course in material prosperity, and her commendable progress in religion, morals, and science, the social virtues and the ameni ties o f life, which they trust may continue, and enable her, for all future time, to main tain her clcvate<l ]>osition in the good old Commonwealth."
on the eve o f Lincoln's second election. It was on Saturday, the jth o f November, 1864. "T h e procession w as arranged and con ducted by Chief M arshal Lieut. Dennis Bright, assistant marshals, W . E . C, Coxe, William Aten, O. I L Ostrander, Lieut. E . W. Roderick, Dr. George Yeomans, Stephen A . Johnson, M aj. Charles Eckm an, Lieut. M . Roscnstcin. "T h e magnificence of the immense caval cade, the numerous banners, flags and taste ful decorations, with the martial strains of Stocs’ silver cornet band and Sechler's brass liand, gave the demonstration a brilliancy un surpassed by any other in the annals of Danville. T he most gorgeous sp ^ tacle in the magnificent pageant w as the triumphal car, containing a charming representative of the Goddess o f Liberty, and a lady, in fu ll cos tume, representing each State of the Union. T he Goddess o f Liberty was robed in the nation«al colors. H er head was adorned with a brilliant tiara, she bore a staff surmounted with a liberty cap, and occupied an elevated position on the car. She acted her part with l>ecuHdr grace, eliciting the universal admira tion of the thousands that witnessed the in spiring scene. "T h e ladies representing the States were tastefully adorned in red, white and blue— dresses white, sashes red, and caps blue, orna mented with a star, and surmounted with a beautiful white plume, tipped with red. Each lady wore a badge across the breast, upon which was printed the name of the respective State she represented. Each bore a small flag, and they were seated in a triumphal car, deco rated with evergreens in the most artistic man ner. while (he goddess occupied the center of the group, elevated on a pedestal. Messrs. Derr and Von Nieda acted as ensigns. This w as truly the ch ef d'ocui^re of the great occa sion, and on the route elicited the heartiest cheers, waving o f handkerchiefs, flag.s and everv other token o f delight. "^hilc the storm.s o f hail and driving snow deterred many front participating in the cere monies of the day, it not only proved the pa triotism but gave a character o f heroism to the ladies as they braved the storm and waved ihcir starry flags amid the falling snow. The following is the list o f ladies, with the State each represented: Goddess o f Liberty, Miss Great D ay Lou. H ill; Pennsylvania, Mollie M agill: New Y o rk, Emma B u tler: Ohio, Melissa Brown: D. H . B. Brow er gives the following remi Indiana, Clara R o ck afcllcr; Illinois. Ella niscence : P ain ter; Wisconsin, L yd ia 1lo u scl; Iowa, "O ne of the great popular demonstrations in I.illie C o o k; Maine, Clara B e av e r; New Danville was the last rally of the Republicans Hampshire, C lara F a u x; 'erm ont. Kale
