1912- Twentieth of May Celebration Preparations

The Charlotte Evening Chronicle 5/18/1912

EVERYTHING IN READINESS FOR TWENTIETH OF MAY CELEBRATION  

Official Program Shows Three Days Filled With Events That Will Amuse And Interest Thousands of Visitors  

The Twentieth is upon us.  

This fact has been gradually dawning upon the minds of some 100,000 or so people living in and near Charlotte for several days, and the interesting fact is being more and more emphasized each day until by Monday morning, when the first events of the week’s big program take place. Charlotte will have been worked up to the proper mental attitude for making a holiday occasion of the event, and the gala atmosphere will envelop every individual, every home and every business that exists within the limits of old Mecklenburg, the home of the singers and the birthplace of the first Declaration of Independence in America.  

Messrs. Joseph Garibaldi, W. R. Robertson, Dr. J. L. Caldwell, W. S. Dorr and N. V. Porter, constituting the central committee, with the members of the various committees, and the efficient manager, Mr. C. M. Creswell, and all others who have worked to make the week a success, will next week realize that they have severed well and that their efforts are appreciated when they witness the merry crowds and thousands of visitors and the gala throngs that will fill the streets and attend the numerous events announced for the week.  

Thrilling Events Announced.  

Parades of gorgeous conception aeroplane flights, athletic events the great Manufacturers’ Exposition, one of the finest and biggest undertakings credited to progressive Charlotte, baseball every afternoon, four string bands and special entertainment and attractions meeting the visitor on every hand will be a part of the good things which the week of May 20-25 holds in store not only for Charlotte but for Mecklenburg the piedmont and regions beyond.  

Railroads have offered reduced rates which will have the effects of greatly adding to the out-of-town attendance, which is expected to reach into the thousands every section of the piedmont being represented. The interurban from Gastonia to Charlotte will likewise handle many hundreds from Gastonia, Lowell, McAdenville and Mount Holly and intervening sections who will have easy access to the city by means of the interurban cars running on convenient schedules.  

Three Parades For the Week.  

Three parades, each one of which will be carried out on a large scale, have been provided by the committee with the co-operation of the merchants of the city veterans automobile association, Red Men and other orders, the Charlotte drum crops and others.  

The opening parade will take place on Monday morning at 11 o’clock, covering the principal streets in the center of the city. This parade will include militia, veterans, colonial floats suggestive of the early history of the city, industrial floats three hands and the Charlotte Drum Corps and many other excellent features. The parade will be more than a mile in length and will be one of the great events of the week.  

The second parade is set for Tuesday night when the Red Men with torches and red flaming lights will march. More than 1,500 Red en from all parts of the Carolinas will be in the line of march. This being a night event it will be rendered especially attractive by the torches and illuminations that will be used.  

The third parade is for Wednesday morning and will be largely an automobile parade. There are hundreds of machines in the city which will be requisitioned into service, and will be made attractive by decorations of flowers, flags, etc., and each one will carry its cargo of beautiful women and girls, representative citizens and others. The autoists of the city and surrounding section will make a big success of this event, which is especially an automobile event. There have been offered several prizes, one for the auto coming the longest distance to participate, and others for the machine bringing the largest number of passengers, etc.  

The week will resound with music for four bands have been secured for the occasion, including the Venetian band, the Greater Charlotte band, and others.  

Signers Monday Night.  

The opening of the celebration on Monday will include an event of much interest at the Academy of Music, which will be “Signers’ Night.” An extended program has been arranged for the occasion with several addresses, the reading of the Mecklenburg Declaration and other interesting parts, with a special concert by the Venetian band.  

The Aeroplane Flights.  

Aeroplane flights will take place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, these all to be given at the old fair grounds in Dilworth, where several successful flights were executed last October during the Mecklenburg fair.  

Mr. Thornwell Andrews, a Charlotte boy, is the aviator who will make the flights, four in all and each flight to endure at least 30 minutes. The company with whom Mr. Andrews is connected has agreed that he may carry mail to nearby towns or perform any special stunts that the committee may ask of him. These flights will be probably the biggest out-of-doors events of the week, and will be witnessed by many thousand people.  

Athletic Day Thursday  

Athletic day Thursday morning at the league baseball grounds should not be overlooked. These have been nearly 200 entries for these contests which will be in charge of Mr. A. L. Faul, physical director at the U. M. C. A. These events will include practically every known form of out-of-door athletic event, and will be every one of a high order, executed by experts and trained men.   Baseball every afternoon during the week will be the big card which will draw the interest of the fans during the week, and it is anticipated that there will be six record-breaking attendances during the week of May Twentieth.  

The Manufacuturers’ Exposition will be opened Tuesday morning and formal exercises at the Auditorium will take place on that night.  

The Greater Charlotte Club will be in charge of the events of Thursday night and as this organization never does things half-way, something of more than ordinary interest is looked for. The club is also in charge of the athletic events at the league grounds on Thursday morning.