1892 Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence celebrations.

The Charlotte News:  5/18/1892 p.1; 5/19/1892 p.1; The Mecklenburg Times 5/20/1892 p.3

THE CELEBRATION BEGINS.  5/18/1892 p.1

THREE BIG DAYS FOR CHARLOTTE ASSURED.  The City in Gay Attire –Hill and Party to Arrive Tomorrow Night—Charlotte Wins the Prize in the Gun Club Shoot. Charlotte’s big celebration opened this morning in just about as good a style as the heart of the most patriotic citizen could desire. The weather was fine, the crowds large, the decorations superb, and Charlotte was altogether at her best. The program as arranged for the first day was carried out fully, opening with the Gun Club contest, and followed by balloon ascension, baseball, and football in the afternoon. Tonight, the Wild West show will be given. The event of tomorrow will be the tournament. There are a great number of entries and among them are some excellent riders. The crowns, which are exhibited in Baruch’s windows are sufficiently beautifully to inspire each knight to do his best. The Gun Club will shoot about 10 a.m., at noon, there will be a balloon ascension; at 4 p.m., baseball; fireworks at 7:30 p.m., and the coronation and ball at 10 p.m. Friday will be the great day, as will be seen by reference to the program. Following the sham battle on the afternoon of the 20th the rifle target shooting by local and visiting teams from the military companies will take place at the range at Latta Park. This contest will likely begin about 12:00 m.

Wrecked by the Wind. A very large crowd was at Dilworth, this morning, to see the balloon ascension. Prof. Zebro brought out his big 103 foot high balloon, and it was successfully inflated, not withstanding the high wind that prevailed at the time. The ascent was hardly begun, though, before the balloon was drive by the force of the wind against the roof of the grand stand. Prof. Zebro was bumped against the house in a severe manner and was painfully hurt. He cut loose from the balloon and dropped to the ground. The ropes became entangled in the shingles, but eventually the balloon became freed and dropped from the house to the ground, where it went swelling and tumbling about and made horses put out in all directions. It is hoped that better luck will attend the ascension tomorrow. - Mr. W. S. Ozment, an old Charlotte boy, is here from Columbus, Ga. to take in the celebration. - Mr. Joe Harty, who has been out on the road for some weeks past, is home for the 20th. Joe is making a success as a commercial tourist.

The Columbia Zouaves will arrive in the city at 6 o’clock this afternoon. The Governor’s Guards, of Columbia, will come in tomorrow night. The Guards secured a special Pullman car for the trip. Six bicyclers, headed by Capt. Will Maxwell, left Columbia, S. C., at 4 o’clock this morning for Charlotte. They will stop at Chester tonight, and will reach here tomorrow in time for the baseball game. Capt. Maxwell, who heads the company once wheeled it from Knoxville, Tenn., to New York City.

Some Decorations. Charlotte is a thoroughly well decorated town. The like of flags and bunting was never before seen here, and we do not believe that anything approaching it has ever been attempted by a Southern city. The central square is arched over magnificently, and the arch itself spanning four streets, is handsomely decked. From this spot one can look in all directions and see a perfect wave of red, white and blue. Some of the decorations are peculiarly handsome. One of the best things out is a design of a cannon, which commands the entrance to Brown, Weddington & Co.’s retail store. A bellows is mounted between two buggy wheels and the whole is decked out in colors, a strikingly good thing. The Dixie Pants Company has a fine trick in the shape of a pair of mammoth pants made of the national colors. It is worth a trip to Charlotte just to see the decoration.

Gov. Holt. Governor Thomas M. Holt will attend the exercises in Charlotte on the 20th. He will be the guest of Col. John L. Morehead, on South Tryon Street.

ALL STARTS OFF WELL. 5/19/1892 p.1

THE BIG CELEBRATION UNDER WAY. To-Morrow is the Great Day- - Fine Weather, and Jolly Good Crowds in the City. The second day of Charlotte’s celebration of the 117th anniversary of the signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence opened this morning in as good a style as the heart of the most ardent patriot could have desired. Last night there was a refreshing shower of rain which laid the dust, and this morning broke with bright sunshine, clean streets and cool refreshing air. Better conditions for a pleasant celebration could not have prevailed and all the indications point to pleasant times in Charlotte to-morrow, the great day of the celebration. Already the city is crowded, but to-morrow, there will be an overflow. As announced elsewhere, Senator David B. Hill and party are en route and will arrive here at 2 o’clock to-night. The first thing on the programe to-morrow is the gun club shoot. That will be followed by the sham battle, in which 13 companies will participate. After the battle, Senator Hill will be escorted to the auditorium where he will deliver his address. In the afternoon there will be balloon ascensions, baseball games, and at night the great event-the coronation and ball. This ladder ceremony will take place at the city hall. NOTES.

• There are 700 military men in the city.
• Already 1,2000 visitors are registered at the hotels.
• The military parade to-morrow will be the finest that has yet been known in the State, no previous occasion exempted.
• The Richmond and Danville building on West Trade street, is very handsomely and appropriately decorated.
• The electric display of the D. A. Tompkins Co., on East Fourth street is a beauty. The Fourth street side of their great building nearly a block shows Thompson-Houston are and incandescent lamps in prettily arranged designs.
• The 4th Regimental Drum Corps came in today from Concord. There are 14 men in the corps and it will be one of the attractive features of the parade. Robt. Kessler is drum major.
• The Cabarrus Black Boys, the Greensboro and Burlington companies and the Fayetteville independent Light Infantry arrived in the city on this afternoon’s train. The Shelby and Lincolnton companies are also here.
• The Fayetteville Light Infantry is a superb company and it wears the good old gray.

  HILL IS EN ROUTE.

COMING IN THE SPECIAL PULLMAN “NEVA.”   He Will Arrive Here at 9 o’clock Tonight – Senators Gray and Ransom, General Lathrop and Congressman Alexander With Him – Others Will Come on the Train Reaching Charlotte at 1:00 Tomorrow. Special to The News Washington, D. C., May 19. Senator Hill left here at 11 o’clock this morning in the special Pullman car “Neva,” for Charlotte. He is accompanied by Senator Gray and Ransom, General Lathrop, and Representative Sydenham R. Alexander, Senator Vance is too ill to undertake the journey. Tonight several other senators and congressmen will leave on the train that pulls out from here at 12 o’clock, and they will reach Charlotte at 1:30 tomorrow afternoon. Senator Hill is accompanied by representatives of the press and his movements will be duly recorded in all the papers of the country.

CELEBRATING THE 117TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 5/20/1892 p.3

THREE DAYS OF EXERCISE – Speeches by Senator Hill and Others-A Prize Tournament-Base Ball Contests-and Balloon Ascensions, Etc.The great celebration of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence begun Wednesday the 18th. The city was gay with decorations. Flags and bunting were displayed on all the stores and many of the private residents.The nich over independence square was very attractive. It rested upon four columns constructed of wood, covered over with cloth and painted in imitation of granite. Twelve electric lights were placed under the arch to add brilliancy to the night. Numerous flags and other ornaments adorned the structure.On the four arches, facing down each street, was the inscription, “Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence May 20, 1775.”LIST OF MARSHALS.

• D. P. Hutchison, chief
• Raleigh: Wm. B. Grimes.
• Lincolnton: C. E. Childs, and J. L. Cobb.
• Gaston County: Laban Lineberger
• Rowan County: Capt. J. R. Crawford, Dr. J. B. Council, C. H. Holmes, and J. Frank McCubbins.
• Charlotte: W. W. Phifer, J. D. Fox, H. L. Davidson, Paul Wilkes, D. B. Mayes, J. M. Morehead, E. T. Asbury, R. H. Holland and Thomas Griffith.
• County: J. F. Neeley, E. S. Reid, P. D. Price, J. J. Morrow and J. H. Barnett.
• Cabarrus: H. B. Parks, D. E. Boger, W. L. Morris
• Iredell: G. E. French.
• Anson: Paul A. Leak.
• Lincoln: R. S. Reinhardt, W. T. Graham, Jr.
• York County, S C: L. D. Harris, J. H. Milling, S. T. Frew and J. Wilson Marshall.

 PROGRAMMEMay 18

• 10 a.m.-Balloon ascension gun club.
• 2:30 p.m. sharp – Baseball
• 4:45 p.m. sharp – Football
• 7:30 p.m. – Wild West Show.

 May 19

• 9 a.m. – Tournament, gun club.
• 1:30 p.m. - Balloon ascension.
• 4:00 p.m. – Baseball.
• 7:30 p.m. – Fireworks
• 10 p.m. – Coronation and ball.

 May 20

• 9 a.m. Reviewing of troops by Governor and visiting guests at Independence.
• 9 a.m. – Wild West Show.
• 10 a. m. – Sham battle.
• 12 m. – Prayer (at auditorium) by Rev. Edward Mack
• 12:10 p.m. –Reading of “Declaration” by Hon. W. F. Vilas, ex-Postmaster General and present Senator from Wisconsin.
• 12:15 p.m. – Oration, Sen. David B. Hill, of New York
• 1:30 p.m. – Balloon ascension.
• 4:00 p.m. – Baseball.
• 7:30 p.m. – Wild West Show

 SENATOR HILL AND PARTYSenator David B. Hill, the orator for the 20th May celebration, arrived in Charlotte at 2 0’clock Thursday night. He and his party came on a special car which was placed at their disposal in Washington. Senator Vance was chaperone, and Capt. S. B. Alexander assistant and other North Carolina Congressmen escorts. The remainder of his party consisted of M. W. Ranson, of North Carolina; Wm. F. Vilas, of Wisconsin; Geo. Gray, of Delaware; M. C. Buttler, of South Carolina; B. H. Colquitt, of Georgia; James K. Jones, of Arkansas; Congressmen W. H. Forney and Jos. E. Wheeler, of Alabama; Amos J. Cummings and W. B. Cockran, of New York; W. H. Hatch, of Missouri; W. S. Holman, of Indiana; W.C. P. Breckinridge, of Kentucky; J. F. Epps, of Virginia; C. Page, of Rhode Island. The guests are entertained at the Buford and Central hotels.