As Independence Day approaches without the usual fanfare in Chariton, remember that this is not the first time in the city's 170-year history that there's been no major local celebration. This year, it's the coronavirus; it previous years it's mostly been the absence of anyone to organize and promote it.
The latter was the case in 1910, but there were plenty of celebrations elsewhere in Lucas County, some of those places now almost forgotten. Here's a brief rundown as published on July 7, 1910, in Henry Gittinger's Chariton Leader:
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There were a number of celebrations in Lucas county on the 4th, generally on the picnic plan, at Belinda, Newbern, LaGrange, Highland, Lucas, Oakley and other places. Many Chariton people followed the band to Lacona but almost every place in the county was represented. Perhaps the largest celebration in the county was held at Belinda. Rev. J.H. Booth, late Democratic candidate for congress, addressed the multitudes. Also, William Collinson and W.W. Bulman, of this city.
A goodly assembly was held at Lucas, and here, as well as at the other places, well arranged programs were carried out.
It was a fine crowd that assembled at LaGrange and the drills, music and general entertainment furnished by their young people showed that they had made preparations for the occasion.
Everywhere there was an array of fireworks at night and the national emblems were conspicuous on every hand. In fact, this county never offered a more satisfactory plan of commemorating the day than this year.
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The Chariton Band, without a local celebration, was featured entertainment at Lacona, up in Warren County; and Gittinger himself, although he didn't mention it, was the principal orator on the 4th at LaGrange. Here's Henry's story of how he got from here to there --- behind a horse --- also from The Leader of July 7. The item is headlined, "The Poor Man's Auto."
The Leader man has recently made a discovery which will be a boon to the poor man who wants to travel and keep up appearances.
It has long been our desire to purchase a 90-horsepower automobile, but the exchequer was dead set against it --- there is no use further in concealing this.
All great discoveries have been made through accident and this late one is no exception to the rule.
Recently the writer had occasion to make an overland trip to a distant part of the county (LaGrange) and borrowed a horse and buckboard for that purpose.
The horse was of the bronco breeds, with all the wrought iron endurance for which they are noted. It was also a hay burner and had the yankin' heaves.
We hadn't fairly got started on the road before the wonderful mechanism, peculiar to a heavy horse, commenced action. Its flanks played sidewise like the riddles of a threshing machine while its diaphragm vibrated back and for the other way, all the times emitting sounds like a diapason. In fact, to a novice it appeared that the horse would die at almost any moment, but a companion gave assurance that it was the nature of the brute and that all was well. Next there was a chugging which seemed to let a whole lot of machinery in the animal's interior loose, with a wheezing sound in front, for the world like an auto makes when it gets stuck on a hillside.
We wanted to get out under the horse with a monkey wrench but the other fellow said that it was not necessary in this case and that it offered an advantage over the gasoline wagon.
Next, the animal started up in a sudden spurt and a drum corps could not have created a greater combination of sounds than that nag with the heaves as its hoofs beat the turf.
It shot forward working sidewise and frontwise and bridlewise and several other wise --- for a heavy horse is a very "wise" quadruped. Then it began to puff, whistle, wheeze and clatter all at the same time. People rushed to their doors to see what was passing. Dogs ran out and barked and everybody said, "Oh, just an automobile whizzing by in a cloud of dust."
But it wasn't an automobile at all. Did you ever drive cross country with a heavy hoss?
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Once at LaGrange, the Gittinger family dog, Snick, which had trailed along behind the buckboard, disgraced him, resulting in the following piece, also from The Leader of July 7, headlined "Home for Dog Wanted."
The Leader man is desirous of finding a good home in which to place his dog Snick --- one in which there would be sociability and companionship. We have not the time necessary to devote to the training of a dog of his superior intellect and breeding and as a result he has humiliated us again.
For the past 18 months he has been the official gopher claw eater in the county auditor's office, but he seems not to appreciate that position, so we have decided that the county board can secure a plebeian hound for that purpose if a suitable place can be secured for Snick as a companion for small children and tall cats.
He is affable in nature, friendly to a fault and can be maintained cheaply, as he licks the axle grease off the wagons around the square each Saturday.
On the 4th of July he followed the family buckboard to LaGrange, there to attend the patriotic picnic. Here he barked at the parade, whined when they sang "America" and cut up generally. We could have stood all this had it not been for his action at the noon hour.
The ladies had spread the cloth on the grass and were placing thereon the fat of the land when Snick landed square on the table --- the exact spot in which senator Cummins once stood on the "standpat platform" --- right in the center of it, and seized the hind quarter of a fricasseed chicken.
Of course we never volunteered to answer the question asked in concert, "Whose dog is that?"
But this little incident has caused us to make up our mind to part with him, providing a suitable home can be secured --- and we will not be overly particular about it either.
We confess the dog is somewhat deficient in manners, but all this is more than made up in breeding. Besides, he is an excellent judge of good food.
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