County's Soldiers, Sailors Will be Honored at 4th of July Celebration, 1919

From The Monroe Journal, Feb. 18, 1919

Two-In-One Celebration On July 4^th

Plans are already under way for a “two-in-one celebration” in Monroe on July 4^th, in honor of Union county’s soldiers and sailors and to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is determined that the event shall eclipse anything of like nature ever held in the State of North Carolina.

The Fourth of July committee which has had the direction of previous celebrations, headed by Messrs. T.P. Dillon and R.A. Morrow and other patriotic and congenial spirits, will be aided this year by a committee from among the members of the Chamber of Commerce.

Tentative plans are that a real, honest-to-goodness airship will be secured for the occasion. The aforementioned ship is to be borrowed from Uncle Sam and presided over by one of his Sammies who has taken a post-graduate course in flying the winged machines invented by man. Announcement had gone out from the war department that aeroplanes can be secured for patriotic celebrations and county fairs.

Probably the first two to file their application for a ride are Mr. R.L. Wiggs and a representative of the Journal. It is understood that a certain young lady of the city desired to soar toward the sun in the ship of the air. We are not in a position to divulge her name at present.

Union county people can rest assured that if July the Fourth comes, ushers in a fair day and the wind calm, that they will have the pleasure of listening to the roar of the engine and the whirl of the propeller as the ship gets under way, and then craning their necks in an effort to follow its flight as it disappears in the ethereal blue.

It is also agreed that floats shall be arranged to represent the nations of the Allies. The fair ladies and the brave men had just as well begin now to plan their float.

Mr. T.P. Dillon was asked if the Kaiser should have any place, perhaps chained to the back of a jack-ass and piloted through the streets. The opinion was expressed that the only thing that would hinder the carrying out of this plan would be in securing some one to represent the Kaiser.

All Union county soldiers and sailors who saw service in the army in the world war for liberty will be expected to march in a body in the parade, wearing their uniforms. About 1,000 Union county men saw service in the war and probably one-half of them will have received discharges by July the Fourth.