Out of the Past Aug.10, 1939
Front Page Articles —
AUGUST 8TH IS AGAIN SUCCESSFUL
Crowd Enjoys Itself by Eating and Drinking Everything in Sight
Another eighth of August has come and gone. While not so large a crowd was in Elizabethtown as on some of the former Emancipation Day celebrations, everyone seemed to be satisfied. Matt Woods and his outfit sold all their barbecue and in the evening people were asking them to make sandwiches out of the few scraps that were left. The saloons as usual did a rushing business. And as usual the colored folks, much to the disappointment of many, did not do any or very little dancing. Showers at night caused some to leave, but the majority of visitors, confirmed Emancipation Day celebrants, stayed to take in the side shows, the wrestling matches, the show boat, ride the wheels and eat and drink. Hamburgers sold at a nickel at the carnival and the thirsty could obtain huge glasses of pink lemonade for the same price. Others more thirsty made their way uptown. The carnival made so much money Monday and Tuesday that it pulled out Wednesday morning and went to Shawneetown. Water melons and cantaloupes were sold on every corner. One barker in an oversized hat and fancy vest was selling solid gold and solid sterling rings for the magnificent sum of 65 cents. His line of chatter was worth the price of the ring. The crowd, young and old, was good humored and orderly. It came to see the sights, meet old friends, to dance, to make love and to celebrate. The only way to explain the crowd where it came from and why it came, is to say Emancipation Day at Elizabethtown is an old established custom and to attend is the thing to do.
Harry L. Porter was publisher of the Independent in 1939.
Front Page Article –
MANY LARGE POISONOUS SNAKES KILLED
A Very Near Record Rattlesnake Killed Near Hall Ridge
Something about the recent weather has caused the snakes in the vicinity to move about, judging from the number of big ones that have been killed last week. A rattle snake six feet and two inches long and thicker than a man’s arm was killed last week by Winfred Barnerd on the bluffs near Saline Creek while squirrel hunting. Barnerd skinned the snake, stuffed it with sawdust and brought it to Elizabethtown Friday, where it attracted much attention. READ MORE
