This was originally published in the July 5, 1898 edition of the LA Times, pg10.
LOS ALAMITOS, July 5—[Regular Correspondence] The fourth of July celebration yesterday was very successful. Over seven hundred people were here enjoying themselves. Just 410 took advantage of the sugar factory’s being open for their inspection. All the stores in town were decorated. All the flag poles bore the Stars and Stripes. At the Los Alamitos Sugar Factory was an arch over the entrance gate made of the national colors. The committee provided plenty of ice-cold lemonade and the children were supplied with ice cream free. In the afternoon a flagpole 100 feet high was raised and amid the firing of cannon and the cheers of the people, the Stars and Stripes were unfurled.
The patriotic exercises in the church began at 10 a.m. with the following programme: Prayer, Rev. W. Hill; instrumental music, “Columbia,” Miss Bradrick; reading of the declaration of Independence, William Butterfield; song “Columbia,” audience; address, Maj. C.S. McElbie; instrumental; music, “Star Spangled Banner,” Mrs. William Pierson; song, “America” by the audience.
At noon there was a barbecue for the visitors. At 1 o’clock there was a baseball game of five innings between a lean team and a fat team, resulting in the defeat of the lean team by three runs. In the bicycle race, Fred Re4eder was first and F.K. Edwards second. In the fat men’s race, M. Smith won and Edwards and Badgeley tied. The potato race for boys was won by Searle, R. Lilly second and A. Ames third. In the 100-yard race for boys, E. Gilbert was first and R. Lilly second. At 7:30 o’clock the fireworks exhibition was given, in charge of G.W. Bradrick, assisted by D.J. Parker and C.H. Lawrence. A ball finished the programme of the day, given in the hall of the Los Alamitos Improvement Company, at which sixty couples were present. The hall was beautifully decorated with bunting and large flags. The dance was undetr the management if I. Wtts and I.L. Clam, and the music was supplied by Messrs. Bunyard and Freeman.