Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1860-08-10
Grand German FestIvnI.

Inc attendants upon the German Saen-
gerfest at Buffalo week before last all speak
with enthusiasm of the glorious time en-
joyed. Nothing occurred to mar the pleas
ure of the five days Festival. The Buffalo
Courier gives the following very lively and
readable account Of the grand union Picnic
of Thursday, in which all the German, and
many Americans joined. The air of hearty
nationality about it must have been de-
lightful:
each singing Verein carried sundry tro-
phies, such as cups, drinking horns, &C.,
which were used in faithful, practical man
Der on the journey out An immense men,
Der of the Arion society, who lowered
above his brethren like Saul among the
people, carried the prize goblet of 1860.
"Twenty or thirty rural restaurants had
been improyised in the woods, benches
were set up, swings were hung, and all the
accompaniments of fair or horse show in
the way of side attractions, had thronged to
the ground. As early as twelve, the crowd
began to arrive, and till five or six, when
the stream slowly became reversed in its
course, all creation seemed to pour into the
grove. The Main street cars with rein
forcements from the other roads groaned
and broke axles under the loads that went
by rail. All the hacks in the city drove
out-all the four horse and two horse wag-
ons which could be mustered drove out too
all other vehicles of every kind and con-
dition, from the farmers dray to the baby
cart drove out also, and after all, the bulk
Of the people seemed to foot it on the side
walk. The result was, that the grove, hy-
periodically speaking, had about as many
humans, men, women and children of every
age and class, in it, as it has leaves
ave despair of giving any just idea of
how things looked in the grove. Every
body to whom we spoke, agreed that it was
a sight to be seen once in lifetime, and
never to be described. The bluffs, the beau
tiful little valleys, the glades aud meadows
comprised in "the grove" were strewn thick
with the multitude. They gathered in
groups, each group large enough to fill
large hall, at points where the various soci-
cites had made head-duarters, and around
the different dispensaries of lager beer and
other good things. Everybody ate and
drank and talked at once, all the while.-
One or more of the splendid bands made
the woods ring again now on this side, now
on that. A gun squad, with the "Lady
Washington" added to the din, and at in
tervals the irrepressible song, with its strong,
manly chorus, burst forth from throats, that
gurgled with the everlasting lager. Flags
foated among the trees and in the air; Grin
oline on theswings a myriad glasses clinked
uncounted bretzles and sandwiches and
sausages disappeared kegs of beer rolled in
and beer kegs rolled out, toasts were given
and responded to, and thus the Picnic
began.
'At the height of the festivities there
was more demolition oflager, bretzles, and
rheinwein; more running to and fro in the
widest state of jublant enthusiasm; more
music by the bands; more singing and
cheering; more firing; more clinking of
glasses; more filing and emptying of lager
drinking horns; in short, grand, sweep
ing, universal deluge of good feeling and
an animal spirits. The New Workers, who,
according to an aged picnician, whom we
overheard "siad der teufel," were foremost
in inventing expression for the merriment.
They dressed themselves up as mummers,
in the most absurd costumes. They had |
Japanese troupe with "little Tommy
prominent character, and in the oldest of
professions they marched through the grove
TO tho extraordinary music Of cornstalk |
flutes, making halts everywhere, and per-
forming sundfy side-splitting antics, to the
infinite delight of the crowd. Others of
the societies joined in the mummery, had |
mock music rehearsals, and wended in ab-
surd state amid the screaming multitude
For all the world the scene would remind
one Of Assumption Day in Paris, or the
Carnival at Rome. Did you ever see any
thing like this 7 inquired we of venerable
reuton. 'Ach, ia, in Deutschland ? quotha.
Certes, never in America was the match of
he Saengerfest Picnic enacted.
"And thus, till nearly sundown, the jubi-
alton lasted; all the while, it must be said,
without the first manifestation of anything
but the broadest, kindest good feeling on
the part of the Germans. The only at
tempt at quarrel or threatening of fight
which We saw originated among individu-
ais speaking another tongue than the guttu-
al Teutonic. Gradually, as we said before,
he stream Of vehicles turned city-wards,
md the army of jewellers, exhausted, but
'heery and good natured, went home
surely the Pic Mo will forever live in their
memories, as Of all their lives
The mAddest, merTiest day"
The next annual SaeDgerfest will be held
4 Colnmhns Ohio