The Arizona sentinel., 1875-05-08
THE MAYDAY PICNIC
Aud Steamboat Excursion.

This festival, got up by our citi
zens for the benefit of the Yuma
Public School, and to give the
children a pleasant time, came of
last Saturday in a most pleasant
and satisfactory manner. 1t was
a scene to cause thrill of pleas
ure in the hearts of all lovers OF
| children and of civilization and
progress. 1t was a scene long to
be remembered, for it was wit
messed by people from other States
and other lands, who were carried
back to the days of their youth,
and who were unanimous in the
expression that jais celebration,
/ in the manner in which it was
/ conducted. and in al its appoint
ments, was equal 10 anything of
! tbs kind they had ever seen.
During the week preceding,
Dan. Conner, the aff.sble anu
pleasant Engineer of the steamer
C0copoh, assisted by Arthur Gray,
the worthy and popular freight
clerk of the G. s. n. Co., had fitted
up the steamer in beautiful style,
and on Saturday morning she APP.
peared dressed in flags from stem
to stern and festooned with vines
and green branches, and with
steam up and wheel paving the
water in Impotence, awaited her
precious freight.
Capt. Polhamus, the excellent
and popular Superintendent of
the G. S. N. Co., just arrived by
stage from San Diego, took COM
mand of the steamer. The chill
dren were marshaled at the school
house-the girls under their tea
cher, Miss Post, the boys under
their teacher, Mr.. POSTAL un-
der the Grand Marshal, Chas. H.
Brinley, Esq, and his aids, pre-.
ceeded by the Yuma string band
and the drummer and fifer, kind
ly loaned for the occasion by the
military authorities of Fort Yu-
ma, headed by q schOol-b0y car
rying beautiful flag, and IN this
order, together with a large num-
Der Of citizens, marched to the
wharf at the foot Of Main street.
Here the scene was most beauti-
ful and animating The boys
were we'll enough, but the beau
tiful girls, from toddling infancy
to the blooming maiden, with
their bright eyes beaming with
pleasure and anticipation, and
their wealth of beautiful hair, was
a sight to inspire a poet with
rapture.
All were quickly on board, and
the Cocopah, as. though conscious
of her precious freight started
gaily up the river and I" walked
the water like a thing of life"
We took the census and found on
board one hundred children and
one hundred ladies and gentle
men, making the whole number
of excursionists two hundred, be-
sides the officers and crew of the
steamer.
The trip up the river was beau
tiful and exhilerating. The banks
were clothed with the verdure of
Spring, the air was soft and balmy
and just warm enough to make it
pleasant. The whole trip was en-
livened with excellent music.
After about twenty miles steam
ing, the boat arrived at a beaut.-
ful grove, where all disombarked
and walking about one hundred
yards came to an opening among
tlre lofty trees VII ere . place had
been nicely cleared OF for the &C.
vasion, anu thoTo tho refresh
ments were spread and all invited
to partake, and full justice was
done to the bountiful repast. The
provisions were of the best and
the supply was very large. All
the best substantialS and luxuries
were there that could be procured,
InnIt161x,. -