The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-15
THE CHILDREN'S FREE PICNIC.

EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND FoRTY-sEvEN CHILDREN
ENJOY TWELVE HOURS COMFORT.
The fourth free picnic Of the given
yesterday TO the poor children Of the Eighth
and Fifth wards by the trustees of the Free
Excursion Fund The children of the two wards
had been supplied with tickets during Thursday
and Friday, and early yesterday morning gathered
at the police stations their well known friend
the manager of these excursions Mr. George Williams
AT fifteen minutes of two A. NJ, the Post band from Gov
ernors Island under Major Emil Stgler arrived at the
Eight precinct station and sounded the ''assemby."
The shriIl whistle of the manager followed, and as
the children recognized his tall figure and
brown slouched hat they commenced a of cheers
that awakened the citizens of the vicinity to the appre
citation of that the little of the wards had
pleasure on the brain and that red letter day in
their calendar Another roll of the whistle proclaimed
''slence and the boys and girls fell into column the
girls taking the right Of the line bright banner, in
scribed .'Free Excursion for Poor Children
displayed next to the band and along
the column national flags as guldons.
At halfpast eight o'clock A. NJ the command
was given march ~ and escorted by the officers OF
the Eight precinct fourteen hundred girls and boys
started for the barge Republic, then awaiting them at
the foot of Spring street, North River where by the
kindness of Captain lie Fevre of the Great Southern
Freight line the managers permitted the free use
OF a covered wharf At the same hour the chill
dren of the Fifth precinct under the charge
of an aid to the manager started to the column
from the Eighth ward.
Rounding Castle Garden the children voluntarily gave
three rousing cheers and waved their handkerchies
response TO the salutes Of the cutters and
/ Staten Island and Brooklyn ierryboats
! Going up the East River the girls, GA in
the stewards, and each received a large
goblet OF milk and fresh double roll sandwich, with
the meat cut about half an inch thick The girls then
returned TO their places ON the main deck and com
menced waltzing TO the stirring music Of the band
The boys l223 in number then each received in turn
his breakfast The weather was all that the best friends of
the little waits could desire and the satisfaction of the
1,s47 children board manifested by the perfect
every e1eTy direction Of the manager. The pass
ing steamers and yachts were greeted with
shouts of pleasure and the voyage continued until
Oriental Grove on Long Island was sighted Then the
children seemed frantic with delight They Rugged
each other threw up their hats caught others by the
hand and shouted There's the dockl as they pointed
with outstretched hands to the grove.
The girls landed FIRST each receiving sand
witch big enough TO satisfy workinRman for dinner
As theyscampered up the long wharf various articles Of
dotted and before the last Of the girls had
peopled with the little hahers. Then the boys were
landed provided with dinner, and cautioned
to battle on the side of the wharf OPP
pOsite 20 that occupied by the girls An
experienced swimmer, in boat, watched their
safety. guided by the signals of the manager Those
who aid not battle rabled through the delightful grove
until Professor Daisy had erected his theatre and sig
nailed that "Punch and JUDY wanted TO show the chill
dren what a merry life the old English couple led To
the children it the Of pleasure. After
other pleasant performances, including ice cream
and cake and pleasant sail, at eight o'clock
| p NJ. the entire party was landed at the foot of
! Spring street without the occurrence Of single
accident Among those board the
little blind girl Rosa Dringales Of No 236 East Fifty
fourth street. whose touching letter published in
! these columns few days since She expressed her
qualification with her peculiar modest and pleasant Ian
guage and delighted the children by showing her pro-
/ In u
baskets chains &c, with coOred beads strung on fine
wire. Another Of those present lame boy, who
laughngy told the manager that he had lost his cuch
when he went in swimming but felt good that he
didn't mind it at all
The cost Of the excursion was, as as could be
estimated yesterday, about 500, less than forty
cents for each Of the SAT children taken There were
5000 rolls consumed, 400 lbs Of beef tongue and ham,
tub and half of butter, 2 100 sponge cakes 400
quarts Of milk 43O quarts Of ice cream 600 pounds Of
ice box Of lemons twothrds Of barrel Of sugar and
! other stores