The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-25
FAT MEN EATING CLANS.
THE TENTH ANNUAL JOLLIFICITIoN
ar GREGORI'S POINT.
Incidents ola Remarkably Merry Dsy-A Ride
with Member Of the Association
SPEECHES, tho Beverages, and the songs.

SPEECHES, tho Beverages, and the songs.
The clam diggers OF the Connecticut
coast have been stimulated TO extra exertions
by an Official notice on postal card, In the cen
tire Of which was the picture OF a ponderous fat
man, and GRIT about by the printed announce
ment that on Aug. "a the tenth annual clam bake
Of the Fat Mems Association was to be held at
Greeory's Point, NorwaIk. 1t was also an
nounced that tho bake would be 1.-The original
Indian one" under the supervision Of +. T..
Stedmnn. and that II would &c ipse anything In
the previous history OF the society. CLANS by
the bushel and barrel poured into Gregory Point,
and yesterday morning there were great hillocks
upon the shore OF Norwak BAY. A bed Of heat
ed stones was arranged and UPON II the clans
were piled until they IN lde conical ridge sew
eral feet above the sand. over the pile blanket
was quickly thrown, and above tho mass tangled
seaweed was spread. Then a skful negro
cook. whose fame extends from Norwak to
st M ford, took his station with a three-tined
pitcbfork at the side Of the smoking roast,
stirred the CLANS and scared away the small bows.
Beginning at an early hour. the fat men and
their friends got into korwslk. Jokers averred
that the engine was uncOmmony wheezy, that
the car springs creaked and gro ned, and that
train In whcn were seven Of the most noted
members stopped just east OF Stamford until
they got OUT aud walked to The top " the grade.
AT about two o'clock. most OF the members mad
from Danbufy was missed, and he came In on
the next train. At the depot he was met bv
dozen or moro vehicles, all Of which were
painted n dingy red. yellow, and green. and
we're In form similar to New YORK
ambulance. lie tried the doors OF them all.
He attempted ut nrst to enter In the usual man
ner, but the space VS. about four inches too
narrow. Inen ne turned sidewavs, aud the
drivers. one inside and tine other outside, pulled
and pushed until thew were red In their faces.
IL was III vain. The big man made another
attack upon tue stage and tried to crawl IN over
a
length got through the door OF an unusually
small remainder of be space. The heavy coach
ciesked IN every Joint as 1t rolled along the
shore Of tue bay and over the hill to GreRofys
Point. As the neigh borhood OF the hotel was
reached the odor OF the ba<ing CLANS nlled the
air, and the fat man, quitting his mead far out
the window, suited vigorously.
"Ah." said he "tnat smells liEs business.
Don't believe there's enough, though. Don't
SUI II quite gainey euougn."
On tae grounds around the hotel were hitched
nearly "a hundred Connecticut horses. In the
80 icious ylro. in the halls, aud upon the bal
cony were nsafiy thousand persons, about one
hundred and thirty Of whom were members Of
tie association.
"lhere's not q great many Of the fatties,"
Ave or six OF 'em gifts together anywhares In the
yard or Their hotel, then be scarce, fur theirs
bit ago ten of 'em got inter Their back yard, and
though yer could count ther he ads on yer flu
gers, the hull dhrned ward was chock Level fun"
The barroom WAS the hrst place that most
new corners sought, and as few Kept out Of tnat
apartment more tnan tnToe IN oments Al "A time,
by two O'Clock there was solid arr y around
the gripping bar. and long column stretching
into the yari. All were calling for drinks, vt
esumated tn 4 500 drinks had been sold, and
one Of six oarkeepers, ~ no had been driven nearly
crazy by tae calls. look ed at the line along the
rail- for n moment, sat down, and refused to
move. A Fat man climbed upon one end Of the
bar and regardie;s a. the cries Of :. Pus him
syne." lie broke down In the 6rst line Of the
second stanza aud called for glass 4 beer.
off a Inn ann aah
song: This world Is round wise men declare,
am hung ON nothing In the air." At that mo
nient some one hit him full In the stomach, an
other caught him 10y the legs, ami he went over
Denihd the counter In u box Of ginger ale
bottles.
The announcement that the clans were ready
caused fusn for the pavilion In which tue
dinner was TO be spread. The great roast was
uncovered, and out OF IL were taken many sorts
Of viands, all OF whicn h d been cooked together.
Five VI six hundred persons d Il asse IN oiled al
tne long taoles aud ca en- IN a a CT mored for food
For three hours walters toiled with great basins
OF clans, oysters, Holsters, green corn and
chicken. between the tables and the roasting
bed. Tue latest ucn sat at special table. aud
as the hours rolled on the piles OF shells at their
feet reached ueafly to their Knees. The Ptesi-
table. where he rested heavily upon his great gold
mounted came when Is his badge OF nice
champagne was drank, Mt m ordin ny glass r,
but IN tunbieis; and one OF the l.r.rsl men,
after giving three cheers for the American
eagle, emptied about a peck OF sneils from a
basin, Filed II with wine, ana drank the liqaid
at draugnt. lie put the basin down. and lad
just begun to tell bow his father fought under
"Genl ia KIN when great crash WIS heard,
rnd the heads OF seven solid men, at distant
taUe went out Of sight All got on their feet
except the largest. and he hOundered lnenec-
tn lly stout men were called. anu he was
Tignted ana slowly raised to his feet. Tnen he
made a speech. member sang:
TIE bear went over the mountain,
To see what he coul see,
To Zee what he could see.
As the singer repeated the refrain for the
twelfth time. and seemed determined to sing
on, the listeners asked for the second verse.
Thereupon ne went over the same verse again,
and then some one knocked tue cnair from I'M
der hun and tipped the taOie ana the dishes,
champagne bottles and clam shells upon his
| body lhls Incident broke up tue party. aud 4
band posted III the center OF tue room played
" Sweet spirit hear my prayer"
After the relies Of the feast mad been cleared
away, all joined ~ dan 'es, thar were continued
| unul late 10 the afternoon eignty OF the
greatest tat men we're weighed, aud II was
! found that Mr. lizard Perslns Of Waterbury
was the heaviest. weighing 3ys pounds. Mr..
| Patrick Murphy Of WestpOrt, VINO carries 3l2
| pounds was made President f,r the cnsaing
year. A bov of twelve years. +. III. RAYMOND,
| weighed 2Ol4 pounds. Inc Presidents cane
was formally pres 'nied 10 Mr.. Murphy, aud MIR.
| Peter Reed, Weighing 29l pounds, danced "A jg.
| Tine following materials composed the bake
| 65 bushels OF round clans, II bushels OF long
clans, 81 bushels OF oysters. barrels OF HOLSTERS
! barrels Of bueish, barrels Of sweet potatoes,
barrels of IRISH potatoes, IS chickens, ~ ducks,
| LOO cars OF corn.