Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-07-12

-1nC1Q0NCSlO OGCs
WEDNESDAY,, July lth, 1871, the ono hund.
red and first anniversary OF our natlonnl
Independence, wasn proud-a gloriousua
| for Penns Valley. The formal dedication
of the L. e, n :. Z. X. H., the pElcticai COM
plction of the great enterprise which our
hlthers originated, but which many OF
them were not permitted To see, marks an
important event In our local history. Inc
sturdy people OF our beautiful but hereto
fore secluded vallicS, did nll Justice To the
occasion and the day.
MooRE'S EXCURSION.
In the morning at To'clock, the eNcur-
sion train OF Col. Moore n Sons left Spring
Mills, arriving at the Forks ut 40. Here
| the train was filled to its fullest capacity.
| Six large truck cars and four gondolas. the
I engine and tender, were all crowded win
people. IL il estimated that ut least NO
passengers were ON the train: Inc fnrih-
rrs Mills Band occupied the mont car, the
Millheinn Cornet Band the rear end OF the
train. IL was a grand sight ~ We started.
The Bands were eplaytng-naSs We're proud
cheer rent the air, from the long, open
train with it's hundreds ofprecious human
freight, and from the large concourse OF
people that lined the road TO see Us depart.
After an exceedingly pleasant trip of
little more than an hour, We arrived at
Laurelton. Here our train officers recetV-
eel u message from Millmont, several miles
below. begging them To come down there
county. who were there, ,anNtously waiting
To be taken along mp TO Spring Mills. I'm
possible. The thing could not Oe done.
Not a dozen more could have been crow a.
eel onto onr train. nQhow. With many re
grets for Our snyder county friends, We
lett Iaurelton at y O'Clock, and without
the slightest mishap or Incident worth
mentioning. arrived at the Forks at lO.D.
Here again We were Justify checred Ivy
way Of congratulation and welcome, hy
the hundreds who had gathered tn witness
our coming. We sped on and arrived at
the
PICNIC GROUNDS
III IL o'clock This IL II beautiful woods of
oak and hemlOck, owned by Gen. Buchan-
on. situated about u mile south east from
Spring Mills. Ourparty alighted and soon
divided itself up into groups OF families,
of dozens and scores each seeking ease in
the cooling shades of the grove. We were
but scarcely seated when the shrill whistle
announced that
THE UNION COUNTY EXCURSION
was coming. Repose at once gave way TO
hustle and excitement, for all wanted Ia
see the long train and give Welcome To our
friends from Union. And that trdS n train
aud n crowd. Thirteen large passenger
cars. not merely ''fillctf' in the common
meaning eff that word, but crowded. CRAM
med aud jamned with human beings.
Why il reminded one Of the swarlning of
bees as the tecming mass of humanity
emerged from those cars. Soon the train
together in order that the demands of the
inner man be attended To. Baskets were
opened and their precious contents emp
tied upon the green Sward. or upon I'M
proYiSed tables made of railroad ties
which were upon the grounds in pro ofnsion
Dinner over, each individual, each faIni-
~ or social group. enjoyed himself or
themselves I'D Wbitun- There was no pro
gramne, no restTIunt OF any kind. Greet
ing old friends, forming new alliances,
prOmenading over the grounds, listening
by turns TO the several bandS.-thcse were
among the exercises of the day.
WEDDING on TIE GROUND.
AT about2 o'clock a sensational rumor
sprcad over the grounds To the effect that
Mr.. George Fowler was to bc married tn u
certain lady from Niffiinburg right then
and there. Our venerable friend had long
since fixed the time for his wedding on
the day of the opening of the l.. &. 4 =. &.
X. X. We made a moderate sized effort i'm
company with Mai. Forster. to get near
enough to witness the ceremony, but fail
ell utterly to get within seeing or hearing
dense. that the entire bridal party, includ-
ing Prest. Slifer. had but barely standing
room during the interesting proceedings.
However. as that able and learned divine,
Rev. James ID. Wilson, did the principal
part of the work, We have the assurance
that IL was well done. To say the least. &c
can not befnvalidated for lack of iritneSSes.
What don't altogether suit us about the
itably managed out of the serenading job
and fee, and we regret exceedingly that
the happy couple did not get the worth of
their money I'm this particular.
SPEECHES 4
were delivered by President Slifer, Col.
Coburn. and Hon. \. ii. Dill, none of which
We had the pleasure of hearing. but are as-
sured that each one was capital I'm its way
They must have had the virtue of breyity
to an Unusual degree. We were ut another
part of the grounds, but as soon as We
heard that speeding was I'm progress. hast
ened to the spot just in time to hear Col
Coburn say ''all In favor of that motion
say aye" Ofcourse we voted aye" and
unanimously. We felt little disappoint-
cd not TO hear the speech or even To see
''our next Governor but hone the Vicks-
burg Harvest Home will make that all
right.
BIG FUSS.
Our friend, Geo. w. FoOtc had little
mfshap, which for while made a big fuss.
but did not cause much damage in the
end. George was on hand with peanuts
oranges. lemons. bananas and other natri-
otic fruits, as well ~ a full assortment of
pyrotcchnic fireworks. Some rapscslllion
who did not have the fear of God before
his eyes, threw brand into Georges fire.
works, when u succession OF explosions
followed for while that begpars ali de-
scription. crowd soon collected and
the yelling ana shouting OF the boys, COUP
led with the general racket on the wagon
made noise and confusion enough to
drown entirely the music OF the bands
and drum corps. After the fuss was over
the loss was found to be but slight
TIE CROWD.
The number of people on the grounds
estimated. Some think 5000 were there
but that IL guessing IL little high Eight
thousand would constitute small CITY.
and that would be rather fast work for
PRnnQ ffrarr <RaA L.,
We do think, however, that 1000, or 4JGO,
would be a fair estimate of the number
present. 1t il certainly agreed upon all
hands that Ii was by many odds the larg-
est gathering of people ever assembled to-
gethor I'm Penns Valley upon any occasion.
Five bands were preseRt-the Lewisburg
FreeDurg (Snyder co.,, Centre Hail. Farm
ers' Mills and Millheim, besides the Spring
4 dancing floor had been constructed,
but that kind of amusement did not seem
to be very popular-at least not while the
picnic proper lasted.
We can not close this article without
commencing I'm the highest terms OF praise
the good order and happy temper that pre-
vailed throughout. No drunkeness--no
protanity-no riotous or disorderly con-
duct or any kind was seen or heard, that
we know Of A genial fellow-f -feellng-a
good. social humOr, seemed to prevade the
entire vast multitude of people The two
counties mingled and blended together
into one harmonious and beautiful whole.
At o'clock our Union county friends
left and soon after Col. MOore's train fol-
lowed. All returned home fully satisfied
with the pleasures and enjoyments OF the
memorable day.
Millheim had very brilliant dis
play of fireworks on the evening of
the Fourth, under the management
of Mr.. George w. FOote. Sky rock
cts and Roman candles, aScended
skyWard, while chinese crackers, pin
wheels, ETC., constituted the minor
mart of the Sh0w II r,oc fbo hast