St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-30
Actual time
The prizes were silk pennants.
THE GROCERS.


The excursion and picnic of the retail
grocers of Minneapolis at the lake yester
day was an unallOyed success. The partc-
pants numbered fully 1,500 people, and the
pleasures Of the occasion were continuous
from 8 o'clock in the morning until IL
o'clock at night. 1t was tine first attempt
on the part of a body of grocers in the
Northwest TO devote day, taken from the
busy week. wholly to pleasure and health
full recreation, but the signal success of the
effort will prove IN impelling force in the
direction of similar occasions in the years
to come. The grocers movement i'm the
Flour City" had its inception i'm the neceS-
sity of concerted action on the part OF the
retail grocers of the city for the correction
of various evils existing in the trade, and
TO promote greater social intercourse among
those engaged in this important business.
The moving spirit in this organization was
Mr. j. G. Robb of the Minnesota Soap
company, and the first meeting for the
purpose of organization was held April 6.
last. Nearly one hundred and 1if-
ty lives have been enrolled as
members of the new Organiza-
ton, and the power of the associa-
ton is threby greatly enhanced. 1t was
indeed
that made yesterdays excursion possible,
and those having charge of the arrange
mentS are to be congratulated upon the de-
cided success of the affair. The party left
the union depot, Minneapolis. at O'clock,
with a special train at their disposal.
Nearly every prominent member of the
association was in attendance, and the
gentlemen, with their wives, Sweethearts.
or friends as the case might be, formed a
very happy company, On arriving at
WayZata, the Belle of Minnetonka was
found in waiting to convey the party around
the lake. Brookes' full military band.
which accompanied the excursionists. sta
toned itself on the upper deck of the
steamer; A short stop was made at
Lafayette where the balance of the party,
which came out at 1880, was taken aboard.
The boat then steamed away to Upper
Lake, and returned to Hotel Lafayette
shortly after O'clock. The pavilion was
made the headquarters of the party, and
picnic dinner was spread upon the tables
and eaten with hearty ZeSt. AT o'clock
the bell called the people To the boat. and
she steamed away to the picnic grounds,
where the remainder of the afternoon was
passed with dancing, etc. Several inter-
esting games were INDUCED in, under the
direction of j. q. Robb.
THE GAMES.
The first race was dash of fifty wards
for fat men, and the contestants were 4.
X. Graves. weight 215 pounds. and Richard
Grove, weight 197 pounds. Graves won
handily.
For the short mans race. II. S.
Mellen, +. NJ Clark and c.
A. BlanQuist entered. The contest
was walk-over for Clark Mellen drew out
early in the race. and Blomquist fell down
when half through.
G. a. Showers and T. J. Anderson were
the tall men who made a race, and Ander-
son won.
For standing jump, without weights. J.
J. Slam, S. p. Hazard, II. Potter and II.
S. Mellen toed the mark The winners
were in the above-named order. For the
running jump Slam dis;anced all Compel
itors. The tub race, which closed the
sport. was laughable affair." There were
no winners. for the tubs all filled with wa
ter to such an extent that the contestants all
had to swim ashore.
During the afternoon Messrs. Robb, Pres
ident Neil. Vice President MoSher. A. b.
Morse of st. Paul, and II. N. Floyd of Chi
cage, Western manager of q. V. Heckers
extensive business, made felicitous adj
dresses, which were well received. The
party returned home well pleased with the
manner in which the day had been passed.
The following gentlemen constituted the
committee Of arrangements: c. S. Bracket,