Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-08-15
Railroad Employees Excursion.

The annual picnic excursion of the
employees of the D.. B. G. & A. r. R.
took place last Sunday. They are
obliged to select Sunday as that is the
only day on which all of them can
get away. The train left Alpena
shortly after six in the morning, and
consisted of engine No. 10 and two
coaches. Conductor Mcleod was in
charge Of the train, and John Nc
Donald ran the engine. Stops were
made at every station along the route,
to pick up excursionists. At Black
River about 100 people must have
got aboard. At Tawas three more
coaches and two cabooses were added,
making the train consist of eight cars,
and all loaded. There we're about
400 persons on the train, and each
family had with them good supply
of eatables. When Emery junction
was reached, the excursion train left
the main track and went up the Loon
Lake division until abreast of Long
Lake, which place was reached about
IL o'clock. The excursionists left
the train, and, following a road thro'
the forest about two hundred yards,
came to the banks of Long Lake. 1t
is a pretty sheet of water, about two
miles long, with low banks where the
picnic grounds were. The forest
came down to the edge of the lake,
and consisted of mostly pine, with
sprinkling Of hardwood timber. On
the arrival of the excursionists they
found committee had everything
comfortably arranged. Swings had
been set up, tables erected, and ff.
teen row boats placed on the lake.
The first thing on the program was
dinner, and but few minutes passed
before all were vigorously at work SUBJ
DUNG appetites. The Tawas City
band had been brought along. and
furnished the necessary music. After
dinner, and until four o'clock, the
time was pleasantly passed in boating
and other amusements. A few re-
marks were made by Prof. McClel.
Ian.
A number of the men we're arrayed
in political plug hats, and these hats
had hard time of it, and the owner
who carried his plug home with him
uncrushed, was a lucky individual.
After plug hat has been knocked off
a mans head and then jumped on by
two or three men, it presents forlorn
appearance, and there we're but few
plugs that did not look as if misfor-
tune had been playing football with
them. The destruction of the politi-
cal plugs was taken good naturally by
their owners, and most of them had
been wise enough to bring their regu-
lar hats, knowing that it was risky
business to wear plug hats.
We must say that we have never
seen as large a number of men on an
excursion, and seen such good nature
manifested. They were gentlemen,
everyone, and we doubt if more
agreeable lot Of men can be found, or
more social and good natured. The
result was that pleasant and agree
able time was passed by all.
The train left, on its return, at four
o'clock, and reached this city shortly
after eight at night.
We desire to return our thanks to
engineer Mcdonald for courtesies ex-
tended to us.
Judging from remarks made, we
are inclined to the belief that the
railway men would have preferred to
come to this city, if steamboat could |
he engaged to take them to the islands.
A trip on Thunder Bay, on steam
boat, would make a pleasant change
to men whose daily work is on trains,
and we hope next year that arrange
ments will be made to have a steam
boat here to carry the employees to