Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-08-03
A BRILLIANT SUCCESS
Despite the Rain and Mud and
Threatening Weather.

OSSpllS the n dlll dIlJ bI lAu anu
Threatening Weather.
The First Annual Picnic Of the
Merchants of Butler will go into his
| tory as being Il complete success un-
der unusual disadvantages. We'd
nesday, August lst, was the day fix
ed for it, and up to midnight of Tues,
day the signs were favorable for a
fair day, but the weather, like its
prophets, is unreliable, and at that
time many of the people of Butler
were awakened by the rattle of
thunder and the fash of lightning,
and realized that rain storm was in
progress, which continued until eight
o'clock next morning.
But the people of Butler had set
tied upon that dey for a picnic, and a
picnic they were going to have. At
$50 the bands marched to tae Z. u
W. depot, and enough people follow
ed them to Gil nine cars; at 1870
enough people to fill dozen cars
were there bat only three cars were
available and these were packed to
their utmost-even the platforms
and tender being crowded-a rather
dangerous condition; at ll:45 twelve
cars were available and a great crowd
were carried to the grounds; at l p.
~ eleven cars were at the depot and
yet some We're left behind who had 10
wait for the O'Clock train.
Altogether forty-two car loads of
people left Butler for the park, and
twenty two hundred tickets were
sold at the depot, which, with the
number sold at the stores, will run
tie figures into che thousands. Be-
sides these so many country people
came that a large portion OF the
grounds was occupied by rigs, and
hundreds came in on the trains from
the North Altogether about ten
thousand people were present that
afternoon.
For those who arrived or started
from home before noon, dinner was the
first consideration, and the vast mul
titude squatted around over the
grounds, and opened their lunch
baskets, and the merchants supplied
and abundance of elegant coffee, tea,
lemonade, and sandwiches. so that
every body was provided far.
After dinner the crowd gathered
around the steps of the depot to hear
the toasts and the responses, some OF
which were very witty. John NJ
Thompson, Esq, made the response
to DRY Goods; John H. Negley, to
to Groceries; J. d. Mc.Junkin. Esq
to "Clo.hing"; j. T. Donly. Esq, TO
Hats and Caps; Thos. Robinson.
Esq, to Millinery; A. G Will
liams, Esq, to Butchers; Walter
L. Graham, Esq, to "Hardware",
aud by Simeon Nixon, Esq to Con
fectionery". The frequent applause
showed how the audience received
the speeches.
Then came the races. The four,
cared boat race was won by A ndre W
Udic and Paul Crouenwett The la
dies boat race, bv Mrs. Kerstedder;
ID prize to Miss Benninger. The
tub race, which was very amusing, as
both contestants got a ducking, by
Charles Weisner, with Howard
Spang as second. The fat mans race
was not run.
The standing jump was won by
Capt. Alf. Ayers; the running
jump. by Samuel Vanderlin; the
running hop, step and jump. by Har-
ry Gowing.
In the sack race Andrew Udic
came out with the first prize and
Thomas Hunter with the second.
The ladies' foot race did not come
off
Best lady waltzer First prize,
Mrs. Alice Brown; second p:izs.
Mrs. Joseph Castor.
The prizes in the ladies' ball con-
test were awarded as follows: 1st
prize, Mrs. Della Springer; 2ud prize,
Leonora Campbell; 3td prizs, Em ma
Wolford; 4th prize, Mrs Spsers; 5th
prize Mrs. DJbson; 9Th priz,, Mrs
NJ. c. Hogg. A large piece of
white canvass was stretched between
two trees and a colored man pu5 his
head through small opening in the
centre. The ladies threw balls at
this target and those hitting on
head won prizes.
Mrs. Nixon won the ladies' ten pi n
contest.
Mr.. J. 4. Donley was decided to
have made the best response to a
toast; Mr.. John Rummel to have the
largest head, (he wears Il hat);
Mr.. Gus, Wickeuhagen to have the
largest number of children on the
grounds (ten); Major Geo. w Reed
to be the oldest man on the grounds
(85 years.. and each will receive the
proffered prize They can get their
cards from Capt. Ayres.
Mr.. ID. K. Graham exhibited a
large yellow rattlesnake on the
grounds.
The evening trains brought home
large crowds, but those who stayed
TO dance did not get home till mid
night, and so ended the largest and
most successful picnic ever participat-
ed in by the citizens of Butler.