Omaha daily bee., 1890-07-28
TURNER'S TAKE AN OUTING.
A Pleasant Day Spent in the Woods in the
Vicinity of West Point.
THE ANNUAL EXCURSION AND PICNIC.
A Most Enjoyable Trip Interrupted by
an Accident That Might Have lie.
suited i'm a Fri htful Ca.
lamity.

1t was gay and happy throng that con
gregated at the Webster street depot yester-
day morning. 1t was the day set apart for
the Turner's picnic at West Point, and at an
carly hour the eXcurSiOniSts commenced to
arrive with their well filed lunch baskets
The day was superb, the air cool and brac-
ing, and nature for once had done her best to
make the 100 mile ride one of pleasure.
Louis Iieimrod, Herman Knudo and Will
liam Stoccker the committee on arrange
ments for the Omaha Turnvcrcin, and Fred
Sennnenschein of West Point were on the
ground at an early hour to see that the people
were properly cared for and the way that
they carried out the details forever settles the
fact that as managers of picnic they have
no equal.
1t was o. clock when tho Second infantry
band of Fort Omaha rendered one of its
choicest selections and few moments later
the train of five coaches sped on its way.
Up through the suburbs of the
city it flew, passing North Omaha
and out through fields of waving grain,
slackening its speed to now and then
gather W little knots of oXcursionsts who
had congregated at the wayside stations.
At Fremont the first full stop was made,
where the Fremont Turner'S and $50 of the
residents of the town joined the party. Ad
ditional coaches were attached and again the
train bounded on its way, tocome to u full
stop half mile this side of Nickerson, where
frightful accident was averted by the
prompt aCtlOn OF the engineer.
Che train was running at a speed Of
twenty-five miles an hour when there was
sudden jar, sliding Of wheels upon the track
and the cars came TO StandStill. PaSsen-
gers clambered to the ground and rapidly
made their way to the engine, where the en-
gineer and fireman stood with banchcd
faces, as they realized how close to the brink
of eternity $40 persons had stood but mo-
ment before.
The cylinder that holds the compressed dir,
hnfx h.aS
broken loose and fallen upon the track and
for distance of 100 feet had been rolled
over and over beneath the bed of the tender.
As As soon soc oa,,.ot as the engineer felt the
gone wrong, and Immediately reversing his
machine and letting the same on to the rails
brought the train under control before the
huge iron cylinder worked its way under the
wheels This accident caused delay of an
hour, repairing the break, and the train once
more started on its way, thecars being man
ulated by the old style wheel brake, Louis
deimrod and his committee doing duty as
volunteer brakemen during the balance of
the out going trip,
Just as the church bells were tolling tho
hour of noon the excursionists reached
West Point where they were met by the
West Point Turner'S, bearing their class ban
ner, a committee of prominent citizens, and
the entire population OF the little city. AS
the people left the cars, the West Point juve-
nile band discoursed one of its favorite seec-
tions and the line of march was formed in
the following order:
West Point reception committee, Fort,
Omaha band, Omaha Turner'S and Omaha
committee on arrangements West Point
band Fremont Turner's, Fremont band, West
Point Turner'S, citizens on foot and in car
riageS.
The order Of march led through the streets
and along the shady avenues, over thewooden
bridge that spans the classic ElkhOrn, and
into Riverside park one of the lovelicst spots
that nature has ever taken a hand in prepar-
ing for the pleasure of man.
In the park swings had been erected, seats
were numerous and placed in the most shady
places, while vendors dealt out cake and re-
freshing beverages to thirsty crowd,
For two hours the bands played their
sweetest strains, while old aCQuaintanceS
were renewed and new ones formed, and
families and friends gathered under the
trees and discussed the merits Of a basket
picnic
After this the large platform was utilized
by the dancers, and those who dance got their
measure of enjoyment in this line
The exhibition of turning was witnessed by
an enthusiast audience andWaS participated
in by the Omahas, the champions of the state,
the class consisting of Prof f.. W. Fmehauf,,
Julius Raw, Rudolph Havelka, Henry Rix,
Gattelieb Blattert Carl Raschau, George
Stangel, Frank Heyden and Billy Hauck.
The f'rcmonts, who rank second, had the
following men on the bars: Prof. a.
hOStlan, Johh LoVscnen, IIeu bTcllll,s'
Charles Lensche, Frank Keene, Archie
Smith, Fred Nchrbass, Ed Truesdell, Alfred
Muller, II. H. HERE, Thomas Caruthcrs,
Franz Woiland and Charles Bait
The West Point lads were Theodore
Schmitt, William Behms, Andrew Iirsch
man, John Dccnslake, George Boyer, William
Malchow and William Breitmger
The exercises consisted of performances on
the parallel bars, the horizontal bars the side
horse, the long horse, the long jump, and the
high Jump. Each man acquitted himself in "a
creditable manner and came in for his share
of applause when he performed some difficult
feat.
At O'Clock the tired Omahans wended
their way TO the depot, when, amid chorus
of gOOdbyes, they boarded the train and
were soon on their homeward journey, reach
ing the city at midnight