The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1891-07-15

Trip To OtsegO - Carriage-drtves, Ban
quets and Receptions Galore--The Edit
ors Charmed with the Celery City-Kala-
mazoo's Business Enterprise-"We only
Part tn Meet Again."
According to Webster, an association
is the union of persons i'm company or
society for some particular purpose,
and ut the meeting of the West Michi-
gan Press Association at Kalamazoo,
the particular purpose seemed to be
an endeavor, on the part of the hospi-
table citizens, To make this meeting
brim full and running over with good
cheer and enjoyment. That they thor
oughly succeeded goes without saying
TO any one acquainted with the enter
prising newspaper men of the city,
who had organized for business with f..
IN. Dingley, of the Daily Telegraph, as
chairman, each seeming TO vie with the
other in untiring effort for the pleasure
of the guests.
The kind.hearted president of the
West Michigan Association, Robt
Smith, of Lansing, with his smiling
secretary and alert young treasurer,
Messrs. Woodruff and Howe, was
promptly on hand the morning of the
9TH, and set up his headquarters in the
pleasant parlOrs of the Burdick.
By courtesy of the l.. S. d NJ s. r. r.
special train awaited the pleasure
of the quill-drivers, which was boarded
at $3.50 p. m. by about 1875 people en-
route for Otsego, on q tour of inspec-
tjon to the Bardeen Paper Mills.
Mr.. Geo. K. Bardeen, the proprietor
Of this industry which is of SO much
value TO Otsego, is widely known as the
paper" man, and must certainly have
'rustled" around considerably in his
preparation for the unique banquet
which greeted the surprised gaze of
the party; for, in the new mill now
building, stood long array of tables
whose delicately tinted napkins, covers
and all possible appointments, were of
the fabric produced by the mill, while
the cottage cheese, cake and other arti-
cles were so cleverly initiated in paper
pulp, that one hungry editor got a
never-to-b be forgotten mouthful of the
sham viands before he discovered the
joke. However, the fair ladies of Otse-
of the day, and proved very substan-
TALLY that the motto hung upon the
wall, "Otsego welcomes the Michigan
Press Association, was no half-heart-
ed greeting.
The address of welcome by Hon. j..
NJ. Ballou was both eloquent and
hearty, and was responded to by VIM.
p. Nisbett, of Big Rapids.
The toasts by Supt. Nevins and Rev.
Mccarthy, of Otsego, Perry Powers, of
Cadillac, and Editor Pattengill, of the
Michigan School Moderator, were en-
tertaining and instructive, the last
named gentleman making quite hit
when he said that the sudden summons
to respond made him feel just like the
pulp" before him.
Much merriment was evoked by the
munificent offer of the Otsego Chair Co.
of fine chair to the homeliest editor
present. Mr.. A. Mcmillan, of the Bay
City Times Press, was accorded that
special honor, and elected great APP
plause by his ready response, which he
concluded by saying that he should take
that chair with him, if he had to char
ter car, because he wanted to show
his wife what he had earned by coming
ITO Otsego.
After tour through the mill and n
visit to the business portion of the town,
the eXcursionistS were escorted to the
depot by the Otsego cornet band which
had discoursed sweet music at intervals
throughout the afternoon. With three
hearty cheers for Otsego, and especially
Mr.. Bardeen, the train-load returned
to Kalamazoo, voting this a most aus
picious beginning of the program.
Not at all surfeited with this round
of pleasure, the visiting editors with
their wives and daughters, repaired at
O'clock to the court room where they
were pleasantly received by a goodly
number of Kalamazooites.
After prayer by Rev. G.. p. Mills,
Col. f. NJ Irish made bright and or
iginal little address of welcome in
which he said 1--WE do not know what
you may print on the white paper found
at Otsego, and the best thing we can
do is to make friends with you right
away; in view of the power of the
press we must surrender. In the Ian
guage of Gen. Taylor, If you want our
city, come and take It, You have met
us and we are yours, and we are hon
ored that you have chosen Kalamazoo
for your meeting"
VIM. p. Nisbett of the Big Rapids
Bulletin, responded briefly, and Pres
Robt. Smith of the West Michigan as
ISOLATION took the chair and announced
paper on ''The Press of Michigan,
by +. w. Bushell, city editor of the
Saginaw Courier Herald. To report
that he did himself full justice, is to
say that he was greeted with hearty
applause.
The party was then escorted to Kala'
mazoo's attractive Club House, where
they were gracefully received by a
number of the prominent ladies of the
city, and given a peep at the social
pleasures of Kalamazoo. Clements
orchestra discoursed fine music, and
the guests "tripped the light fantastic
engaged in various games, or social
converse according to their respective
tastes. Refreshments were served, and
"a general good time enjoyed, and thus
endeth the first chapter. OF the enter
tanning volume prepared by the Celery
City for the perusal of ''ye editor"
Wednesday morning dawned bright
and beautiful, and the association was
y called to order in the circuit court room
: at nine o'clock. President Smith made
an appropriate little speech saying
1--WE are here for pleasure and profit
IL