The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-08
AT THE PICNIC GROUNDS.
over Two Thousand Hear Speeches,
Dance and See Snort

Immediately after the disarmament of the
parade the peasure-seekers began to throng to
the City dock to embark for the picnic grounds
at Saunders Point Three roomy steamers
the Bailey Gatzert, the Sehome and the Premier
were put into service TO transport the pic
nickers. The crowd of 200 which made the
trip was easily accommodated, boat leaving
the dock regularly every half hour after 10
O'Clock. The trip of eight miles across the
water on perfect autumn day, with a refresh
ing breeze blowing, served to add zest to the
pleasures which followed The point selected
Tor the days sport lies about mile and half
to the south of Port Bakeley. In a grove Oh a
elf overlooking the waters of the Sound to the
south and east was built spacious dancing
platform, and near by the refreshment stands of
the White Cooks and Walters Union
supplied the wants of the hungry and
thirsty. Below on a grassy plot, stretch
ing from the foot of the cliff 200
yards or more to the beach, the space was set
apart for athletics contests. A diamond was
laid of for the baseball matches, and an in
closed track gave opportunity for the sprinters
10 exhibit their speed without interference from
the crowd. Under the shadow OF the cliff was
erected a speakers stand, from which prominent
men addressed the people. The ascent and
descent of the cliff was made easy by long
hight of stairs, built for the occasion, and
other conveniences added to the pleasure of the
crowd. Those to whom dancing had the great
est attraction remained above and kept the plat
form lively with the movement of tripping feet.
Inc admirers OF athletics repaired TO the open
stretch below and watched the contestants toll
and sweat for glory and the trophies that the
victors carried off
A better behaved crowd than the one at the
picnic grounds could not have been found on
any similar occasion. All mingled fraternally
and among the hundreds there not one marred
the pleasure OF the day by conduct that was TO
any extent loud or boisterous Not single fight
was reported, and the only clash that occurred
was in occasional war of words naturally
arising among the rivals pitted against each
other in the sports. 1t seemed like the holiday
oil one great family on a pleasure trip. The
children ran at will through the woods, playing
at hide and seek behind stumps, and the
great punches of ferns. The young people
danced and hirted to their hearts content and
then by way OF diversion wandered in pairs
through the woods or made fallen log supply
the conditions requisite for tete-a-tete.
The older folks watched the dancing or the
children s games and meantime snapped rem
iniscences. The entire community moved
without the slightest Jar and the time seemed
to border on millennial period.
About o'clock gust of rain created a slight
scattering among the merrymakers. A few hur-
ried to the boats to return to the city, but most
of the party braved the occasional sprinkles
that followed during the rest of the afternoon
1t was not until about o'clock that the crowd
began to thin out perceptiby and from that
until the last boat LETT at $50 there were regular
drafts OH the crowd by every steamer that
started for the city. 1t was about o'clock
when the last detachment disembarked at the
CITY dock