Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-07-28
The AMERICAN TURNER BUND
4 Festival Of Athletic EXercisiS Opens
at Milwaukee.
THOUSANDS OF GYnHASTS TAXI PART
The Competitors Represent the German.
speaking Population Of Nearly Every
City 10 the Country.

MILWAUKEE, July 21.-Milwaukee 10 the
center of German American life, and the
so, 600 strangers who are today crowdine
its streets and participating in it's festivi
ties represent the speaking pop
ulation OF every city in the country. The
North American Turner Bund at present
comprises $50 societies, with q member
ship OF 5O,OO0 men. The district OF Wis
consin, which embraces the societies Of
Milwaukee and vicinity, has had sole
charge of the arrangements for the fes-
tival.
The reception this evening will be pre-.
ceded by q torchlight parade from the
depot through the principal streets to the
banquet hall. DR.. Henry Braun, presi.
deut of the Turner Bund, will deliver an
grafton, after which MAJ or Koch will
welcome the visiting turner's in the name
OF the city OF Milwaukee. After the in.
augural festivities the men will proceed
to the encampmept at the athletic park
and fair grounds, where they will be
quartered during the four days OF the
tournament.
The number of active turner's who will
participate in the gymnasium exercises
will exceed 5000, and the other turner's
and visitors who will come are expected
to swell the crowd to about $4,000. The
turner's believe that physical exercise is
as important for women as for men, and
the reports already received show that
more than 200 women are already entered
In the gymnastic contests.
The New York turner's come about 100
strong, and the Brooklyn Turner Society,
which withdrew from the North Ameri-
can Turner Bund some years ago, has APP
piled for readmission. and, it is believed,
will be received back. The representa-
ton of the various turn districts, 30 far
as they have vet reported, will be as fol-
lows; New York, 1870; Indiana, 1850;
st. Louis, 1856; New England, 90; Wis
consin, 1893, Chicago, 40S; Philadelphia,
200; New Jersey, lao; Central New
York, "a; Pittsburg, 1870; Missouri Val
ley, "a; Minnesota, 1873; Upper Missis-
sippi Valley, 100; Rocky Mountains, A ;
Central Illinois, 4S; Northwestern dis.
trict, 1874; Connecticut, "; Lake Erie,
50; Ohio, 80; Central Michigan, IL
South Central, IS; Northern Pacific, "a /;
Kansas, 60; Nebraska, $50. There are
still other districts to report, and this list
comprises only the active turner's partic-
ipating.
The North American Turner Bund was
founded in Washington, ID. c., in 1864,
on the day that Richmond fell into the
hands of the Union troops. Before that
time the turner's of the United States
were separated into two distinct bodies,
an Eastern and Western association.
The first funniest of the present ma
tional organization was held in Cincin-
natl from September 2 to q, 1866, when
about 1000 turner's participated, of whom
only 200 competed for prizes. Since that
time, however, the membership of the
bund shows wonderful increase in num-
bers, and each successive quadrennial fest
has greater attendance.
At the funniest held in Cincinnati four
years ago, 1900 turner's entered the arena
to compete for the prizes awarded to skill
and strength. The number of turner's
who will display their powers to the tens
of thousands of spectators in the athletic
and shooting parks this week will be
fully twice as large. According to the
reports of the executive officers, the bund
had on April l of last year 80, 472 men,
bers distributed among 306 societies, 1874
OF which owned their own halls. The
assessed value of the latter was 81. $780,
845 the gymnasiums of the different
societies we're attended by 1888 boys
and 1902 girls.
Tomorrow evening there will also he
singing and declamatory ex-
ercises in the Exposition building. On
Sunday the turner's will prepare for the
to be given by them at the
worlds fair on the following Wednesday.
About one hundred classes, formed into
three groups, will go through large
of movements with dumb bells
and wands. In the afternoon the exer-
cises will he accompanied by songs by a
chorus of 800 voices, directed by Profess
sor Bach. In the evening there will be
q grand concert in Shooting Park. On
Monday the individual turner's will COM
pete for prizes. In the evening $50 OF
the best turner's in the city will form
pyramids on twelve ladders. The effect
will be heightened by calcium lights.
Prize winning exercises will take place
at Rohn's swimming school above the
dam ON Tuesday morning.
In the afternoon all the turner's who
will perform at the worlds fair on the
following day will give grand gymnastic
exhibition at Athletic Park. In the eve
ming the prizes will be distributed to the
IL
which will be followed by a
grand ball. On Tuesday the Pioneer
Turner's will hold reunion and visit the
National Soldiers Home and Mineral
Springs Park. On Wednesday morn
ing, July 26, the visitors will leave for
Chicago on early morning trains, in or
der to arrive on time in Jackson Park.
where they will give evidence Of their ac-
n mi n n n m 70 in g.
that purpose on the worlds fair grounds.
Probably one Of the strongest teams
sntered to compete at the funniest is the
one from the New York Turn Verein.
They expect to eclipse the record of the
famous Rochester team of 1887, which,
with thirty-five men, captured thirty
seven individual prizes, almost making
clean sweep. The present class is COM
posed of forty picked men. At recent
meeting OF the Turn Verein it was de-
,ided to pay the entire expenses of the
class to compete at Milwaukee. The
members are under the supervision OF
he captain OF gymnastics, Charles Rich
er, and his assistant, Henry J. Lang
Captain Richter is well versed in matters
to the Bund. Lieutenant Lang
8 very popular man, especially among
he young element of the club. He is
expert at club swinging, and
lis fancy movements with light clubs
place him in the foremost rank OF anna
eurs. He obtained the fret prize at the
Eastern States tournament Of the turner's
It Brooklyn in 1891.
F. Hertel, new acquisition to the N.
Z. ", was formerly member OF the Turn
'erein OF London. He is considered to
,e one of the best men in the team. He
third prize in the parallel bar
on I,afifios, OF Tho n.