The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-07-11
EDITION.
A DAY WITH THE CHINESE.

- Rcitahttut Excurston to Grcnioeh ]
Park, N. J.-How tho Time Was
spent-Evcryone Enjoyed Themselves.
Plenty of Fire Crackers and Other
Pyretechnics.
The annual excursion Of the Chinese
American Mission OF Philadelphia took !
place yesterday, and was grand sue
cess in every respect. A special train
was secured and the party left Chest. |
nut street wharf, Philadelphia, at ga !
O'Clock, on steamer and proceeded |
to Klighn's Point where they took tho
Reading Railroad Company's cars and
proceeded to Grenloch Park. about IL
miles from Camden, over the Camden
County railroad.
There were IL cars on the train. and
they were we'll filed with Chinese, the
euperlntendents and teachers OF the
Chinese Sabbath schools and their
friends, making about 800 persons on
this train. Other trains came down
al noon, and one In the afternoon. each
bringing their full complement and
swelling the number on the grounds
to nearly one thousand, two-thirds OF
whom wero Chinese.
Grenloch Park is one of the hand
soonest places OF the kind in this coun,
try. II consists of about 10 acres, and
10 furnished with 400 tables and q SUI
ficent number Of benches. There is a
large pavilion and also ice cream,
cigars and eating stands, but not
drop OF Intoxicating liquor is permit
ted on the grounds.
There are swings, toboggan slide
and merry.goround,i In fact tho pro-
prletor. MIR. BatemaD, has spared
neither time, trouble or expense to
make the place SO attractive, that
those who visit 1t once will DO sure to
desire TO do 80 again.
The browning beauty, however, Is a
large and romantic lake, bordered on
the ono side with splendid growth of
trees. which throw refreshing shade
on Its placid waters. The park Is also
well shaded, and yesterday there was
a delightful breeze which made one
loathe to lenve this charming place
The water of the lake. outside OF
pleasing tho ego and furnishing an
unlimited iund of amusement in boat
Ing and fishing, also serve u useful
purpose. They flow into u water
course where their giant power Ia de.
veloped and causes them TO furnish
motive power for industries located
further down. No one, to look at this
cnim sheet OF water, would suppose
That beneath Its smooth surface there
Is hidden the power Of many hundreds
Of horses, which Is developed and en-
pioyed for useful purpose by the
skill and ingenuity of man.
There Is little steam yacht on tho
lake and for 10 cents those who wish
can take this miniature steamer and
explore the lake from end to end.
There Is also number of row boats
that can be hired at u reasonable price.
person who resides in the vicinity
Informed reporter that the lake
abounds with catfish, bass, yellow neds
and snappers, and that they bite
freely.
HOW WHEY ENJOYED THEMSELVES.
As soon as the first contingent
reached the grounds the fun com
menced. and was kept up all day. At
least one'half the Cinnamon carried
large and mysterious looking bundles
which upon being opened on tho
grounds were found to contain fire.
works, the majority of which were fire.
crackers. not the common. every day.
i've cents q pack, such as delight
Young America on the nations natal
day oh no, not that kind but kind
that were feaIfully and wonderfully
made such as the reporter, who Hat
tered himself that he was ali authority
on fire crackers, had never seen bo-
fore.
They were composed of all sizes OF
crackers from those an inch long up
to four or tivo inches. Wien the packs
were opened they made string about
nine feet long, one end OF which was
fastened high up in the limbs OF a
troe, leaving the Others hanging down.
There are ten thousand crackers in one
of these packs and when lire is applied
to the lower end the racket ls almost
equal to Burnside's bombardment of
Petersburg. and sufficient to give
those nervous, sensitive people, who
yearly complain about the small boys
orackers a ut of Mysteries. The re-
porter learned that these wonderful
crackers only() cost IS u pack, md
there we're many packs tirod.
There were smaller packs, ranging
from q foot to two feet in length and
1t was nothing unusual TO see a China.
man open and light one OF these packs
and carrying Il 10y one end IN his hand.
walk along with the crackers bursting
md ii2zing around his feet. as uncon-
cerned as though nothing was the
matter.
During the morning game Of foot
ball was started. in which number Of
Chinese essayed to take part Now it
Is generally conceded that Chiuamau
can do anything that anyone else can
do, but this Is deluson, for 1t must
he admitted that John Ia failure US
Tar as foot ball Is concerned.
At one time the large ball came bowl
ing Howard a quiet looking Chiuauan
whose appearance denoted that he was
only waiting an opportunity to won't
long cherished spite ON that poor
tnoffenslyo ball. Well, that bali came
toward him. and 1t almost seemed
that IT had smile on its broad face
but this may only have been freak
OF the Imagination. IL is, however
certain that the ball stopped In front
OF him, when lie nInde kiOk at It
which had it taken effect, would prebR
bly, have stopped the game for the day
By landing the ball in Camden or
Philadelphia, but it didn't thks effect
The Chinuman was astonished, and
well he might be, as his shoe wont
high In the air, aud he had all he could
do to keep from following it or falling
on his back, II was hard TO toll which.
When at last he recovered his euutli-
brium, he picked up that bail ana
holding 1t with his left hand lot go his
right dealing 1t a blow which sent it
bowling across tho grounds.
The row boats or the lake were soon
crowded, and racing seemed to 10 the
order OF the day, 1t might be OBJ.
served here that Chinaman rows a
boat very different to a Mclean man.
Instead of the long, measalod stroke
OF the oars, tho Chinaman uses them
as .ddles. and although it looks
clumsy to those unaeuustomed TO it,
they get there all the same,p and
move the little crafts through tho
water With remarkable swiftness.
Two boats woTa engaged in one of
these races, and were about oyeul1,
matched. The occupants Of each were
very much excited, and padded with
all the energy they possessed when
suddenly one boat capsiZed. throwing
all hands in the water. AS soon as
they came TO tho surface instead OF
trying to right the boat and get IN.
4 they commenced to spinsh each other
with waLer. and continued until two
boats went to their assistance
Their craft was rlghtel and although
hey |ere thoroughly dreuehed. they
Climbed in aud iuwed off, as ancun.
cerned Ms though the upset was a
part OF the program, and one OF the
prominent features oil the day. Tie
steam yacht was well patroLized. and
as one Chlnaman remarked, at 10
makee my nrius SO tired, as 10 WOW.
They tried the swings and the to
boRgan slide, patrOnized the ice cream
ginger ale and seGar stands. and spent
their hard earned money recklessly
Ind txhu abpnlHt,'f tha,tg uf,s.,, -