The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-09
OLD SETTLERS
ENJOY THEMSELVES IN ANNUAL RE-
UNION AT BROAD RIPPLE.
They Tell Their Stories of Happen
fngs Back I'm the FOrties and Con-
test for Many Prizes.

The fourteenth meeting of the Marion
County Old Settlers Association began
at Broad Ripple Park yesterday and will
continue to-day and tomorrow. Never has
more interest been shown in a reunion OF
the old settlers than the present one. There
are old settlers from many Of the counties
of central Indiana, but Marion county, of
course, furnishes the largest number. Yes
terday was very pleasantly spent by them
in recalling incidents and conditions of long
ago, and the younger generation listened
attentively to what the grandfathers and
g~randmothers had TO say of the time when
this country was newer than it is now and
everybody worked twelve or fourteen hours
q day to make a home. 1t seems from
hearing these bits of "reminiscences that
there was more work to do then than there
Is now, but it also appears that despite the
hard work some royal good times were
enjoyed. While the old settlers with their
families were sitting in groups in the shade
late in the afternoon the University of
Pennsylvania boat crew came out TO prac-
tice. The young men looked we'll in their
neat-ftting blue shirts. They spent some
time rowing over the course. Several of
the old settlers, in fact a hundred or more,
walked down to the river bank to watch
the young college men train, and the re-
marks made related to the difference be-
tween the boy of now and the boy Of early
days.
THAT looks like pretty hard work" re.
marked an old man who cleared a hundred
nothing Of it. IF those young. fellows
would get out and pillow or work in the
ave don't understands these things.
jake" said another old settler, who evil
IDENTIFY has had some experience with a boy
of life and ginger. and they've got to have
something TO do to work off the steam.
There amt many farms nowadays to clear,
and they have got to have something to
THAT all may be So" replied the first
speaker, but If those boys had to work as
trying to keep down steam they would
kick like two-year-old colts. tell you
the old way of making a boy work was the
That's right. that's right, said another
old settler, whose shoulders were bent
from toll. Boys nowadays are not made to
to become of 'em. You can't row through
this life on a little slim boat like that
The varsity crew finished its row and
the bank with the perspiration pouring from
them. Those of the group of old settlers
who had been most interested in the train
ing and its relation to the rearing OF boys
chuckled as they turned and walked back TO
the old settlers stand.
The old settlers with their children and
their children's children began coming in
at the park at an early hour. Some came
in wagons, some in good old substantial car
riages and many on the street cars. Accus-
toned to rise at an early hour II was no
trouble for the old men and women TO get
TO the park before the day became warm.
In the contest spot OF the grove a stand
was erected, which was known as the old
settlers headquarters. Around the platform
were arranged benches upon which the
spectators sat during the speeches and ex-
~ercises. There was some Impotence shown
by those who came at an early hour and
believed that the morning is three-fourths
of the day. There was also some restless
ness about IL o'clock. when the early r.sers
showed a desire TO eat their dinners. OF
which there was a bountiful supply.
The programme OF the morning was COM
menced by a reading of the death-roll for
the last year. which included the names Of
Cornelius Wadsworth, age forty-hve; VIII
lam s. Thomas, ninety; Elizabeth Heller.
ninety-four; Elizabeth A. Thompson. sew
enty-fcur; William Fl. Acciintock, eighty
two; Ambrose Dawson. seventy-nine: John
Bunion Wilson. sixty-ive. James A.. Berry,