Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-06-27
A BIG EXCURSlO
Next to the Largest Ever Pulled into
"The DellS." Starts from the
Twin Cities Sunday
Morning.

ID morning.
The sun rose bright and clear on the
morning of June 23d, Sunday last--the
day Of the Joint annual outing of our
local orders of Woodmen of the World
and Modern Woodmen of America-and
the sky appeared in all it's loneliness
promising perfect day. In conse-
quence large numbers of people were
early astir, lunch baskets were bounte-
ously ladened, and the st. Paul depot
and platform were crowded long before
the time set for the departure of the ex-
cursion train. Eight coaches were in
readiness to receive them and in the
people focked. A little before 7 O'Clock
4 special train arrived from Marshfeld
over the Port Edwards load bearing 100
excursionites who were transferre to
the st. Paul train. Promptly at the
wheels were started rolling and 400
happy souls were borne toward the
scene of natural beauty. They started
on time, they arrived on time-how
many excursions can this be said off,
and to the credit of the Woodmen
and their management we wish to say
that it was one of the smoothest and
best conducted excursions the writer
has ever attended. Prof. Auer's band
accompanied the excursion, and at Port
Edwards, Babcock. Necedah, New Lis
bon and Mauston, where stops were
made, greeted the crowds with several
of their choice selections. Quite a num-
Der boarded the train at the above
nlaces and when Kilbourne City was
reached nine COaCnoo- rvr0 III use, one
having been added along the line, and
nearly 600 people were unloaded.
A rush was made for the boat landing,
hotels, check rooms, each one seeking
his own pleasure. while the pretty
Kilbourn girls who had come to the
depot to meet the crowd stood beauty
struck, so many good looking, neatly
dressed boys did they see. At first the
shy ones moved not far, but soon the
daze was over, new courage came, and
if we mistake not, by the way they
coralled the trousered many in the
corner of the boat station, much sport
was had.
Alack and alas! Hardly had the first
steamer load started up the river 90
o'clock when fine, drizzling steady
rain set in from an almost cloudless sky.
Such rain as is good for crops, but not
congenial to muslin dresses, Sunday
clothes and umbrellaless picnicers.
What a ehange was wrought Faces
grew so long they could not get them
through the door which led to the
boats; creases in Sunday trousers
disappeared; frizzes and curls came out
as straight as the hair of an Apache
Indian-in short everything was wet
down even much of the picnic ardor.
And we went through Witches Gulch,
Cold Water Canyon, etc., while it
raiped, and it was a good natured,
accomplishing crowd-considering.
Two ball teams were also issues of the
Excursion, the Twin City NJ. w. A.
team and a Mauston-Necedah-P Portage
combination club. Providence favored
them, for at about 2:30 p. m. the rain
drops ceased and at O'Clock game was
called on the Kilbourn diamond.
Elliot, the Portage crack pitcher was in
the box for Mansion and everyone had
an idea N. W. A. would easily be
downed. Not so my confident friend,
not so. This was Woodmen day, and
Woodmen were bound to carry the
flag. At the end of six innings the
score stood 10 to l against the Portage
pitcher. In the seventh they got
around four times and the game ended
10 to in favor of Twin City NJ w. A,
with bat still coming. That coacher
from the Mansion way made lots of
noise, but only the first inning. He
said they probably didn't know how to
play ball up here in the backwoods,
but the fertile soil fellows down there
would show us how. Well, he found
our woods SO full of trees that every
time his men hit the ball it struck one
of those trees and stopped right there,
and coacher's goose egg was settled
Yes, we are satisfied to have a back
woods front when playing ball and then
the little round thing don't get lost in
the fertile burrows.
Ball game ended at six O'Clock, just
in time to allow all to reach the train
for the homeward start, which was
promptly on time. Arrived in Contra
liza at $50, and thus ended the first
excursion ever given from the Twin
Cities to the Dells of the Wisconsin
river-a grand success. The Woodmen
Of 10th orders are well pleased and all
expenses were cleared.