The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-07-12
A Big Crowd Heard Sam Jones at
4 Clear Lake, Iowa, Yes * 4
terday. +
Description of the Pleasant Trip
Over the Milwaukee
&. Road. 81 II

anu ySSUcIuuy ulOI ulnS was uOAlS III
fully cool and bracing, and the day
was all that could be asked for, the
ride down being most comfortable
one, while at Clear Lake, the breezes
from the lake dispelled all discom-
fort from old Soils heat.
The excursion train pulled out of
Mankato at about $40 o'clock Mon
day morning, with 80 Mankato peO-
pie aboard. At Good Thunder 30
were added to the number: at Maple
ton another coach was added, and
1O7 got aboard; Minnesota Lake added
p to the number; Wells 81, and an
other coach was attached; at EastOn
% people joined the excursion, and
at Albert Lea 1872 were taken on, and
several coaches added; Austin furnish
ed 225 people to swell the number
and good many more got aboard at
numerous small towns along the way,
so that when the train reached Clear
Lake Park it contained fifteen
coaches packed full of people.
The entire route of the excursion
passed through a magnificent coun-
try, fine farms stretching out from
the road at every hand, dotted with
comfortable farm houses. Fine crops
growing every where, herds of well
kept cattle in the many pastures,
gave an air of prosperity among the
farmers. Crops look well everywhere
between here and Clear Lake, but no.
where better than they do in Blue
Earth county. In fact the crops in
this county take the lead in every re-
spect. Corn looks well through Iowa,
but is not on the average as high as
it is here, and the evidence of drouth
are more marked throughout that
section than it is here.
The excursion train reached Clear
Lake Park about 11:3O o'clock a. m.
1t had been preceded by train of
about the same size gathered up from
La Crosse. Fit. Dodge, and other
points, and it was followed by second
section which brought about $50
more people.
Clear Lake Park is 40-acre tract of
land, beautifully situated on the lake
of the same name, is more or less roll
ling, we'll shaded, and in every respect
most delightful place to spend an
outing of one or more days. Its only
drawback is the fact that a public
highway skirts the banks of the lake
cutting the park off from the waters
edge. There are quite number Of
cottages upon the grounds, nearly all
of which are occupied by families dur
ing the hot months. There is also a
large hotel with fine accommodations
for large number of guest, which is
kept open all the time. The grounds
are owned and controlled by the rail-
way company, which is constantly
improving them and intends to make
Sunday excursions permanent feat
ure in the future, with some promi-
nent speaker to make an address ap-
propriate to the day.
At o'clock in the afternoon Rev.
Sam P. Jones spoke to an audience of
fully 5000 who had gathered in the
pavilion, and for an hour and twenty
minutes commanded the closest at
tention. Throughout the address he
was Sam Jones. There will doubtless
be wide difference of opinion as to
the effect of this style of address, but
there is no mistaking the fact that he
sends many center shot home with
telling effect. Many things which he
says might be dressed up in less cut
ting language, and more polished
style, but their effect upon his audi
ence might be greatly Iessened. He
has way peculiar to himself which
would utterly fail if followed by the
majority of public speakers. We NAV
disagree with him; we may wish that
he would leave some things unsaid, or
say them in different way, but. there
is no denying the fact that he reaches
a class of people and sets them to
thinking upon the evils of the day. in
a way that few men can.
The return train left the grounds
at 6 AS o'clock p. M, which gave the
over two hours after the
address, which they spent in a quiet
way scattered under the shade trees
throughout the grounds or upon the
lake. The return trip was made with
out anything to mar it's pleasure and
the train arrived in this city about
o'clock this morning.
1t was noticeable that the excur-
sionists were made up largely of a
class who could not well afford any
other day of the week for such an
outing, or under other circumstances
indulge in such a trip and so have the
chance to hear one of the noted speak
ers of the country. 1t was a quiet
orderly crowd in every respect.
Mr.. d. w. Walker, the excursion
agent of the road is entitled to much
credit for the fine manner in which