The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-09-03
PICNIC OF PIONEERS.
THE OLD SETTLERS HAD A JOLLY
GOOD TIME THURSDAY.
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REUNION
The Day a Perfect One and the Address
of District Attorney Buckmaster
Very Pleasing one-The Report
of the Proceedings.

tiers day. 1t was a day maze 10 0fdef.
At Jeast the weather could not have
been finer had it been made to meas
ure. The vault of heaven was clear
blue with here and there a feck of
fieecy white The air was clear, balmy,
sweet and almost enhancing. To ride
along, feast the eyes on the beauties of
the landscape and breathe the pure air
was feast of deliciousness, and was
heartily enjoyed by thousands who
wendell their way on Thursday to Pad
docks Lake. But the gem of all the
landscape around is the Old Settlers
grounds with its free silver setting,
PaddOck's Lake.
Early in the forenoon vehicles with
their loads of happy occupants began
to arrive, and kept on coming up to
O'Clock. By that time the grounds
seemed to be one solid mass of happy
guests. There we're so many it created
an absolute feeling of crOWdedness and
many remarks were made to the effect
that we must have more room; that
means more land to stand upon and
move about. The starry flag, emblem
of our country, was somewhat delayed
in getting to its place overlapping the
pavilion. But when it was unfurled
from it's staff and its graceful folds
were given to the kisses of the breeze
murmur of JOY went forth from the
crowd.
During the forenoon Mutter q Will
iams' band occupied the platform of
the pavilion and rendered a number of
choice selections. The ladies of Salem
served bountiful dinner in the dining
hall The rush and jam to get dinner
for one or two of the noon hours is sur
prising and has become a regularly eX-
pected feature of these big events.
The band members were in their
places again at 1870 p. M, and kept
the pavilion full of music until l
o'clock. At l p. m. President B. 81.
Stocker called the meeting to order and
Rev. l. W. Corey opened the exercises
with prayer. The secretary, R. F.
Roberts, made his annual report to he
club. which will appear at another
time. The president then introduced
to the assembling A. P. Dutton, of Ra-
cine, president Of the Racine County
Old Settlers society, who made
pleasing address. He congratulated
the Old Settlers club of Kenosha county
on its marked success and prosperity
and expressed the hearty wish that it
would continue to have these pleasant
and profitable gatherings as long as
time endured. He spoke somewhat re-
gretfully of the fact that great, grand
old Racine county had been divided
and constructed into two counties. He
was one who, with certain others, had
gone to Madison each winter for eight
consecutive years and fought in the
lobby against the division of the county.
But old Sam Hale, of Kenosha,
shrewd, wary, business man and poll
tician of Southport, was little too
much for the Racine delegation and
Racine county was divided and Keno
sha county was created out of the
smaller south half The speaker said
there was no jealousy now between the
two cities. Racine is working out it's
destiny and is twice as large as the city
of Kenosha. And Kenosha is growing
and prosperous and is working out it's
destiny on the lines of enterprise, in
dustry and integrity. He paid honor.
able tribute TO the worth of two of Ke-
nosha's most prominent citizens, Ed
ward Balm and q. G.. Simmons. He
spoke highly, too, of the farmers of
KenOsha county. He had bought many
cargoes of wheat of them and had al
ways found them straight. He was
listened to with lively interest through
out his remarks.
At the close of Mr.. buttons remarks
the band played a selection and the
president then introduced A. E. Buck
master, who delivered the annual ad-
dress. Mr.. Buckmaster said in part:
"Old Settlers and Pioneers of Keno
County, Ladies and Gentlemen
When was asked to address you on
this occasion, [ felt great hesitation in
accepting the invitation from the fact
that there are many who are better
able to speak. both from experience
and from observation, of the things to
which you, as old settlers, and as pio-
neers would wish to listen; for | cannot
recount the experiences of the '40's and
'5O's nor can l tell the tales of humor
or of sorrow that the memories of. those
days are apt to recall to Wisconsin
pioneer.
"There are two classes of citizens for
whom have regard almost equal to
veneration. They are the old soldiers
and the old settlers. The soldier for
the hardships endured and the battles
fought in preserving the nations exist
ence: The old settlers for the hardships,
the privations endured, the years of
toll spent in building up our civic in
StitutiOnS and fortifVinp them with a.