The Daily Texarkanian., 1896-05-27
PLEASANT LAKE.
The Wheelmen Make a Sue
cess of Their First An
nuaI Picnic.
MOONLIGHT ON THE LAKE
Rowing, Dancing and Prone
nading was the Order Of
the Evenings Enter
tainment.
SIX COACHES
Of the Texarkana & Ft. Smith R. R.
Required to Carry the Three
or Four Hundred to
the Lake.

IlClpdteu event TO come on dILeT
once started, and when the Mercury
Wheel Club announced some six or
eight days ago, that they would
give a picnic at Pleasant lake on
the 26th, time flew fast and the
time rolled around
The club had engaged to run two
trains, one in the afternoon and
the other at night.
There we're some one hundred
who went down in the afternoon
and they reported as having de-
lightfuI time in boat riding, fishing
and eating.
The train at night had five coach
es and we passed through three
and they were filed and we learned
the other two were equally as well
loaded. 1t is said one of these
coaches when full is supposed to
hold some sixty or seventy people
and this being correct the crowd
has been estimated at 400
McCann's band went down to
make music for the dance and when
we heard him announce that it
would cost IS cents to dance, we
thought that would settle the boys,
but when the music started up,
there were some forty or fifty
couples who lined up, and to the
'Hop Light Ladies" of McCanns
band many flying feet beat rhyme
to the mdsiC.
During all of this time. those
who could secure boats we're
out rowing their lady friends on the
moon kissed lake,
The Mercury Wheel club, as
side money maker, had their own
refreshment stand, and they dis
played cake, cream and sandwiches
which were readily sold at a good
price.
The crowd in attendance was
composed of our best society people
and we saw no rowdYism, save from
a few boys, and this should not
count as a boy should not be held
responsible for half he does and
nothing he says, as itseems natural
for some of them to be rowdy and
noisy.
Some complaint was made, how
ever, that the youngsters went IN
to the room where the lunch bas-
kets we're deposited and stole all
they could eat, which means that
many lunch baskets were emptied,
and those who went down on the
1920 train were forced to go hungry
or buy sandwiches from the stand,
This is to be condemned in them
and we hope they will not repeat
this petty thieving again.
Many tired standing around, and
as the dance had no charms for
them, the whistle OF the train,
which was to take back the weary
at 10 o'clock, was hailed with de-
light. Halt of the crowd soon filed
the coaches and the train pulled
back to the city,
There was no bad conduct to
mar the feelings of any one on the
trains or grounds, so far as we have
been able to hear, and the moon
light picnic can be put down as a
grand success in enjoyment and
money making Tor the club, and
they can now build themselves
nice path on which to bike around
the city,
The train was otlicered by two of
the oldest conductors known in this
city, both formerly with the Iron
Mountain railroad, and both known
as good, painstaking officers. They
were conductors Hall and Hobson.
Besides these, we noticed Master
Mechanic AL Campbell Master Car
Builder Romick and Chief Clerk
Stout.
The reporter is indebted to W. A.
Mccartney and H, r. Kane of the
Mercury Wheel Club for eourtesies,
also Prof. McCann of McCanu's or
chestra and to several other gentle.
men with whom he came IN contact
during the evening,
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EAST SIDE COUNCIL