The Topeka state journal., 1897-09-06
ROCKY FORD MELON DAY.
Ten Carloads Fed to Hungry Throng
of Visitors

Rocky Ford, Sept. 6.-Me1on Day here
| was celebrated with great eclat The
eighth successive watermelon day has
proven to be the biggest in the history
! OF the county. A SkirmiSh line and nu-
merOus foraging expeditions began to
| deploy in and about Rocky Ford as
early as Sunday. The Santa F'e rail-
road began to put on extra cars ON all
regular trains last Monday and steadily
| the advance continued up to the general
| engagement of today.
| George w. SWink, the original water
melon man of the Arkansas valley, and
| the discOverer of the sweet and juicy
variety of cantaloupe which is winning
fame throughout the east, has been COM
mander-in-c chief of the forces ever since
| the first assault of the hungry hordes
began eight years ago. He was out of
town attending to carload shipments of
! the melon crop of the OterO County
Melon Growers association when the
advance guard began to arrive. He was
teIegraphed to come back and personal
ly direct the event. He arrived last night
and today he had a small band of he
| roes well placed to meet any and all
assaults.
The watermelon fort was as usual
placed in an advantageous position in
the center of grove of young cotton
woods, while piles of cantaloupeS, as
amids behind pine board bulwarks that
formed a hollow square, and a great
pyramid of 40 pound watermeIons 0c-
cupied the center of the enclosure.
carloads in that one pile.
Men in uniform of white canvas and
with long, sharp butcher knives in hand,
stood at parade rest awaiting the as
sault. They did not seem disturbed or
fearful of the outcome. Experience
had taught them to rely upon their own
resources. They were not afraid.
About 10 o'clock large assaulting
party of small boys completely sur
rounded the watermelon fort, and still
the besieged within were not dismayed.
ha i1an h01 fn XTn1 AZ
cheer to increase their courage, per-
haps, while back of the small boys the
great throngs that had come in ON the
five big special trains by their presence
encouraged the front ranks to desperate
deeds.
At precisely 1928 o'clock stout farm
er seized a big watermelon from the
big central pile and laid it down on the
top of the pine boards. His sharp knife
described flourish in the air and then
descended, the blade disappearing into
the green coat of the melon with a
swishing craclxle, and the pink heart OF
a royal melon was exposed to view.
With a shout of defiance a small bay
from Pueblo grasped the melon and dis
appeared This was the signal for a
general assault on all four sides of the
fort. The besieged did not finch, and
steadily trained soldiers their knives
flashed in the sunlight that sifted
through the leaves of the trees above
and the bombardment of melons contin-
ued with intense vigor for two solid
hours.
AS fast as one division of the strang-
erS were moved down by big water
melons and small canta1oupeS another
equally hungry and thirsty crowd
took their places After the noon hour
the besieged began to- have time to
breathe, and by o'clock only scatter
ing volleys were delivered.
Shortly after O'Clock the attack
was briskly renewed. This time the
fort defenders did not bother to use
knives. They hurled the melons uncut
at the army until there was no more
ammunition in sight.
The scene after the carnage in the
light of the setting sun was frightful
to contemplate. For 40 rods about the
ground was strewn with the wreckage
of melon rinds, over which the dust had
thicl1ly sifted and the wind at times
blew great guns, the dust in the air
resembling the smoke of great bat
tie.
Strange to relate there were no cas-
ualties and no prisoners of war were
taken Gov Adams led one of the as
saulting parties and did yeonan service
in the front ranks early in the day, but
a large section of the 40 pounder laid
afterwards that he went out to visit the
sta te Experimental farm
While the conflict ragged about the
wa rmelon fort in the grove. a fine op-
portunity was had by those surfeited of
melons to enjoy the fine display of fruit,
veeetab bles and grain in the Alfalfa pal
ace within the fair grounds.
Free exhibit paintings and sketches
American ard European. by the late
Arthur Peck S35 Monroe street. every
afternoon except Mondays.
We do mencing and sew on buttons
free of charge. Peerless Steam Laundry.