The herald., 1897-09-07
How the Toilers Enjoyed
Themselves
PICNIC AT Terminal ISLAND
FOLLOWED BY A MASQUERADE
BALL AT NIGHT
Amusements Of Nearly Every Kind
Participated in by Many Hun
dreds by the Seashore

Labor day, the one day in the year
which organized labor the country over
takes for itself and devotes to its own
enjoyment, at the same time endeavor-
ing to advance its own interests, was OBJ
served yesterday in Los Angeles in a
manner BETTING the Importance of the
occasion. This year. for the first time
in this state, the celebration was both of
state and national character. Here
tofore the first Monday in October has
been observed as Labor day in California,
but this year, pursuant to an act Of the
last legislature. the state day was made
to conform to the national enactment
setting apart the first Monday in Sep
tember as Labor day. The day itself
is a democratic one, and the celebration
of it by the Los Angeles trades organi-
"a tions was in most democratic man
ner. The officers of the trades unions,
when the matter of the celebration was
first mentioned, months ago, expected to
have a grand parade, but owing to the
fact that Admission day is to be OBJ
served in that manner, and fearing that
fere with the latter, this feature was
abandoned and instead picnic at Ter
minal island was decided upon. The
preparations for the event had been in
the hands Of several committees for
weeks, and If the success Of hard work
is ever a source of satisfaction to those
performing it, the gentlemen who had
this picnic in charge have every reason
| - T. er.ao II,
every particular.
The Terminal Railway company made
every preparation to handle a large
crowd, and during the morning four
trains left the city for the island. The
attendance during the morning was not
large, owing, probably, to the fact that
many Of the shops and stores gave their
employees half holiday only instead of
the entire day. The arrival of the sew
eral trains which were run there in the
afternoon, however, swelled the crowd
already there until Terminal island was
literally in the hands Of the workingmen
and their families.
The committee to which had been as
signed the duty of preparing program
for the entertainment of the picnickers'
had done it's work we'll, and the person
who could not have found about all
the fun he wanted there would have been
indeed hard to please. There was speech
making for those who liked oratory,
sports for those atheltically inclin ed;
races for the sprinters, bathing for those
who seldom have the opportunity to
take bracing dip in the surf, and dane
ing for all. Refreshments enough to sat-
isfy twice as many as were there were
provided, and for those who could spend
only portion Of the day at the picnic
the transportation arrangements were
such that they could go or come at almost
any hour.
The presence Of a committee repre-
senting the Merchants and Manufac-
turers' association, who were there by
special invitation, was one Of the most
pleasant features Of the day. The com
mittee consisted Of Mayor NJ P. Snyder,
President H. w. Frank and Messrs
Sales, Blackstone, Godin and Newberry.
These gentlemen arrived early and were
met by reception committee composed
Of r. ]. Colver. H. E. Martens and E. G
c. Thompson. The two committees were
entertained by Capt. F. B. Colver.
The athletic sports were not begun
until afternoon. Messrs Frank and
Blackstone were chosen as starters In
the races and Messrs. Sales and Godin
were appointed judges. A tug of war
between the plumbers and sailors was
the first event. The contest took place
on the beach and was won by the plumb
ers after four minutes pull.
The 100 yard foot race was partici-
pated in by six starters, and was
won by c. Y. Duffy in 13 2-5 seconds.
with A. Austin second.
In the fat mems race there were but
two starters, R. Pautz and Frank Do
minguez. They finished a so yard run
or trot in the order named.
The hop, step and jump contest was
the best of the events from an athletic
standpoint. c. Y. Duffy started it by
making score of 80 feet 2 inches, which
A. Austin soon afterward tied. num-
Der Of others tried to beat this but failed,
and it was thought the two men would
win the first two prizes. Bert Bell, one
Of the last starters, however, covered
35 feet 1 inch, but objection was made
that he had made two hops and jump.
when he made second trial and scored
Sc feet inches Austin won second
prize from Duffy, making 81 feet to the
OlHcI . OU lecl I lHCH6S
Instead of the donkey race on the pro-
gram a boys race. was substituted it
being impossible to secure donkeys
enough for the race. Twenty-three boys,
the eldest of whom was not over u years
of age, lined up at the starting tape and
at the start four of them fell, one ran in
the opposite direction, and one was left
at the post. Emil Hespe won, with Rob-
ert Collins a close second.
The ladies' race attracted more atten-
tion than any of the other events. Seven
young women wanted the IS pair of
vases offered to the winner, although
one of them said she did not care for
them If she could break the sprinting
| record for fifty yards. In the first trial
four Of the contestants ran dead heat,
but all of the others and several new
entries started in the second trial. Miss
Dora Duffy ran away from the field and
was an easy winner.
The girls race of twenty yarcs was
easily won by Annie Williams, who de-
feated an even dozen other little girls,
one Of whom approached the winner and
said in voice that showed her disap-
pointment at not winning: IT can beat
you running mile, and I'll run you that
far for the prize" but the challenge was
not accepted
The addresses of the day were deliv-