The record-union., 1897-05-08
ANNUAL GATHERING OF
DISCIPLES OF JAIN
An Immense Crowd Of People Witness th
Outdoor Contests at st. Louis.
Fully Three Thousand Turner's on the
Field at One Time.
Their Work in Handling the Steel
Wand ard Putting the Shot Reve-
ment of the Winners of the Various
Contests to be Made on Sunday.

ment of the Winners of the Various
Contests to be Made on Sunday.
/ ST. LOUIS, May THE disciples of
Jahn turned out in full force to-day at
/ the Fair Grounds, wnere the twenty
seventh annual Turnerfest is being held.
/ The weather was perfect. \ crowd of
not less than $4,000 persons turned out
TO see the contests. The forenoon was
taken up with class competitions of the
| 'actives" who made a fine appearance
| in their gray uniforms. During the con-
/ tests there were fully 5000 turner's on
| the field at one time. Their work i'll
/ handling the steel wands and putting
/ the sixteen pound shot was a revelation
to novices. In marking the classes in
wand work the judges give SO many
! points for accuracy and for distance.
/ These warks, as we'll as those made in
all the other contests, are averaged UP,
and the class making the highest aver
| age wins. For this reason. added to the
| reticence of the judges, and the great
number of turner's cOntesting. it will be
| impossible to announce the winners be-
| fore Sunday.
|
| day. In putting the shot with the right
hand, T. Sauers of the Dayton (O) Turn
| gemeinde covered 81 feet and Steve Re
precht of the South Side Turngemeinde
/ of Chicago threw the shot 81 feet 4
inches with his left. These were the best
| records made
! The highest record for the high wide
jump was made to-day by Julius Ver-
nitz of the Chicago Turngemeinde. who
covered II feet in distance and / feet ,
| inches in hight.
! Hundred yard races were a part OF the
| forenoon programme, each member of
every turn verein present being obliged
to run. The usual turner costumes were
worn by the contestants, who were
further handicapped by having to wear
| smoOth-soled shoes. 1t took several
| hours to run these races, four or five
men running in each heat. The time
was taken by an electrical device, and
| picture of the finish of each heat was
taken at the same time.
In the afternoon "Mendel" exercises
/ by the seniors took UP an hours time,
and then fouowed that part of the pro-
gramme which seemed to most interest
the public. These were the mass eXer-
cises of the ST. Louis juniors with dumb
bells and on parallel bars. The former
We're executed in tune with the music
of a band, and were well done. Mass
exercises by ladies' classes, including
singing, concluded this part of the pro-
gramme.
In addition to the literary and singing
competitions. shooting contests are
being held on the grounds of the Cen
trail Sharpshooters' Association at Bah
ringvile, st. Louis County. These viii
continue tomorrow. Fencing, Wrest-
ling and bicycle races completed the
days programme.
There are a large number of gymnas-
tic instructors from most of the prin-
cipal colleges present in different capaci-
ties.
A prominent feature of the funniest
was the fine hospital service that has
been established on the grounds by the
Sanitary Committee. a small building
in q quiet portion of the grounds has
been set apart for this work. The city
provides surgeons, and the ambulance
has been kept busy answering emer-
gency calls from different parts of the
field As yet there has been no serious
accidents, the casualties consisting OF
dislocations, sprains and bruises, which
were numerous. a Denver turner, whose
name could not be ascertained, was
struck on the head with a siXteen-pound
shot, but not seriously hurt. He was out
again watching the contests after a
short detention in the hospital To avoid
the necessity of sending patients to the
City Hospital, provision has been made
at ta number of private hospitals for
their care. So far but one man has had
to take advantage of this service.
In Textile Hall, on the Fair Grounds,
is a fine display of drawings, needle
work etc, executed by the pupils of
schools under the jurisdiction of the
North American Gymnastic Union. The
Kansas City Socialar Turn-Verein has
an excellent exhibit of kindergarten
work done by children under = years Of
age.
In the evening exercises consisting of
speeches and musical numbers were held
at Exposition Hall.
In the first heat of the mile bicycle
race for amateurs the leaders in the
several heats We're:
First heat, Alfred Schmid, Harlem
Turn -Verein, Chicago. Time: 3}33
Second heat. S. C. Gerger, South St.
Louis Turn -Verein. Time-2:34.
Third heat, e. Erpelding, Chicago
Turngemeinde. Time-2:3612.
The final of this race will be run off
tomorrow.
Five mile, amateur bicycle race. First
heat, Felix Cast, North St. Louis Turn
Verein Time-14:44.
Second heat, O. Eichen, Chicago Turn
gemeinde Time-1j:40.
This heat was finished in the dark. The
final will be run tomorrow.
RAILWAY CONDUCTORS