The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-05-07


ST. LOUIS, NO, May s.-The ma.
tIonal festival Of the North American
Gymnastlc Union, CTurneEbundl. which
is held quadrlennIalIy, opened here TO-
day. All OF yesterday and during this
forenoon, train loads of active and pas
sive Turner's from all parts OF the
country, as well as thousands Of people
who are taking advantage Of the low
railroad rates have been coming into
the city, and It Is estimated that there
are at least $1,000 strangers here.
At the last national festival Of the
bund. In 1893, more than 1000 ACTIVE
Turner's strove for the laurel Leaf, the
only reward offered in the contests.
This year the programme iE much more
extensive and interesting, II possible.
and the contestants number 1000, az
least.
for the pleasure ana comfort OF tue
visitors by the citizens COMMITTEES un'
der the Craftsmanship Of Frank Galen'
The active Turner's are being taken
core OF at the different Turner halls
where they Will eat and sleep, Wnue
the passive and other visitors Will ma
accommodation at any of the many
hotels, or at the homes OF friendg:
All OF the principal business oulloineS
IN the down town district are beautltul"
ly decorated. German and American
fiaRT Nv from numerous hagStRffs and
the fronts Of all the blocks around the
line OF parade are hung with red and
blue bunting and thousands OF 1treams
ers and banners OF the Turnerbund.
At several places along the route
handsome arches have been efeceod.
The exposition building where the ee9e
will receive its dedication and the ak
Turner halls showed splendid displays
OF the decorators art. The most e!aooE-
ate decoration in the city is pr9eaoiy q
the entrance OF the fair grounds, which
will be the scene OF the field exercises.
In these spacious grounds everything
has been done for the comfort OF the
many thousands Of people who wiz
visit them daily. Machinery hAu has
been Transformed into q hRndsomo dIn-
ing room. There oil the active Turn
ers and the judges and committeeman
will take their dinners. II e expected
| that six thousand people VIII ne., 1l Iea
daily. Numerous lunch booths apout
the grounds have been provided Tor the
Among the prominent people present,
who have come to participate IN one
way or another, are:
Miss Ellen LIE Garde, physical direc-
tor OF the Providence, q. IL, schools
who Is the only lady member or the oo'
servation committee; Dr. Dudley A.
Sargent, instructor In physical culture
az Harvard University; DIT. Arnold, ot
New Haven, Conn, at the head OF the
Anderson gymnastic schools; DIE. Hb-
erhard, Of the Boston Athletic Club;D ;Dr:
Edward Mus5eY HartWell, director oE
physical culture IN the Boston public
schools: Or. zIeEler, OF the Cincinnati
public schools, and the physical tn-
structor at the ChRutauqua Nadonak
assembly in New York; Professor Ridn
Pertuch, OF Philadelphia, and Professor
Herr, leader OF the New Orleans Tur-
ners,
taken up with the reception Of the YiSis
tors at union station and eScorting them
different quarters. The festival prop
or opened at noon, when an immense
procession OF Turner'S, among Whom
were 900 locnl men, passed through the
business section Of the city. Eight
thousand men were In line:
After the parade dlsbanded, the par
tIclpants rode to the fair Brounds, ,Whete
thII afternoon the field exercises began.
Il
of the gymnasium schools Of st. Louis,
consisting OF Calesthenics and exerciee9
with flags and mass exercises BY girls
with rings. A elk hundred yafd relay
race was run, each competing BoctetH
entering one team OF six men.
To-night the musical and oratorica!
dedication OF the great festival oceuLEeu
at Music hall, exposition building.
Bright and clear weather ptevalSs,I' lNs,'
H,n a A1AH III WIN
continue during the four days OF the
fest, which closes on Sunday.
one OF the most interesting events
Was the mass exercises by 1000 boys OF
the gymnasium schools OF the city COM
gIstinE OF cnllsthenics and movements
with flags. The boys places were tnen
taken BY an equal number OF girls from
The gymnasium schools Of the city.
THE last event Of the days progreInne
was the six hundred yard relay race 70
which 32I men were contestenus. En- ~
ty-four clubs each entered 9 tsam eol .t,s "
six men. Provision was MADE lor ths
running OF six teams in each heat ana
nine heats were run. a., a.,
The socials Of st, Louis, won tne nIst
bent in as seconds. but as foul Waa
claimed the heat viii run again.
Second heat-Louisville won in ~ Sec
onds. =. 1,,,, ~, a.
Third hent-South st. LOUIS won IN
7Oh seconds. -. -, :.
Il seconds. =. ohu,S,i-
Fifth heat-GeTmanla, OF Pnllanei-
mia won In ~ seconds.
sixth heat-Chicago Turngeneminae
wSs seventh ~ Il 'SeSt~NOrth St. Louis won in
20 l-5 seconds.
onds ,...,, e., "a -
seconds. -. Iii, 80, "a,
tho finnls at future date.
Tho fest was formally dedicated -
Exposition hall Tonight by Hugh
Nnench. chairman Of the central coEl'
mittee. Henry Zeigenheln Mayor OF st
louis. welcomed the Turner'S ana e3.
tended to them the freedom OF ne
civ. Henry Braun, chairman OF tno
national executive COMMITTEES aleo
snake. The rest Of the programme eon'
sisted OF gymnRstic exercises on applF-
atus by picked classes from the gyIn;;
nastic societies Of st, Louis. MI9!e9
numbers gave variety TO the exhioitloh'
"nn