The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-10-21
CLOTHING RUINED.
Senseless Sport INDUCED in Sat-
urday Night.
hubbard's SuperIatiye Scattered on Peo-
pies Clothing, Running Many New
Suits and Hats.

During and after the parade Satur-
day night flour throwing craze
spread among some of those who were
on the streets. Flour was purchased
by the sack and thrown upon passers-
by, until two out Of every three peo-
pie on the street had their clothing
and hats covered with the product of
MIME sota's grain fields, and in many
cases injured or ruined. Many took
the affair good naturally, while others
could not appreciate the humor of
seeing their clothing damaged or
spoiled.
Several instances occurred where
ladies' bats were injured. One lady
who had come from Lake Crystal to
see the street fair and who was wear
ing handsome and costly hat went
home with it completely ruined. IL
her Indignation, she sat down in
store and gave way to tears. Others
went home disguised with the treat
ment accorded them by people whom
they did not know. To say the least,
the flour episode was carried to too
great an extreme and showed sun
pardonable thoughtlessness on the
part of those INDUCING in it. II it
had been mined to those who en-
joyed such sport, no one else could
have had right TO complain.
A. B. Ewing reports the sale of 600
pounds of flour and some corn starch
to the -four throwers, while other
grocers made heavy sale. 1t is safe
to say that ton or more Of flour was
wasted in this way. Had this been
given to the ladies' relief societies of
the city instead of thrown away it
would have helped many poor families
during the coming winter. 1t is likely
that some Of those who bought flour
to throw away would have hesitated
if solicited to donate that much to
help relieve the actual distress exist
ing in the community.
A lady called al our Office this morn
ing and exhibited cloak which she
purchased last week for S14 so. Ii is
spotted with flour and water dried on,
and the material is such that it cam
not be cleaned. The cloak is total
ruin.
Three ladies from st. Peter Who
came to see the fair went home filed
with indignation at the treatment &C
corded them by people on the
street who should haye known better
than indulge in such practice.
Their clothing was more or
less damaged.
A travelling man who was invited to
the city during street fair week by a
friend had a new $40 suit of clothing
nearly ruined.
Several ladies whose cloaks were be-
spattered with flour and water or
whose daughters clothing was dam
aged in this way sat up nearly all Sat-
urday night trying to get the cloth
ing cleaned, Many tears were shed
at the sight of best clothes irreparably
damage d.
Where individuals were recognized
as having done the Injury they can no
doubt be held responsible and it would
be good idea to present them with
the bills for the spoiled clothing.
Several sore heads and loosened
teeth were the result of young men
throwing flour on the wrong persons.
II more people had stood up for their
rights, the -four throwing sport would
have been less popular.
After having invited strangers to
the city and gone to large expense in
providing attractions for them, it
seems too bad to have the effect
spoiled by such treatment as they
were accorded Saturday night. 1t
may mean good deal in the way of
trade that would have come here if
these people had been allowed to take
away the good impression first formed.
Several ladies whose costly cloaks
were damaged or ruined by being COW
cred with paste made complaint to
County Attorney Hughes today, seek