Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-09-01
MERRY At A PICNIC,
Windup of the Tenth Congressional
District Outing at the
Watch Tower.
THE ASSOCIATION ELECTS OFFICERS

\
gresham Prince and &. S. Sparks
Dancing and merrymaking charac-
terized the conclusion of the first an
nual picnic of the Tenth COMPRESSION
III District Woodmen association at
Black Hawks Watch Tower last night.
An orchestra was provided for those
who desired to indulge in the terpsi-
chorean pleasures, while the various
other forms of amusement, coupled
with the natural beauties of the sur
roundings, furnished ample entertain
ment for those not inclined.
The associations election of officers
| resulted as follows:
| President-G. III. McKown, Rock
| Island.
treasurer. V. Eckhart. Jr., Rock
Island.
Secretary-M. D. Rosenfeld, Mo-
line.
Vice Presidents-W. r. Carey. Rock
Island county; e. Il. Morgan, Mercer;
A. b. Spickler. Henry; NJ. l.. Geb-
hart, Knox; j. +. Happier, Whiteside;
Z. p. Deyo, Stark.
All are reflections but the presi-
dent. for which Office Capt. j. w.
Ransom was defeated by Mr.. McKown.
The executive committee was in
structed to provide for n permanent
salary for the secretary, and the re-
firing president was given n vote of
thanks.
In the foresters' drill the Eliza
team was awarded first prize, Rock
ford second and Bishop Hill third.
The speeches were listened to with
unusual interest, considering the
sitting heat. Capt. Ransom, as the
head of the association, presided He
outlined the formation of the organic
ton, and said the idea was suggested
by A. b. Spickler, of Kewanee. in Il
letter to Camp No. 30, of Rock Island.
Maj. &. w. Hawes, the head clerk of
the order, was then introduced. He re-
marked that the president should have
informed the audience that he had
been riding on railroad trains four
days, away from Oregon, in order to
reach Rock Island in time for the pie
mic, and having just arrived, could
not be expected to make much of
speech, as he had had no opportunity
to prepare himself. Anyway, the
major said, his brain was covered
with Oregon cobwebs and his throat
full of Montana dust, and that being
the case, he could not be expected to
talk long. He told of the wonderful
progress of the Woodmen order in
the far west in the face of the popu-
larity of the Woodmen of the World
in that section, and concluded by
congratulating the association on the
magnificent success of its first effort.
Hon. F. f. Andrews Heard.
An address by Hon. Francis f. An
drews, of Sterling, followed. Stand
ing on the historic Tower recalled the
past and reminded him of u banished
race. He spoke interestingly of the
original inhabitants-the Indians
how Black Hawk here watched the
approach of the white man, who
came to take his home from him. He
said he could not help regretting the
fact that in the onward march of
civilization it became necessary TO
drive out of existence noble race of
this character. But onward is the
destiny of all people and all condi- |
tious, and yet it seemed strange that |
in the midst of plenty so many were |
being driven backward, downward |
and outward, just as the American |
Indian was. Some men struggled all |
their lives against the stream. while |
others were born at the fountain head |
and fioated ever onward and down |
ward toward the river head. Mr.. An |
drews here paid a fitting tribute to |
fraternalism as taught and practiced |
by Woodcraft; how men, although |
their stations in life be wide b apart, |
we're brought together by thei luences |
of such teachings and meet ali do as |
brothers and neigh bors. He felt that |
if there ever was fatal crisis in the |
order il would not be from a foreign |
cause, but from a disturbing element
within. But such a thing would never
happen. The order would live on for |
spreading the seeds of
brotherly love.
G. 5. Sparks, of Greenville, deputy |
head consul of the WoOdmen, made
brief address, in which he told of the
great good being done by the order,
and concluded with a story about the
fat girl who sat on n mans knee in
the street car, which he told in a man
ner that brought hearty laugh from
the audience
Congressman Prince Speaks.
Congressman G. W. Prince made
the closing address. He commended
the idea of gathering at such his
toric place to talk over matters per-
tanning to the craft and to anticipate
the happy life before us. He said the
Tower was the home of pioneer Wood
craft; but instead of the Indian, now
we had higher and better eiviliza-
tion-a christian civilization. Mr.
Prince here referred to the recent war
with Spain and said that the Wood
men orders membership contained
more men than responded 70 the call
Of President Mckinley. The war, he
said. had placed under our control
Is, 600. 900 of people heretofore under