The herald., 1898-05-09
rs CAB zWfI PICNICS
THE TURNER'S AND COURT GER
MANIA CELEBRATE
vERDUG0 PARK AND SYCAMORE
All Kinds of Games, Oceans Of Beer,
Lots of Goodfellowship and
Slathers of Good Cheer

given by German-American organizations
the first one that of the Turner's. whic1
had been postponed from last Sunday OH
account of the inclement weather, at Ver-
dugo park, and the other that of Court
Germania, Order of Foresters of America
at Sycamore grove, Arroyo Seco. There
was nothing the matter with the weather
yesterday; 1t was all that could be desired
at both resorts.
| The Turner's stared 1875 strong for Yer
dugo park. but a couple more Terminal
trains soon increased the crowd to nearly
50O A wagonload of beer had been sent out
| to prevent the Turner's ana their friends
from becoming thirsty; yet when the home
ride was undertaken all the barrels were
empty, and, as 1t always is the case at Ger
man picnics, nobody was intoxicated.
There were all kinds of contests at the
park-some for the little ones, others for
the grown, and some. too. for the middle
aged. Foot races, sack races, egg races,
vaulting, putting the shot, spear throwing.
ring target and star shooting and dancing
were the principal diversions between eat
ing and drinking that kept the Turner's
their ladies and their children busily en-
gagged all day.
Everything came off successfully. there
being no disturbance of any kind. and the
financial end of the picnic was very fat
tering to the committee which had charge
of it. Last Wednesday the Turner's organ
lied sort of Home guard, to be called
upon in case the demands Of the war should
necessitate defenders In this city. At its
inception forty-ive Turner's signed the roll.
Yesterday at the picnic grounds thirty ad-
ditional names were obtained.
Among the interesting features Of the day
was the star shooting. The star consists
of a circular wooden target. from which
branch out spokes, one long, the next half
the length of the other, alternately. At the
end of each short and long spoke is small
er disk or target. The contestants start to
shoot at specified target on the longer
spokes, and whenever 1t is shot away they
proceed with the next one, and so on until
all the disks have been knocked OF the long
spokes. Then they proceed to do UP the
targets on the smaller ones. After all these
have been shot Off the sharpshooters begin
to plug at the wooden center target, and
every bullet that hits It squarely lops off
piece. BY repeated firing from many
rifles the target becomes rapidly dilapi-
dated and there soon remains but small
piece of the original circle. Whoever is
fortunate enough to hit that SO that 1t falls
is proclaimed schuetzen koenig, or king of
the shooters.
Nothing goes with the title, whereas
those who were lucky or clever enough &c
strike off disk from one of the spokes Is
rewarded with prize, he who knocks down
the first being permitted to choose from
among all the star target prizes the one
that suits his fancy most, and SO on, until
the last man to hit a disk naturally has
nothing but Hobson's choice-he has to take
what is left
The following were the successful shoot
ers. in the order that they were allowed to
grab prize: Chris Krempel, John Hauer-
waas, Louis Breer, VIM. Frick, Ed Golfer
o. H. Westcott, Henry Glass, Henry Breer.
Chas. Gollmer, jr., Joe Maier. Fred Maier.
A. Roeder, - Harper J. B. Arnold, Frank
Huebsch, F. Elsner and H. Brauer. No
schuetzen king was proclaimed. because a
small piece of the central wooden target
partially protected by the iron centerplate
aimed at it, and the sharpshooters finally
gave UP the contest.
1t was somewhat unfortunate for Court
Gormanld OI the OTueE OIL OTeSLeTS Oh
America that it's picnic should have fallen
upon the same day as that of the Turner's
although they had the advantage of being
nearer town. Nevertheless, the court had
no reason to be dissatisfied with the patron
age it received from both Germans and
Americans. Sycamore grove is especially
well adapted to picnics, its noble trees at
fording ample shade, and variety of ar.
rangements, such as swings, bowling al
ley, etc., aiding considerably in adding to
the fun.
Court Germania Is the youngest among
the benevolent orders in this city, and al
though its members are all of German de-
scent. 1t is a prerequisite that they shall be
naturalized American citizens. The com
mittee consisted Of Edward Stuetz chair
man. Emil Staben, Henry Pfirman, M. Rup-
pert, E. Kriegsteiner, Adolph Spadino and
Kelly Roth. There was good and orderly
crowd at the grounds, who impartially pa
tronized the beer, bowling alley and the
dancing pavilion There was prize Shoot,
a ladies' egg race, a boys sack race and d
contest at the bowling alley. Most Of the
contests afforded lots Of fun. A prize was
also given to the best couple Of dancers.
Both picnics afforded the German-Amer-
lean people a splendid opportunity of en-
joying the fine California May weather and
to add to this pleasure that of taking part
in or looking at some Of the games Of the
old fatheriand.