Smyrna times., 1898-07-27
METHODIST EXCURSION.
One of the Most Pleasant Ever GiVen-A
Delightful Day in Ever Respect.

DELIGHTFUL Dhy III LFSI NSSPSS''
One of the most pleasant excursions
the management has ever arranged,
came off successfully last Thursday,
when both of our steamboats, were
to carry the Nj. E. Sunday
School to Pennsgrove, N. j. Whlle
there was not as large crowd as was
anticipated, nevertheless the shortage
was small and the management VIII
come out of their expenses without any
trouble.
The ringing of the church bell at
half mast six o'clock on Thursday
morning called many of the scholars,
teachers and friends out, who where
there bright and early to get trans
portation down to the boat. The
children especially were bright with
ioy at the thought, and were eager to
catch the first wagon down for fear
thev would not reach the boat In time.
There were nearly three hundred eX-
cursionists and for time the commit
tee in charge had busy time seeing
that wagons were properly loaded and
that everything moved off with as little
friction as possible. This committee
was composed of: John H. Hoffecker,
chairman, Geo. M. Stevenson, L.. M.
Price, John Cosgriff, and W. .. Hof-
fecker.
The day was a delightful one in
every respect. A thunder shower the |
night before had cooled things off and |
laid the dust so the ride between here
and Smyrna Landing was made as
pleasant as possible. The manage
ment had chartered the Steamers Eliz-
abeth Van Solver and the &. E. Brady.
Both boats were filled up rapidly and
about eight o'clOak moved off with as
Jolly a crowd of excursiOnlsts as they
could wish to have. The Van Solver
had on board one hundred and forty
one passengers, and the Brady, one
hundred and forty seven, making a
total of two hundred and eighty eight
excursiOnists in all. 1t was rather
warm during the early hours of the
morning, and those on board of the
boats felt that they were going to es
cape a hot day. And they did escape
it as far as our boats were concerned.
1t was not long before nice
breeze sprung up, and both boats
headed against this all the way up the
river. 1t was delightful and charming
to say the least, and the excursiOnists,
after experiencing such a week of tor
rid hot weather, seemed to drink it in
|
of life. Every one took the most COM
Portable spot they could find and all
during the day there was that ease and
freedom which made the excursion so
enjoyable. Ralph Stevenson on the
Van Solver, and Reynolds Stevenson
on the Brady kept ice cream, lemonade
and peanut stands for the benefit of
the excursiOnists. 1t was in real pic
mic style that most of them went, and
long before the noon hour ar
rived, the small children had their
eyes on the lunch baskets, and gave
their parents no peace until they had
gained therefrOm a piece of pie or a
2 chicken leg and ran gleefully to the
, other side of the boat to vie with then
younger companions as to who had the
larger.
After both boats had gotten out OF
: the mouth of the creek the Steamer G.
{ f. Brady, having to combine its regular
4 trip to Philadelphia as we'll as let the
= excursionists off at Pennsgrove, put
: on more steam, and had soon passed
i the Van Solver and was pushing it,
way up the Delaware. At PennsgrOvt
they let the party off and then pro
ceeded on its way under full speed. TX
n those who remained on board it wa
i the most pleasant feature of the trip
inasmuch as it gave two more hours Ol
the river and about an hour and hal
. in Philadelphia. The river with it
II cooling breeze was a decided change t.
/ the hot baked city, but the party VIII
II went were in for anything and the.
spent the time in most pleasant diver
y siOns.
The Sunday School had pleasan
r day of it at Pennsgrove. They wer
h given about five hours there, and the
spent it in moving about, watching th
81 encampment of soldiers and indulgin
A. in the pleasure greeting of friends an
n relatives. The boats from Whining
n ton and Philadelphia brought nun
Der of former Smyrnians and Othe
II well-knOwn people over, and the de
ic light in greeting them was indeed th
" principle object of many who wen
=. AS a play ground for the children
would be hard to beat, for after all
rs was their day, their excursion, and th
ut pleasures they indulged in will |
ct looked back upon for many days
come.
To the captains and crews on bot
VI the Steamer Brady and Steamer Va
le Solver, too mnch praise cannot
Id given. Iney leII nOInlnS unuOne II
a the enjoyment of all. Freedom wf
given all over the boats, and when IL
10 supper bells were rung they gave tho
al who sat at their table delightful I
rv past. The committee on manageme
of worked with the crews to see tn
u everybody was getting enjoyment Ol
'n of the occasion, and it was this featu
to that made the crowd such delight
A. one to handle.
- The boats reached home in the mid
of heavy rain storm. 1t came l
Ir- shortly after they had left Flemin
ng Landing and ragged with fury. The
rv was considerable confusion about ii
90 wharves when the two boats lande
90 Many were not prepared for the ra
Sc and stayed close under shelter unit
Id the storm had passed. Teams we
ST there waiting and it was nearing t
mo- hour of midnight before the party hi
nS all gotten home. The rain, hOwevt
ry did not detract one iOta from t
nd splendid excursion and the pleasur
to of the day.