New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-03
ALL NIGHT IN A GROVE.
MEMBERS OF AN OUTING PARTY HAVE
AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE.
NEARLY THREE THOUSAND WITHOUT FOOD
OR WATER-sAY THEY WE'RE FORCED
TO PAY FIFTY CENTS AND A
DOLLAR FOR SANDWICHES.

Union attended by about ten thousand, began
at s o'clock on Saturday morning, and 1t was
confidently expected by its managers that it
would be ended and the ten thousand safely III
bed by midnight Saturday. But such was
not to be. for through the blunder of scme one,
just who It is hard to say. the last of the party
did not reach the city until nearly o'clock yes
.erday afternoon, after three thousand had
spent a most uncomfortable night at Idlewhd
Grove a pleasure resort about twenty-five miles
from the city. The beated ones do not speak In
kindly terms of their treatment at ldlewid
or food and water, they say, there was a great
dearth, but Of beer there was more than plenty
Through fragrant carelessness on the part or
some one little Eta Rechbach. six years DID,,
the daughter of Aaron Rechbach. OF NO loo
Sufolk-st was shot in the left breast by
stray bullet and died several hours later. as
told in yesterdays Tribune.
The annual excursion OF the Social Labor
Union was extensively advertised throughout
the East Side According to the printed posters
the steamers colchester and Bay Queen were
to make eight round trips TO the grounds at
Idlewild. The first steamer. the colchester. left
the pier at the end OF Market-st. promptly at
o'clock on Saturday morning From three thou
sand TO four thousand people armed with lunch
baskets. and the usual picnic bundles, were
waiting. and so great was the rush to board the
steamer that several women narrowly escaped
being crushed. Each steamer that started
thereafter carried its full quota, and when the
time for the | o'clock boat came the excursion
managers saw the one boat could not carry the
throng on the pier. so the barge Susquehanna
was added. and, loaded to the rails. was towed
up the river.
WAITED THROUGH THE NIGHT.
At 1890 o'clock on Saturday night the Toll
chester blew her whistle and many crowded
aboard. About three thousand seeing the big
barge yet at the pier, and presuming 1t would
be taken TO the city. made no attempt TO get on
the Tolchester. Besides this the posters an
nounced that the last boat would start at mid
night The colchester steamed away. but the
three thousand and odd that remained behind
to dance felt alarm. presuming. of course
they would not be left behind. About ii o'clock
even the most enthusiastic grew tired and MADE
their way back to the barge climbed on board,
and then waited for the steamer or tug that
was to tow them back to the city. Slowly the
night wore on. and there was no sign Of either
tug or steamer Each hour new hope came from
rumors that the necessary power would soon be
forthcoming.
Toward morning the tired men and women
grew hungry. but when they asked at the bar
for food they say that sandwiches were offered
to them at the reasonable price of % cents each,
and toward morning this was doubled. Mrs
A. Grossman Of No. 1876 Hesterst.. who had
four small children with her. offered 81 for six
sandwiches but she was told her money would
inst buy four and no more. Then, to add to the
discontinue of the unhappy party, the water
supply was shut off They declare that those
in charge of the grounds, when begged Tor
water brutally told them that If they did not
urattiA ha m
water for the picnic that was due there on
Sunday.
Those who demanded water. so they allege,
were told to drink beer of which there was
goodly quantity for sale.
Jacob Rasheim one of the Committee on Ar
rangements who was among those left at the
grove about o'clock made his way TO the rail-
vay station about four miles distant, as did
several hundred of the men. and reached the
city after daylight He then tried to hunt up
the excursion people but found that both the
Tolchester and the Bay Queen were or on other
excursions and would not go to Idewild Grove.
At 10 o'clock not finding any one else or any
one representing the excursion company Mr..
Basheim found tug captain and with cash
inducement Of $40 an hour got him to go after
the barge In the mean time some OF the many
people Mr. Basheim had sent after the excursion
]
After some delay a tug also sent by the
company. Both reached the barge about the
same time and making fast. the hungry, tired
and by no means happy and satisfied crowd
started for the city
CHEERS FOR THE BELATED PARTY.
In the mean time the pier at the end of Mar
ket-st had been thronged since early morning
by anxious mothers and fathers. In many In
hoJ tha arIia bna
expecting the younger to follow later. and
they were by no means pleased at their deten-
ton. According to the first reports. the barge
was TO reach the city at noon. At noon the hour
was changed to | o'clock, and through the
entire afternoon. The crowd on the pier grew
greater and at the same time more impatient as
time passed. At last, amid much cheering and
waving OF handkerchefs, at little before 8
o'clock the barge was seen coming up to the
pier.
As the women came ashore with the lit
tie ones confusion was supreme. and for a
time everything ran riot. notwithstanding
their 10y at reaching home. they could not re-
frain from word of condemnation for those In
charge OF the grove Several Of the women
tainted IL was said for lack Of water. among
them Miss Lotte Persky. the leader of several
East Side strikes.
THE COMPANY'S EXPLANATIONS.
A representative OF the Myers Excursion Com
pany. which had charge Of the outing when
seen Yesterday stated that the company had
complied with the terms Of its contract. which
was TO run two boats up to Idlewid, each boat
making three round trips This they had done.
That was all he knew. The company had fur
nished the barge gratis, as we'll as the tug
which went after It yesterday morning.
John G. Grifhth is the manager OF the Myers Ex-
curslon and Navigation Company, at No. S7s West
St He said: I'VE carried OUT the contract 10 the
letter In order to give the people at the grove
chance to reach their homes on Saturday night We
sent up the barge SLsqueh anna capable OF carry
: ing two thousand people The barge reached the
grove early In the afternoon. Just as we had ex-
pected when the Bay Queen. the last boat sched-
uled to leave the grove. was ready to start. only