Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-08-28
Nearly 5000 ottumwa People
Were in Charlton Thursday.
HUNDREDS DRENCHED WITH RAIN.
Small Part of the Program Took
PIace-Response of Major TIP. Spill
man to Address of Welcome, in Full
Crowd Estimated at 1000,
From Fridays Daily.

Fully 1000 people, about 5000 of
whom were from Ottumwa attended
the sixth annual outing under the aus
pieces of the packing house mutual aid
association, at Spring Lake park,
three-fourths of mile from Charlton
yesterday The first train arrived
about $3.50 o'clock and from that time
until IL o'clock the thousands of peo-
pie began to pour into the picnic
grounds which are heavily wooded
and supplied with an abundance of ex-
cellent water. The address of,wel-
come by. Hon. ]. A. Penick, of Chart
ton, and the response by Major T. P.
Spilman, of Ottumwa, took place
shortly before noon, after which an
ter the inner man had been refreshed
preparations were made for the sports
which were to take place, but owing
to the exceedingly heavy rain which
came up about $3.50 o'clock, nothing
but the cake walk was carried to
successful completion. Thousands of
the eXcursionists were completely
drenched and shortly after the shower
they began to return to the city where
trains were in waiting to convey them
anu WulCua SldIIeu ducciu VI
schedule time because the excursion
lists were ready to go. This is the first
time that the elements have interfered
with the success of the packing house
picnic, but the crowd was good natured
and did not complain altho majority
of them, especially those who had as
sembled to witness the ball game,
were drenched to the skin. On the
picnic grounds proper about 500 peo-
pie huddled together in the refresh
ment booth erected by the Aid associ-
alton and in the different small tents
turnout the grounds, and tried to keep
dry. Many women, and men, too, for
that matter, were abosultey without
shelter and stood in the drenching
rain for fully thirty minutes. Most of
the excursionists were a sight to be.
hold, but no one looked worse than his
neighbor and good-natured banter
ceaselessly passed back and forth. Not
an accident happened to mar the oc-
casion and but few intoxicated per-
sons were to be seen. The sixth annual
picnic was a huge affair in point of
numbers and would have been an I'M
qualified success had the elements been
kinder. The ball game was not fin
ished and the third of the bicycle
races, which were not part of the pro-
gram, and were held in another place,
was run in the rain.
The Picnic.
At II o'clock yesterday forenoon
the packing house officials were met
at the train by the reception commit
tee, with carriages, composed of the
following Charlton gentlemen:
Mayor G. w. Alexander, DR.. T. P.
Stanton, o. A. Joylund. F. R. Croker.
G. e. Penick, c. R. Kirk, Col. O. A,
Bartholomew, Eli Manning, F. P. Shell
Ter, William Boselle, Glen Kirkhart
and Phil Hare.
The packing house officials were
democratic, however, and preferred to
walk to the grounds, altho the car
o'clock Mayor Alexander stepped to
the platform on the grounds and in
troduced Hon. j. A. Penick, who deliv
cred the address of welcome, which
was printed in the Courier yesterday
in full. The address was delivered in
Mr.. Penick's inimitable style, into
which he brought the idea that the re
lations between employer and employe
must be pleasant because of occasions
of this character, which is something
comparatively rare.
Response of Major T. P. SpiIman.
After Mr.. Penick had finished his
address of welcome, Major T. P. Spill
man was introduced to the audience
by Mayor Alexander, and responded il
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