The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-10
OLD SETTLERS PICNIC
4 CROWD OF FIVE THOUSAND AT
BROAD RIPPLE PARK.
The People, Old and Young. Enjoyed
Themselves All Day Under
the Shade Trees.

Broad Ripple Park Yesterday. The young
woman was merely voicing again Oft
repeated fact, and one about which much
has also been written. Like the old soldiers,
the ranks of the old settlers are thinning
with startling rapidity The few that
were able to attend the annual reunion at
Broad Ripple Park yesterday, however
seemed to possess a tenacious hold upon
life. They talked and sang and played
upon musical instruments the livelong day
in a manner quite wonderful to note
A regular programme had been arranged.
and William Jennings Bryan was among
the notables advertised TO appear, but when
the information became current that Mr..
Bryan would be unable 10 lend the aid of
his presence to the gathering his example
seemed contagious, and most of the other
entertainers failed to "show up" None of
the thousands of merrymakers who spent
the day in the park seemed to care, how
ever. Most Of the people attended the re-
union for the purpose of enjoying them
selves and taking dinner i'm the woods, not
to listen to speeches or watch prize con-
tests.
The great crowd did not arrive until about
noon and accordingly no attempt was made
to proceed with the exercises until after
the baskets had been opened and lightened
of their contents. After this most delight
full function the bugle was sounded by Mr..
Mcintosh, one of the old settlers, as sig
nal for the people to gather about the
speakers stand and give heed to the va
rious exercises. No attempt at continuity
was made. but anybody who had anything
to say or do spoke or acted in pleas
yh1lz bud
of interesting "reminiscences were opened
up by Mr.. Mcintosh, John Sargent, of
Castleton, and old Father Hanway, of
indianapolis. the latter being a remarkably
well preserved man for his advanced age.
which is not far from ninety. Brief adj
dresses were delivered by w. L. Taylor and
John w. Kern. of Indianapolis, and Capt.
Newton w. Gilbert, of Angola.
CONTEST IN SINGING.
One of the principal features was a con-
test in singing to be participated in by
church choirs. The only organization OF
the kind to put i'm an appearance was the
choir of the Broad Ripple Methodist
Church, which, of course, carried off the
coveted trophy-a purse of ten dollars. The
| good looks of Il certain elderly woman
| profited her to the extent of an elegant
| rocking chair. while the prize of five dollars
offered for the prettiest young woman was
placed in proper hands by the judges. The
baby possessed OF the greatest amount of
| beauty and sweetness of disposition was
also not forgotten, although its prize-a
years subscription to a newspaper-was
presented to the parents.
Many guesSes were made as to the num-
| Der of people who attended the celebration
and, although these varied greatly, none
ran below five thousand. Between and
|
| is likely that the grounds held fully as
many people were within reach of Mr.
! Bryans voice at Military Park Wednes-
| day. This statement was made by many
| people who viewed both gatherings.
| Notwithstanding the enormous mass Of
| people in the park-probably the greatest
crowd in its history-there was plenty Of
amusement for all. One of the old settlers
remarked that there ought to be "a good
| crop of fall weddings. judging from the
| number of young couples he had seen
| 'spooning' and sparkling at various
| Joints in the park" The older people sat
| Upon benches, in automatic swings or re-
| clined at ease on the grass, reading, talking
| OF watching the young folks having good
| time. Children ran about hither and thither,
! playing the infinite variety OF games 50
| dear to juveniles. The toy balloon man
| reaped a harvest of nickels, fact abun-
| dantly attested by the large number of
bobbing rubber spheres of all colors which
could be seen everywhere on the grounds.
| The little fellows which you blow up your
4
| air escapes" were plentifully in evidence.
There not minute in the entire day
| when the music of the merry -go-round or
| the irregular roar of the switch-back rail-
| way could not be heard, indicating that
| groups of young people were having a
| hilarious time The big steamer Sunshine
| and the smaller 1aunches-three of the
| latter-could scarcely accommodate the
crowds who wanted TO enjoy ride up and
| down White river, with its banks complete
| IL hidden from view by overhanging boughs
4 -.
| TO drive one to take boat ride is to catch
| glimpse of White river from the top Of
/ the steep bluff overlooking the stream An
artist would clutch his brushes with fever
| ish haste and go to work. while common
| mortal would pay the fee exeacted and
4 take ride on one of the prettiest little
| bodies of water to be found anywhere.
SOME POLITICS.
| 1t is practically an imposbility to hold
any kind of an assemblage in campaign
year without politics being injected into
| the proceedings. Yesterday was no excep-
ton. The eyes of all who wended their
way to the thick woods where the exercises
| were held were assailed by the staring
letters of a huge poster which advertised
| some booklet upon the financial question
and requested that copies be purchased and
| carefully read. Mr.. Mcintosh was fire.
quently, throughout the day, the center OF
| an interesting group. listening to the old
| gentleman "riddle"-the Democrats. eft
was mighty funny TO me-" said he, "to
listen to Adlai Stevenson blow about pa
| triotism down in Military Park yesterday
| when remember as well as If 1T happened
but week ago how he threw revolvers
inside of Camp Douglass to the rebel pris-
| oners confined there in 1862, hoping that
| they might escape and set fire to the city
| of Chicago Marshal Briscoe, of Blooming
ton, ILL.,, went up 70 Chicago to head off
the 'copperhead' gang that was going te
destroy the city, and 10 and behold. Ada
| z. Stevenson was at the head of the band
recall that we made him get up on a boz
near the courthouse in Bloomington and
take an oath of allegiance. Well I an
glad he has absorbed little patriotism
since then"
"a fellow came to my place the other
day." remarked Mr.. Mcintosh to another
group, land posted up a lot of pictures OF
| Bryan and Stevenson on one of the sheds In
my yard. Amt them fine pictures of fine
men? he asked They'll make fine pail
bearers for a funeral next November ]
| replied, and you can bet those pictures
didn't stay on the shed long after the fell
| low left"
When the subject of Mckinley prosperity
was preached, Mr. Mcintosh seemed fright
in his element" MY four boys are doins
'lavishly' In business now" he said, "and
have been for four years past. But dur
ing the four years preceding had to feed
the whole lot of them
1T was late in the afternoon before the
idea of returning home began to strike any
one in the park, and not until mdnigh,
We're the grounds entirely cleared The
young people remained after their elders
departed, and passed the cool hours OF the
evening in the delightful pastime of dane.