The Washington times., 1901-07-01
LABOR DAY PROGRAMMES
Members of the Various Central
Bodies Planning in Advance.

An 0Id-Fashioned barbecue to BE
One of the Features of the CeIe-
brntion by the C. l.. U. - Athletic
Games to Figure Prominently.
Although it is more than two months be-
fore Labor Day. the, members of organ
lied labor in the District, irrespective OF
their national Affiliations, have begun act
i've preparations for the observance of the
occasion. 'E'he three local central labor
bodies the Central Labor Union, District
Assembly No. &C. knights of Labor, and
the Building Trades Council, have all be-
gun the formation of plahsr for the cele-
bration of Labor Day, the1 1iEst Monday in
September ~
The day is recognized In an parts of the
country as the wage earnerss national
holiday, and is observed bxtiats toilers in
different parts of the country.h 81 different
ways 1t has come to be rec6ghized as
general holiday, not alone by the work
men of the various crafts and callings,
but has been made a holiday by legisla-
tion in nearly every State ipl the Union.
The day was first legalized as a general
holiday by the State Legislature of New
York in 1889, and it was not until ten
years later that Congress passed an act
making it general holiday in the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Labor Day was first celebrated by the
members of organized labor in Washing
ton by a street parade, in which about
1000 of the union men in the District took
part. In the year following it was again
observed by a street parade, but not since
then. 1t was decided by the local leaders
that the street parade was too fatiguing
and as the day one set aside for rest
and amusement it could be more appro-
priately- celebrated. AS "A consequence
for several years past the local central
bodies have organized mammoth eXcur-
sions 20 some of the pleasure resorts along
the Potomac There the day has been
spent by the union men, with the members
of their families and friends, in innocent
amusements and athletic games.
Usually the members of the different
local labor organizations and their fsmi-
lies and friends, aggregating between ten
and fifteen thousand, go down TO the
pleasure resorts in the morning and do
not return until late at night. The early
part of the day is spent in picknicking in
family parties or by unions and the after
noon in athletic games. The games over,
the greater part of the excursionists re
pair to the dance pavilion, where the re-
mainder of the day Is spent.
During the last five or SIX years the
members of District Assembly No. 66,
knights of Labor, have spent Labor Day
picnicking at Marshall Hall, while the
Trades Unionists, represented fnthe Cen
trail Labor Unien.- have organized outings
to River View. The latter organization,
however, has determined TO. spend the
coming Labor Day at Glens Echo The
feature of the observance at this place
win be "a regular old-time~f8 rbecue. At
both resorts, however, thescemmittees in
charge of the arrangementSsBin arrange
a series of athletic games In which the
successful competitors Will receive prizes.
The general and sub-cOmmittees in
charge of the arrangements for the cele-
bration of the day by the unions affiliat-
ed with the Central Labor Union are:
General Committee-E. ]. Ratigan,
Chairman: G. w. Winslow, Secretary; j.
NJ Heisley Treasurer.
ub-committees-Printi 3. Dick |
man. Chairman; Milford Spohn, II. r.
Fellnger.
Tickets-E. j. Ratigan. Chairman; c.
Z. Dietrich NJ. J. Mccarthy.
EXercises-Miiford Spohp, Chairman;
John B. Dickman, James L. Stephens
Donations-Charles E Dietrich. Chair /
Gowan, c. W. Hersinger, G. e Morey. 1
Entertainment-John +. McVey. Chair |
man; w p. KENNEDY, Fred c. Connors' |
William Silvers, W. A. Thompson.
Arrangements-J. NJ. Heisley. Chair |
man; ". A. Morrison, J. L. Cochran,
Frank LYONS.
The Building Trades Geancil has sp- |
pointed j. E. Mitchell and w A. |
the celebration of Labor Day by that |
body At the meeting held on last |
Tuesday night was stated that the J
place at which the members OF the
council their families and friends Will |
spend the day had not been decided upon
II is probable, however, ntllRt selection |
will be made before the council meets to-
morrow night.