The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-16
Two Thousand Members of the Order
Welcomed to the City by May
BoOkvaIter.
THREE OTHER SPEAKERS HEARD
EXHIBITIONS OF LOGROLLING AND
WOODWORKING.
A Parade Over the Downtown
Streets i'm the Evening COncIud-
ed the Celebration.

WOodmen invaded the forest of Washing
ton Park yesterday for their annual log
rolling and log-chopping contest. There
were rivers in which to float the huge
logs nor no wild animals lurking about
to jeopardize the lives of the crafty wood
men.
Neighbor Woodman Mayor Bookwalter
sought refuge in the precincts of the for
est during the noon hour, and, with about
two thousand members of the Modern
Woodmen of America and their friends
seated in the grand stand. delivered an ad-
dress, in which he welcomed the visitors to
the city. Mayor Bookwalter, in his re-
marks, gave assurances to his fellow-wood-
men that the city belonged TO them and
they should set about and help themselves.
as he was too busy at this time to partici-
pate in the fun.
Henry warrum and State Lecturer John
F. Wiley of the M. w. of A, gave short
addresses on the financial condition Of the
order and the benefits derived from fra
ternaI organizations. Robert a. Brown,
clerk of the Supreme Court, gave talk,
| in which he said that he was not member
of the order but was glad that the motives
of the order Were God-inspired and would
| succeed. Mr.. Brown further said that the
| Woodmen of the early days were far more
courageous I'm cutting their way through
the forests than the soldiers who fought on
| the fields OF battle. Mr.. Browns remarks
were rudeIy interrupted by some one in
the stand, who exclaimed: "Mr. Speaker,
you ara now four minutes overtime and We
want to see the drill
This remark disconnected the speaker.
| and he closed his remarks with apology
for having taken up the time
COMPETITIVE DRILLS.
The speakers stand was then taken from
the field and the two organizations of Mod
ern Woodmen were called on the field for
the competitive drills. There were but two
entries for this-the Noblesville Camp, No.
| 1896, and Kokomo Camp, No 1897. The for
mer was under command of Chief Forester
l. n. Doudar and the latter company under
Chief Forester f. l.. Conner. The Mobiles
VILE camp chose the first trial. The drilling
was on the baseball diamond. The manual
used was that instituted by the Modern
Woodmen. The manual for AK and foot
movements is similar TO the gun manual.
| The Noblesville camp was followed by the
Kokomo camp. AS each went through its
movements the men were loudly cheered
by people in the stand. Captain Jacob
Fox Major Thomas Wysong and Captain
Charles Jones acted as judges.
One OF the interesting features of the
afternoons entertainment was the indi-
vidual drill. There we're nineteen entries
| The captains of the drill teams alternated
| in giving commands. They were given in
haphazard way so as 10 confuse the men
and in this way the greater number were
forced to fall out OF line. Five members
were disqualified on the first inspection.
Harry Becaft, of kOkomo. weathered the
storm of perplexing commands and was
| awarded the title OF champion of the State.
| on the call for logrollers there were but
| four entries. The log was about twelve
| feet long and eighteen inches in diameter.
| The distance to be rolled was fifty feet.
| This was considered difficult task. the
| earth was sOggy. DIR. r. r. Lister. a man
| weighing $50 pounds. from Brookston, Ind,
| was the winner, having rolled the huge
! log the required distance in 1855. The last
number the wOodchopping contest.
| Entries for this part Of the entertainment
We're not numerous at the outset. but s.
| III. Raw. of Cumberland. who had evidently
come prepared, was the first TO make him
| self known. and he had an AK ready for
| the performance. Mr.. Rays announcement
was followed by other names until there
were six contestants r.. NJ. Rodgers, OF
| Saratoga. Ind. awarded the first at
| tempt. He cut through the ten-tnch wild
| cherry log with such display OF dizziness
| that two OF the other contestants withdrew
| Marion. followed, and with him the task
| was hard work. 1t remained for Ray to
give an exhibition OF chopping. and he cut
| of his end of the tree In las. With this
| performance other attempts were made
| at cutting through the log.
During the log chOpping the William r.
| English Zouaves, under command of Cap
| tain Jacob Fox. sr., gave interesting
| exhibition of their maneuvers, which they
/ concluded by scaling a high wall.