Arizona republican., 1901-04-01
A POOR MANS BALL
h Phoenix Function Twelve Years
 Ago Last Night.

The greatest social function in the history of Phoenix occurred twenty years ago last night. A poor mans ball. It was organized by the printers and newspaper men of Phoenix, among whom were Buckley O'Neill, Charles McClintock, Tommy Riggs, Charles l.. Mosher James H. McClintoCk Charles McNeill, Joe Reed and Col. D. s. White, of whom now only Major McClintock and J. D. Reed are left in this part of the country.
 The story of the ball was written ten years later by Charles l.. Mosher for the Pacific Union Printer He said the ball was not intended as a social func- ton, but as a safety valve for the spirits of the printers, who had been contemplating relief in a strike only for the excitement of it, for there was not much excitement in Phoenix in those days. Somebody thought of the ball as a substitute for a strike, which was thus happily averted.
 Preparation for it absorbed all the latent cussedness of the printers. and they had so much fun out of it that the strike, as an avenue of excitement, was never afterward considered. Tickets were issued to everybody at $2.50 dn- cluding suppeD.
 Bhe tickets conveyed a warning that no lady wearing other than calico dress would be admitted, and for gen. tlemen the only passport was shirt sleeves The ball was to be held at Woolsey hall and the management of the banquet was put into the hands of Ben Butler, then recognized as one of the finest caterers on the coast, and the proprietor of the Bank Exchange restaurant in the room now occupied by Goldwater Bros.
 The local papers were worked for generous announcements, all bearing mainly upon the banquet
 Some of them were as follows:
 Ben Butler, caterer for the poor mans ball, today purchased three dozen turkeys. which he will fatten for the occasion"
 Ben Butler today received the fol- lowing dispatch from Los Angeles; Your order green turtle just filled; could not do sooner; finest in the land"
 "A san Francisco dispatch informs Ben Butler that his order for cakes and cOnfectioneries has been shipped by express"
 Ben Butler will serve 100 dozen east ern oysters on the half shell at the poor mans ball. He has ordered them and is assured they'll arrive on time. |. may be a poor mans ball, but it will be a feast for the gods"
 Thus the popular appetite was whet- ted. Stress was continually laid on the circumstances that everything but the edibles had been procured at the least possible expense. The music was to cost next to nothing and the hall would cost little more. All the money was to be blown in on the banquet.
 It turned out in this way: "A few minutes before twelve o'clock the sup per march was played. Some fears were entertained by the guests that all could not enter the dining hall at the same time, but this was quickly allayed by the management All filed down in couples and, owing to the fact of the large number. had to stand at the tables after entering the restaurant.
  plate of cornmeal mush and a bowl of milk. After the guests were arranged around the tables they stood for a moment in perpleXity viewing the un- usual dish before them, which go one essayed to touch, looking for the ap- pcarance of the walters. Just then a canvas roll on each side of the dining room was dropped, exposing the in- scriptiOn:
 APRIL 1, 1SSl.'
 For a few moments the guests were dumbfounded and gazed blankly into each others faces, struggling with sut- prise and varied emotions. Finally the sense of the ridiculous prevailed and the dining room rang with peals of merry laughter, mingled with but few growls of dscontent. All were disap- pointed, but the majority partook
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