Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-26
ARE NOT IN A TRUST
John Morrell & Co. Free From
Entangling Alliances.
HON. 7. D. FOSTER MAKES STATEMENT

Welcome at Eighth Annual Picnic of
Packing House Mutual Aid Associa.
tion-Event Was a Success.
| From Fridays Dailyl
John Morrell & Co., of Ottumwa, are
not allied with any trust. Neither
do they desire to be. This is the pub
| lie statement made yesterday after
noon at Oskaloosa by Hon. T. D. Eos
| ter, the head of that concern, at the
eighth annual picnic of the Packing
| House Mutual Aid association, in his
response to the address of welcome
delivered by Hon. W. H. Wray, mayor
of the Mahaska county town The an
nouncement was received with cheers
by the people.
The Picnic.
Early yesterday morning the first
train for Oskaloosa left Ottumwa lad
en- with employees of John Morrell &
Co. bound for Oskaloosa where the
yearly picnic was to be held. 1t was
nearly noon before the last train left
The late arrivals found the people eat
ing dinner under the shade of the
trees in the fair grounds and in a
short time they were doing likewise
The day was all that could have been
desired. The temperature was pleas
ant and no rain marred the occasion.
1t is estimated that 5000 people went
from this city. Owing to the delay in
the train service nothing was done in
the forenoon but part of the program
scheduled for that time took place in
the afternoon.
The Afternoon.
After dinner the people began to as
semble in the ampitheater. The crowd
/ oyertlowed into the race track and in
to the enclosure around the grand
! stand. 1t was good natured assem-
blage, that came willing to be amused
II there was anything exciting or fun
ny but it was prepared to enjoy itself
just the same if there had been none
OF those things. A large number who
could get no seats uncomplainingly
stood up. Others who did not want
to bother about anything or anybody
stayed in the shade of the trees behind
the ampitheater or patronized the mer-
ry-go-round and other forms of amuse-
ment.
1t was after 2 o'clock when Hon. T.
d. Foster. of this city, accompanied
by Hon. w. H. Wray, mayor of Oska-
loosa, arrived on the grounds. The
! delay was occasioned by the last train
from Ottumwa being hours late.
Address of Welcome.
Mr.. Foster and Mayor Wray imme-
diately assembled the grand stand and
with but little formality the former
introduced the chief executive of the
Mahaska county town to whom had
been assigned the address of welcome
Mr.. Wray said:
Mr.. Chairman, ladies and gentle.
men: 1t affords me great pleasure to
/ greet you in Greater Oskaloosa, the
greatest city in the greatest county
in the greatest state in the union, in
/ the greatest country on earth. l did
not know until yesterday that was
i to deliver the address of welcome to
the employees of John Morrell & Co.
and their friends. This, however, will
, not deter me from giving hearty well
come to the people from our sister
city, Ottumwa. These exchanges of
visits are of mutual benefit and pleas
IRE. especially so under the auspices
of John Morrell & Co. We welcome
you. The keys of the city are yours.
| hope you will not be sorry that you
came and l know we are happy to
have you with us. l thank you"
!. Mr.. Fosters Address.
Mr.. Foster, on behalf of the mem
bers of the Packing House Mutual Aid
i Association and their friends, respond,
!. ed very happily and expressed the
: hope that the relations of the two cit.
les would become closer, although he
recognized that in Oskaloosa Ottumwa
), had formidable competitor. Mr.. Eos
ter also emphatically said that John
Morrell & Co. were not alued with any
:, trust and he hoped they never would
be. Mr.. Foster said:
i "Mr. Mayor, ladies and gentlemen:
We are not strangers to Oskaloosa
This is the second time we have receiv.
ed generous and pressing invitation
from this city to hold our annual pic.
mic here and the second time you have
opened your doors and gates to these
fair grounds to the employees Of John
Morrell & Co. Our recollection of the
pleasant time we enjoyed here three OF
four years ago was so pleasant that
with pleasure we accepted your invita-
ton when you again asked us to come
1t was very pleasant for the employees
of John Morrell & Co. and the citizens
of Ottumwa to receive your second in
vitation. 1t shows that the former oc
casion was a time of pleasure both tc
this city and to Ottumwa. AS Mayor
Wray has said, it is a good thing for
the people in sister cities to meet You
also heard what he said about Greater
Oskaloosa in the greatest county. in
the greatest state in the greatest coun
try on earth. | can agree to this to a
large extent, but cannot agree that Os
kaloosa leads Ottumwa. Yet l want
to say that every time | come to Oska,
loosa | find that the place has moved
up peg. 1t will be a little time until
it will be but little trolley ride from
one city to the other
THE picnic of the Packing House
Ala Acc l.. 10, ~,