Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-09-02
KEB Gel EBR ALTON
Labor Day is Being Appropriately
Observed in Mining Town.
ENTIRE POPULATION TAKES PART
Business is Suspended and Everyone
Living in ana Near the Little Town
is Enjoying the Occasion to the
Fullest Extent-Day's Program.

Keb, that sturdy little mining town
few miles northwest of Ottumwa, is
celebrating Labor Day today, and the
entire population has turned out to
take part in the festivities. Jones'
grove, just outside of Keb, where the
celebration is taking place, is full Of
miners and their families, and the
whole town has suspended business to
do honor to the day which means so
much to the millions of laboring men
in America. The celebration is, of
course, being carried out under the di-
rection of United Mine Workers local
union No. 154, of Keb, an organization
of nearly 800 members.
One of the fundamental character
isterics of the miners union is to cele
brate properly Labor Day, September
/, and April l. They celebrate the
latter date because it was on that day
few years ago that the length of
their working day was shortened from
nine hours to eight On Labor Day
the miners, like all union laboring
men, believe in taking vacation, that
day having been used by them as a
holiday for many years.
- ~ y tihiAo 10 al ldNoi VI thC SuS-
cess of the Keb celebration. The
weather is excellent, the day being
warm enough for comfort and cool
enough to allow the athletic events to
be carried out without any bad results
The sun, which has been shining
brightly all day, has outlived the high
convenience early in the morning but
has died down.
The Opening Parade.
Shortly after 10 o'clock this morning
people began going to Jones' grove
| from Keb and several farmers living
in the vicinity also arrived to take
part in the celebration. About this
4 time the members of the local miners
organization, some $50 strong, began
their march from the town hall to the
grove
Arrived at the picnic grounds, the
program of sports was begun at once.
There were races of various kinds for
the children, the winners being given
4 prizes. One of the most interesting
games was the capturing of roosters
! liberated ahead of horde of small
boys. The lads made short work OF
catching the fowls, and one of the lat
/ ter was bounced upon by so many pur
suers at once that it met death almost
4 instantly upon its release.
The first race was a seventy-fivt
yard dash for small boys. This wal
; won by GeorgeuSimpson, with San
! Lumsden second. In the second race
also for boys, there was lively figh
| for the first place, but Willie Davi
Z finally won, followed closely by Alber
i Crow. The next race was a novelty
being between little girls. 1t furnish
ed much amusement for the spectator.
and was won by small margin b,
Lizzie Kenkins, Celia Grow finishing
second. A three legged race cam,
next, and was won by Rob Simmons
;. and Albert Crow. e. Jones and Mat
). Simpson were second. The frs
chicken was captured by Cecil Mas
tiers, and half dozen boys had fallel
upon the bird almost at one time. TIL
second rooster race was won by Alb
!, Grow. although it was claimed b
Ralph Ferron.
: Afternoon Program.
This afternoon athletic contests, in
!, GLIDING a running race for boys ant
a tug of war, and the literary program
} for the benefit of the older people, ar
: taking place. The principal orator O
5 the day is Hon. Z. c. Sloan of Abba
He is now county recorder of Monro
county, stepped almost literally from
' the pit car into a county officers quar-
: tiers, and for that reason has much il
common with the members of the OF
ganization. He is staunch unionis
and an able young politician, SO hi
I friends say and he was accorded
: warm reception at Keb.
Robert Williams delivered the az
a dress OF welcome upon the opening c