Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-18
FINE TIME IS HAD
Rock Island Excursionists Splen-
didIy Entertained by
People of Elgin..
MAYOR ADDRESSES THE VISITORS
Soaking Shower Comes just Before
Departure of
Trains.


annual excursion yesterday drew
large number of people from the tri-
cities, about eight hundred going
from Rock Island alone. The trip to
Elgin was made in four hours, and as
the trains were not overcrowded ii
was not near as uncomfortable as
some people imagined that it was go
ing to be.
The first section gathered up
load in Davenport and Rock Island
and made through trip of it. The
second section picked up the people
of Moline and the intermediate points
between there and Savanna. After
leaving Savanna no stops We're made
except those for coal and water. The
second division followed the first at
an interval of about fifteen minutes.
Many of the country folks took adj
vantage of the unusually low rate to
take a days outing. The excursion
lists were all in Elgin by 1880, when
they were met by a delegation of the
Merchants association of that city,
who acted as a bureau of informa-
ton and devoted their whole time to
entertaining the visitors.
Mayor Extends welcome
Immediately upon arriving at Elgin
the crowd split in an endeavor to
find places to appease their hunger.
Some who had their lunches along
went out to Lords park. To all not
otherwise provided refreshments
were served at noon and in the even
ing gratuitously, this hospitality, as
well as the manner in which the city
was decorated in honor of its Wis
itors. bearing testimony to- Elgin's
public spirit and generosity. The
greater part of the eXcursionists
were on hand at rs when President
l.. ID. Nish, of the Elgin Retail Mer-
chants association, introduced May
or Price, who paid handsome trib-
ute to the tri-cities. He said among
other things:
1T is doubly pleasure to welcome
an excursion from the tri-cities to
this city First, because you feel
enough interest in our city to choose
it for place to come for instruction,
and. secondly, because Rock Island is
the leading Woodmen city in the
west. Elgin is a great WOodmen city,
and it is a great pleasure for the
Woodmen of this city to keep an open
house for you
The speaker continuing called at
tention to the many manufacturing
interests in the tri-cities and then
telling of the corresponding interests
in Elgin. Among the things that he
mentioned were the watch factory.
the condensing works, the Star watch
case factory. Cooks Publishing plant
and the Silver Plate works.
Following the mayor President q.
II. Kingsbury, of the local associa-
ton. spoke a few words ON behalf of
the visitors, and paid Elgin neat
compliment when he said that the
only thing that he had against Elgin
was that her citizens were too mod
est in advertising the advantages of
the city. The Elgin band gave con-
certs before and after the speaking.
Hundred Go to Chicago.
The visitors were about equally dis
tributed among the places of inter
est. hundred or so of the visitors
took advantage of the accommoda-
lions to Chicago, and went into the
city for a few hours.
\ shower came up at about 1880,
and from that time until few min
utes before the train left the rain
came down in torrents. The people
of Elgin continued their hospitality
and took many of the visitors into
their homes till the worst of the
shower was over. The first of the
returning trains left Elgin at 1880,
arriving here at 1880, the other COM
ing in a few minutes later.
The Rock Islanders arc loud in
their praises of the manner in which
they were cared for by the people of
Elgin.