Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-07-07
TWENTY YEARS AGO
HOW oTTUMWA CELEBRATED
THE FOURTH IN 1888.
ARTICLE FROM COURIER'S FILES

Big Picnic at Wards Grove-Steamel
Takes Excursionists Up River-Priv
ate Celebrations at Homes of Ottum
wans-SchWabkey's Band Plays.
The Fourth of July celebration in
1888, just twenty years ago, will be
remembered by hundreds of Ottumwa
people and the following complete ac
count of how the day was spent thai
year as told in the issue of the Cour
Ter July 5, will be Of interest. Schwab
keys band, which has been heard or
the streets today, took a prominent
part in the celebration twenty years
ago, and many prominent citizens are
mentioned who are still residents oil
the city. The mention of the steamer
Leila" will be of interest as at thai
time a good sized excursion boat
made regular trips on the river. The
Courier gave the following account o.
the observance of the day:
The Fourth in 1888.
'The Fourth of July of 1883 may
be set down in your diary as a swell
tering hot day and although Ottum
wa did not have general celebra
ton 1t was generally much better
enjoyed than if we had had a grand
procession, the booming of artillery
and all the other concommitants of &
regular Fourth of July blowout. The
business houses generally closed ant
gave proprietors and employees an op
portunity to seek some cool place ant
court the gentle breezes wherever they
could find them.
Picnic at Wards Grove.
The principal center of attraction
was Wards grove, where about 5000
attended picnic inaugurated by the
knights. of Labor. Here SAINT Kirk
patrick was president of the day, May
or Waterman read the Declaration o.
independence in splendid style, aftel
which R. F. Treyellick of Detroit, de
livered an eloquent and very appro
pirate Grafton. This comprised all the
formalities of the occasion and as soor
as they were through with the large
crowd sought out grassy and COO
places and did complete justice tt
the good things contained in the bias
kets which each family brought tt
the grounds. The Ottumwa Corne
band enlivened the occasion with ex
cellent music. Ice water and lemon
ade were the strongest drinks obtain
able, therefore everybody was duly
sober and consequently the more hap
Ply. After the picnic dinner was ovel
the Fairfield club and the East Enc
club Of Ottumwa played game O.
baseball. AT the end Of the fifth in
ming the score stood for Fairfield
and 2 for Ottumwa, but the Ottumws
club gained on them from this time
on and at the end of the ninth inning
the score stood: Ottumwa, &c; Fair
field, 25. Thus closed the sport dow
there at about Z o'clock.
Steamer On River.
'Qufte crowd went up to Rocl
Bluffs and Pallister's steamer Leila
had all she would do all day carrying
people up there and back. Here, too
they had picnic and games of va
rious sorts, such as baseball, wheel
barrow races, climbing creased poles
etc, with Jack Hall as master of cere
monies. A man named Warmer was
the champion climber. "A game o
ball was played between the ANA
tours and the Always on Hand clubs
The score stood ID for the Amateurs
to 10 for their opponents, with the
Amateurs at the bat The last in
ming was not played.
THE Swedish Lutheran Sabbath
school had picnic in Judge Hender
shott's grove at the head of Marke
street, and had a fine time.
The Sans Souci Club.
"The Sans Souci club had reunion
and picnic supper on>the fine grounds
of Charles Sax After supper was owe
they had a fine display of fireworks
balloons, etc, and they enjoyed them
selves immensely. The grove and doc
yard were beautifully lighted witt
Chinese lanterns and the fun was fas
and furious until it began to rain a
about a quarter before 10 o'clock.
The Big Four Club.
"The Big Four club also had re
union at the residence of r. H. Mer
rill and lawn dance. The grounds
We're Respondent with Chinese Ian
terms and a brilliant gas illumination
VI a Heoui Ddllt
discoursed the music and until tn,
shower came UP, Fifth street was tn,
scene of great beauty with the lights
gayly dressed ladies and gallant gentle
men. We never saw anything tina
looked nicer than did the two parties
on either side of the street. Afte
the rain came up dancing was carrie,
on in Mr. Merrill's spacious parlors I'm
til a late hour
Other Celebrations.
''There was also very pleasant aft
ernoon picnic at the home of j. H
Jackson, where croqnet and othe
amusements made the time pass yer.
pleasantly to the participants.
The Turner's also had a grand tim
at Market Street Opera house, wher
many ladies and gentlemen were pres
ent and tripped the light fantastic toe
until late hour. Here, too they ha,
fine display of fireworks.
Fireworks were displayed at Col
Bannister's, George H. Shelters, Chas
Lawrence's, Rev. Stilson's DR.. Wal
denis, and in fact the hills girdling tn
city from the stock yards to Highlan
park, were a continual blaze of fire
works, while the cracking of cracker
and rockets was continuous all owe
the business part Of the city.
The fact that everybody seemed Il