Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1903-08-21
NOODMEN DAY.
A GREAT SUCCESS.
A Large Crowd in Attendance
and the Program Carried
out Without a Hitch.
0W0SSO DRILL TEAM
WON FIRST MONEY.
The Bands Discoursed Sweet Music
and the Farmer Boys and Girls
Drank Pink Lemonade.

The Modern Woodmen and Royal
Neighbors picnic and carnival has come
and gone and everybody is satisfied as
a general thing. While there was not
the crowd that was expected, yet there
were enough people in Alma yesterday
to say there was large crowd. The
morning trains from every direction
brought in their quota, the special train
on the A. A. from the south and the =.
M. from the west bringing the largest
number of people. The Alma band and
the local uniformed team of the Wood
men met all the trains and escorted the
visitors up town where they congre.
gated on Superior-st. and the many side
streets to wait for the parade, which
took place at ii o'clock.
There were four bands in the parade,
which was made up of floats, uniformed
companies of the Woodmen, the degree
team of the Alma Maccabees and the
Alma Fire Department bringing up the
rear with their hose wagon and hook
ladder truck
The parade was on an equal to any.
thing of the kind ever given in Alma,
and Marshals @. O. Ward and G.. Archie
Brown are to be given much credit for
the formation and successful line of
march. The four bands were from.
Alma, Big Rapids, Durand and Weld
man.
Shortly after dinner, Rev. j. W.
Wooton offered invocation from the
steps of the Wright House and Neigh.
Dor JAS. G. Kress, of Alma, delivered a
short address of welcome, which was
very pleasingly responded to by Neigh
Dor Z. j. Bullard, Of st. Johns. Chas
j. Byrns, Of Ishpeming, was on the pro-
gram to deliver the address of the day
but at the last minute it was found
impossible for him TO be present and J.
Earle Brown, of st. Johns, very ably
filled his plvce, delivering an address
that the Woodmen and visitors will
long remember. Mr.. Brown is young
but promising attorney and holds the
position of state lecturer for the Wood.
men. He is very bright young man
and fluent speaker.
After the address the sports were
pulled of, summary of which is given
below:
100 yard dash---H. j. Schultz, 1st
Roy Lockwood, end. Time ii - sec.
Boys novelty race-Ray Ellsworth,
ls.; 9. Martin, 2nd.
Barrel bicycle race-Wm. Barton, Ist
Geo. Taylor, End.
Pie eating contest-Paul Kress, lst;
Allen Hooper, End.
In the competitive drills, there were
only two teams entered, the Owosso
company. Capt. VIM. Case, and the
Ithaca company, Capt. VIM. Peck. The
Owosso boys won first prize and Ithaca
second, although the judges, Oapt. E.
II, Hamilton, of the Ithaca 1. O. o. +.
Canton Capt p. n. Bland, formerly of
Detroit Company No. 3, U. r. K. Of p.
and Capt. Oaris Brown, of Edelweiss
Company No. 4, u. Il. X. of p, found
that there was only a difference of 49,
o.
the Owosso boys getting 82.66 while
Ithaca received S2.3 per cent.
The ball game was won by Marion,
their team defeating the Middleton
boys by the score of 10 to 3.
The Alma Fire Department made an
excellent exhibition run at o'clock and
the sports were ended for the day, but
the crowd remained until late in the
evening.
In the evening the different bands dis. |
coursed sweet music, the Durand and |
Big Rapids bands being the center OF |
attraction. The Big Rapids boys, es. |
pecially, made fine appearance with |
their neat military uniforms, and as a |
special courtesy, serenaded the principal |
places about town.
The LaFays, from Grand Rapids, |
who were to furnish the balloon ascen.
sion, failed to put in an appearance, al. |
though the committee had a contract |
signed by their agent that they would |
fill the date. The committee consider |
that they have case Of damages against |
them and will push it.
The credit for the success Of the day |
should be given to Messrs. Fuller and |
Fink, who labored increasingly that !
everything should pass off right, and we |
are pleased TO say that il did.
The only accident that happened to |
mar the pleasures of the day, was
caused by foul ball striking Mrs. O. |
f. Watson, Of Breckenridge, in the eye |
while she was witnessing the ball game. |
She was taken to the Wright House and |
cared for by DIR. Bagley, who announced |
that IL was not at all serious.