The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-26
ecial to the indianapolis Journal.

ISLAND PARK-SYLVAN LAKE.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
ROME CITY. Ind.. July 25.-While the
unusually cookweather has been uncomfort-
able to the vestless man and the sleeveless
girl. it has not perceptibly decreased the
attendance here, which is larger than dur
ing the first week of any of the previous
twenty-four annual sessions of Island
Park Assembly. 1t is estimated in round
numbers that there are $500 people in the
cottages, soc in the hotels and an average
of 1000 transients each day who come with
lunch baskets, making total daily aver
age of 1900.
The new assembly hall. which has just
been completed, is admirably located upon
a slopng shore of the island. so that the
natural incline of the bank was used. by
| the architect in giving the building an
amphitheater style, permitting entrances on
| the surface Of the ground from three sides
and providing for plenty of standing room
outside IL the audiences should be larger
| than the seating capacity. The structure is
| from thirty to forty feet high from floor to
| rafters, with open pavilion-shaped sides,
| and seats $500 persons
Last Tuesday while the main camp-meet-
| ing tent was being taken down hastily
under the black, threatening clouds of an
| approaching storm, an excursion of colored
| Sunday-school members from Fort Wayne
arrived. Shortly afterwards there came a
who were unaware of the presence of the
colored folks until they reached the island.
Then the rain poured in torrents and be-
| tween the black clouds above and the black
| faces below, the enthusiasm of the whites
| was considerably dampened. The colored
| people were first under shelter. some Of
| them filing science hall and others the
physical culture pavilion. They started a
| dance, and when the sun again appeared.
the whites were treated to scene which
melted their race prejudice and furnished
| n a
dance was purely of the negro type, with
characteristic hoe-downs, double-shuffies
| and clogs, interminged with plantation
| waltZes and cake-walks, and this perform
ance, surrounded by the old-fashioned
| hotel with its long balconies, the tropical
| plants, shrubbery and virgin forest. gave
| the Kalamazoo whites a touch of Southern
| life not on the off slsal programme
| On the wall of the stage in the physical
culture building there Is a sign readings
plies only when the assembly is not in ses-
| sion During the three weeks of the assem-
bly, Sunday and all other forms of dane
ing are not permitted, either on Sundays
| or any other day of the week. But aside
| from dancing and the use of spirituous and
| malt liquors, guests are at liberty to do
very much as they please within the limits
/ of common decency and they will not in
| the least disturb those who are here to
] enjoy the religious features exclusively.
/ The fight to exterminate the beer garden,
which has been hourishing for several years
| on the shore of Sylvan lake about a mile
| and a half from the assembly is to be re-
| newed this year with increased vfgor by
the assistance OF the Catholics, who are
| becoming owners of extensive property in
| terests in that vicinity. The Sisters of
| the Royal Blood are now In complete pos
session of the Kneipp sanatorium, with
| grounds consisting of eighty acres. 1t is
| the only sanatorium of the kind in the
| United States and is conducted by a physi-
clan who studied the Kneipp system of
| treatment with Monsignor Kneipp himself
| at his celebrated institution at WoeriShofen,
Bavaria. There are twelve mineral springs
which have long-recognized value for
possess magnetic properties tonics, salts,
etc., and are used by the patients in
various kinds of baths. The purchase
| price was $4,000 and the Catholics have
| invested an additional 5000 in improve
| ments by charging the building to double
its former capacity and identifying the
| grounds
| Not only is this institution close to the
obnoxious beer garden, but within almost a
| stones throw lis an island of about two
acres in extent which was last year pur-
| chased by the Catholic diocese of Fort
Wayne. 1t was densely overgrown with
wild grapevines from which it derived it's
old name of Grape island" The vines
| were cut out, old trees removed, and in
November of last year the construction of
a handsome 5000 cottage was commenced
under the personal supervision of the Right
| Reverend III. j. Alerding, bishop of the
diocese, and the spot was re-christened
1.-The Bishop Island" The cottage is built
entirely of native stone, known as mig
ger-heads." by contractors from Goshen.
! The property is to be used by the Catholic
| clergy of Fort Wayne as an outing home.
At present Bishop Alerding is the only oc-
| cupant, and he is greatly enjoying himself
| In fishing, bathing and in the use of his
new naphtha launch. The close proximity
| of the beer garden is the only dicordant
| element which mars his complete rest, and
with his powerful influence, combined with
that of the Sisters of the Royal Blood and
the assembly association. it is likely that
| when the proprietOrs lease for the ground
| expires in short time. he will be unable to
\ renew 1t.
| The miniature islands of Spenhauer and
Peters. each so small that there is only
sufficient room for cottage and boat
| equipment, are now occupied by the Fort
| Wayne owners.
6. Max Holman, a prominent contractor
| of Fort Wayne, has purchased acre of
| high ground at Cincinnati Point, upon
/ which he is erecting a 1900 cottage. Zigler
& Myers. local builders, have charge of the
worn. Mr.. Hoffman has new motor launch
| and is giving the improvements his personal
| attention. He is an adjoining neighbor of
| Mr.. Mills, formerly proprietor of the Wayne
A special car containing the Pastime
| Hunting and Fishing Club, of Allegheny.
Pa, has arrived. There are about fifty
| engaged in pitching their tents at Faux
/ Springs, on the lake.
| Among the resorters who are here for
| the season are the following:
At Sylvan Lake Hotel-Mr. and Mrs. W.
H. snapp. and the Misses Violet. Helen
and Mr. Roy SnaPp; C. f. Frederick, In
| Mrs E Nj. Ashbaugh, Puma Potts, Alice
| Sikkenga, Kalamazoo, Burton Cook, Grand
Rapids; l.. ]. Faelzer. Chicago; DR.. G. b.
McGoogan, Fort Wayne; Mrs. w. S. Shaw,
| South Bend: w. f. Ernst. Detroit.
! At Woodlawn Beach Hotel-H. Fl. Lowell.
| Indianapolis; Mr.. and Mrs. /. Seelberg
| Maurice Seelberg, Blanche Study. Laura
| Pelta. 1. H. Taylor. c. w. Habecker, j. C..
Monroe. Chester Nathan. Daniel Halen-
| stein. Mrs. Nj. b. Hartnell, Mr.. and Mrs
/ James Baxter. Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Bax-
| ter, p. H. Bradley. III. 8. Johnson. Adolph-
inc Greven. Dorothy Creven. Mr.: and Mrs.
Samuel S. Fisher. Chas. Kelly. Louise
] aart. Fort Wayne; Herman Gruetor.