The Wichita daily eagle., 1903-09-24
NO GROCERIES WERE
SOLD OR DELIVERED
Merchants Take Day Off for
Picnic and Dance.
CELEBRATION A SUCCESS
Retail Grocers Do Things
Right when They Entertain.

''S'A 49,
No better day could the grocers have
chosen for their big picnic than yester
day. The sky was clear. a cool breeze
blew from the north and everything con
spired to make this, the first picnic to b,
given by the organization, a grand sue
cess South Riverside park was crowdea
all day yesterday. and it was estimated
last night that at least 5000 people hao
visited the grounds during the day
ten-minute service was established on the
Riverside street car line and the cars
we're loaded down both ways
The anusements began early yester
lay morning with a grand parade IL
which every grocer in the city took part
but the real fun began at TIE park when
the different contests On the program
were pulled off.
The first contest in which everyone
was permitted to take part. was the
grand drawing contest. Three prizes
were offered, one by S. Daniels. Sl4
Turkish Wfckekr Rocker. a s. auto harp
by ]. H Hobbs and the choice of any Of
the late books by Goldsmith 5 book store.
The prizes offered in this contest were
valuable and the drawing created con-
siderable interest.
4 novel contest was the one il which
little colored boys, with their hands tied
be hind them rooted in flour with their
faces for various amounts Of money which
had been buried in the -four. A s. prize
was offered by the Metz Lumber COM
pany.
The J. r. Kearns Cigar company offer
eu d boA % cent cigars To the winner
in the fat mans race. one Of the c1n-
oitions of the contest was that the con
testants should weigh not less than 2o1
pounds, and when the runners lined up
there appeared TO be little chance of any
of them breaking any world s record.
They did not run against time, however,
but performed some amusing antics in
getting over the ground.
The grocerymens sack race was also
n rather interesting event. sack race
always has been and always Will be in
teresting, but is even more so when busi-
ness men take part. They probably knew
how to make time with tehir feet in sack
when they We're boys, but the majority of
them had forgotten their old tricks yes
terday and some did stunts in tumbling as
a result. Fred Baldwin awarded prize of
one dozen photos TO the winner.
The rooster catching contest was
grand frost. Not from any fault of the
management or of the boys who lined up
10 do the catching act, but from the
fact that the roosters were frightened
almost to death and instead Of making
a bold leap for freedom when turned
loose they simply sat down and waited
for the boys to pick them up.
Several other contests were scheduled
70 take place such as boys foot races,
ladies' egg races, old mems races and
ladies foot races. but the program re-
quired more than was expected and some
of them were cancelled. However those
which were given were thoroughly enjoyed
both by the crowds and participants. The
only fault found with the contests was
the fact that the crowds were not kept
back from the track where the sports were
held and those in the long tiers OF seats
which had been erected could only catch
an occasional glimpse of the contestants.
An address was delivered by Mayor
Mclean. in which he welcomed the
crowds of people who had come from
out of town to see the sights and at
tend the picnic to enjoy the liberty of
the city parks and told them to make it
q DAY Of happiness and pleasure
Fred Mason. the national secretary of
the Association of Retail Grocers. deliv-
cred an address. the subject of which was
Organization. He tod of the benefits
70 be derived from organization. not only
in the retail grocer's line. hut in every
business and occupation. He commented
the groeers of the city upon their splendid
association here, which was just recently
organized.
Mrs. Spideli of this city also gave an
address. The subject and theme of her
speech was "Co-operation." and she de-
hveFed ii in such manner that il was
very interesting "Co-operation' in the
sense in which she used it applies to every /
tine of business.
Senator James Tapp was chairman of !
The picnic committee and made a short
talk IN which he urged groeers and Other /
business men to patronize home indus
tries.
Other speeches were made by F. NJ
Newiand treasurer OF the National As I
sociation OF Retail Grocers. and Charles /
p Adams Of Topeka. both of which were /