The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-05
TOOK OFF SHOES.
One Woman Bound to Win
Labor Day Race.
But Alas She Fell Down and
Lost.
AN EXCITING DAY.
Five Thousand People Cheer
Contestants.
Those Who Carried Away the
Prizes.

Monday for a crowd of 5000 people,
most of them from the shops and
stores in the city and the families of
those who earn their daily bread by
the sweat of their brows. Early in the
morning crowds began to arrive car
rying well laden baskets filled with
picnic supplies and prepared for a day
of unalloyed pleasure. The day itself
was all that might be wished-just
cool enough for comfort and warm
enough to add life to the sporting por-
ton of the programme. It was a
merry good natured crowd from the
first arrival in the morning until the
Hate straggler who waited for the last
car in the hopes that some unexpected
means of pleasure might unexpectedly
arrive.
1t was a steady stream of pleasure
loving humanity that taxed the ca
pacity of the street car lines all day
long. Especial efforts had been made
by the management of Vinewood for
the entertainment and accommodation
of the crowds, several extra refresh
ment stands and lunch counters were
scattered throughout the grounds so
that those who did not care to avail
themselves of the opportunities for
basket lunches had ample chance to
satisfy appetiteS whetted to keen
edge by the country air and the excite
ment of the sports.
There were sports of almost every
description, participated in by the
members of the labor unions and their
families and the members of the A. o.
U. w. and auxiliaries. Labor day was
the big day for the merry go round
and there was hardly a minute of the
day that it was not crowded to its
capacity. While mothers, fathers and
big sisters sat around in the rocking
chairs thoughtfully provided by the
management, the little folks, and it
might be added, some of the older
folks enjoyed themselves on the
wooden horses.
The figure eight came in for its
share of patronage and all day long
the cars were alternately slipping,
sliding and careening around it's dizzy
course. The Fiskridge band which
came down to head the Labor day
parade was on the ground during the
afternoon and entering into the spirit
of the day assisted with their music in
enlivening the afternoon and evening,
and making the folks from the neigh
ing towns feel that they were not the
only bunch of strangers on the
grounds. The absence of Intoxicating
liquors on the grounds or near them is
accountable for the fact that there was
no drunkenness or rowdyism.
There was but one fight on the
grounds and that seemed to have been
a family trouble that had been brought
along for the occasion. A brother-in-
law from North Topeka thought that it
WOulQ De an OppOTEuno Tune 10 CnaSL1S6
his sisters second husband but the trOu-
BILE did not reach the second round until
the combative participants were hus-
tied off of the grounds and started for
home.
Two different programmes of sport
had been arranged, one by the men,
bers of the A. o. U. w, who make it a
point to hold their annual picnic on La
Dor day, as a majority of their mem
bers are recruited from the ranks of the
To- ri other. nv II n
ions of the city. The programmes of
sports were carried out in the Geld
which adjoins the shell theater on the
east where the contestants met and con-
tested for the prizes that were offered
| by the merchants of the. city.
There was but one prize offered for
| outside contestants that was not con-
| tested for by those bent on winning a
prize, that was the dog eating contest
ant The Workmen had offered to fur
| nish all the dog meat that the winner
could eat and although there was nc
| entrance fee. there seemed to be no one
who cared for the prize.
| There was experimenting at the the
! alter in the afternoon. but the crowds
| that came to the park did not seem to
care for the speaking and at no time
in the afternoon was the capacity of the
| theater tested. J. r. Woods of Kansas
City delivered an address at o'clock in
the afternoon which was a typical Ia
Dor day address. He dwelt solely upor
the existing condition between the en-
| pioyed and employer, and bemoaneC
| the fact that the invention of labor
saving machinery is fast bringing the
| condition of the laboring men to a poin
of poverty and want but failed to of
fer a satisfactory solution to the con
dition which he seemed to honestly be
Iieve confronts the laboring masses. A
the conclusion of his remarks shor
programme was rendered by the mem
bers of the A. o. u. W., followed by al
address by Grand Master Workman j
H Order of Fort Scott.
| An exhibition of team drill work was
given in the evening in the enclosure II
front of the shell theater between two
A. o. u. w teams from the city. Tht
prize $50 offered by the grand lodge
| of the state was awarded to degree team
26O. Captain E. ]. McKirnam. which
scored 81 points according to the guess
of the Judges. Team No. 3, captaineo
by Gus Vogel, was given second place
| with a score of %.
Interesting Sports.
Though no worlds records We're
broken in the athletic contests at Vine
| wood park in the Labor day celebration
! Monday afternoon there was consider
able interest attaching to the contest
ants and their feats nevertheless.
For pure unadulterated fun OF q
harmless kind there is nothing which
has, much of an edge over watching q
tryo try to shine in sport events.
One of the crowniI1g features of the
day conferred in the fat womaT's race
|