Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-02

charge of the picnics after their organiza-
tion. There was a parade, with spick and
span uniforms on manly men; the ma
sheen" shone respondent; there were games
galore, with no hint of professionalism or
pelf, and there were speeches. orations,
generally with the mayor prize attrac-
ton on the platform unless some stray
statesman of wider repute happened along.
And more satisfying baskets will not be
found set down in the Elysian fields. That
all the old boys will swear to-
Stories of the Fourth.
Stories of the old Fourths before
mayors proclamation was necessary to
save people from danger-the older day
proclamation was to go out and par
ticipate and be joyful-could be strung out
to I'LL The Bee. The two recitals here
given will serve as keys to all the yarns
that might be spun.
County Clerk John c. Drexel has al
ways been an enthusiastic celebrant of the
Fourth. The first real celebration that
I recall in Omaha" said Mr.. Drexel, was
in 1868 at Sulphur Springs, then located
away out Of town, but now a long way
inside the limits Everybody rode in
farm wagons which formed long pro-
cession. I distinctly recall that as we
passed the old court house, which stood on
morning the members of jury which had
been out all night on a murder case, stood
| in the window af the jury room in the
| upper story and regretfully waved their
hats and handkerchiefs at us. If I am
not mistaken that was the first murder
| trial in Omaha and the accused, man
named Tator, who had shot his victim in
the vicinity of where the celebration was
| held, was found guilty and was hung.
I'VE had no grafton that year. but we
had plenty OF substantial, homemade eat
ables and drinkables to make up for the
| lack OF eloquence. Besides, we had games
| OF all kinds, in some of which Indians
participated There were almost as many
Indians whites in attendance and yet
| there was no trouble except in one horse
race. The son OF neighbor of ours was
| thrown off at the starting point and
fell into big basket filed with custard
pies and fresh crullers He was not hurt
much, because the woman who owned the
pastry failed to lay hands on him before
he got up 'and away. Otherwise there
would have been a badly spanked boy
That was a day / never will forget, be-
cause was not that boy.
Train spoke Once.
George Francis Train made his first
| public appearance on such an occasion IN
Omaha on the glorious day in "a, wher
we held the celebration in Rogers grove
Herman Kountze now has his residence
near the ground where the picnic centered
That was also the day when the disap,
pearing bison and antelope first became
part OF standard Fourth of July orations
They have been in ever since, so far as
have heard the talks, and with the passing
years have got further and further away
Now believe they are almost out of the
talks and We may not hear them men
toned at all this year.
Mr., Train talked in his leisurely way
all afternoon, and 1t was that day h,
caused some folks 10 smile cynically b,
} predicting that some day a big railroad
line would cross the river at this point
He also told with convulsing effect how
we were then standing right over the spo
whero China was located on the other sid
} of the world. When they want to hurral
; in China said Mr.. Train, they bow an,
; wave their hands downward instead o
! throwing them over their heads as wo do
At school next day a fat boy was imitatinl
! Mr Train and as he threw his hea
! down he hit IL against a rock. Then n
! threw the rock through the school hous
I window and became the original anti
Chinese agitator. But that was the wa
we used to do. keep on celebrating tn