Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1906-09-06
1T WASA
GREAT SUCCESS
X. Il. Labor Day Celebration a
Hummer.
Zig Crowds Lined the Streets ut
Early Iour-Stayed Late
at Night.

Labor Day 1906 in Belding is now
nothing but a memory, but It is a very
pleasant memory to say the least. Elab-
crate advertising by the K Fs. brought
many visitors to the city and tie day was
one round of pleasure for all who came.
The festivities of the day began at nine
o'clock when the city band cane march
ing down the street discousing fine
music, stopping IN front Of he Hotel
Beding, where the various events in the
racing line were started.
The first event to be pulled off was
the / 90 yard dash. In this contest eight
husky young giants entered, ind after
several starts got away in god shape.
Ray Bgnall of Smyrna winning lst prize.
Johnson of Greenville End and wo OF the
runners tying for third place, 70 award
was made.
The next event was 100 ard dash
for boys under 6 years Of age and this
was also we'll patronizsd, the Youngest ers
running the distance in 2 2-5seconds,
| Fred Holmes winning first prla, Eddie
Malone second and Robert Helmr third
In the sack race there werl also a
number of entries: Howard ;ourtser
winning first, johnson Of Gsenville.
se.ond an Joe Rummler third.
Quite number of contestants ,ntered
the three legged race and the sane was
run with vim and vigor characteristic
of those who entered. Geaso and
Stanton crossed the line first an won
first prize, Higgins and Courtser hing
close second and Glass and Johnon OF
Greenvle taking third place.
In the potato race lot OF fun WIS fur
nished the visitors Gleason capturd first
place, Joe Rummler second ard Frank
Williams third
Talk about frogs, well they wen not in
it with the husky bunchwilo entred the
hurdle race it was jump, Jump jump from
start to finish, but whenthe last hurdle
had been jumped the cfds stood Glea-
son first, Stanton secod and Johnson
third. Several trials wee necessary in |
order to secure decision
Next thing in order cale the fat mans
race and it vas a hummr and no mis-
take. There we're only tree entries but
they all ran hard forheavy weights,
finishing in the foliowin. order, George
Stout first, Bert Sparks second and Dell
Bricker third.
The backward dash VS. changed to a
cripples race and Geoye Rutter and
Chas Dodd made bold ash for honors,
Rutters winning by a pegand Dodd get
ting second place.
At this point on the p'gram the ex-
ercises ceased and folks ent to dinner
to assemble at Ellis Park the afternoon
At Ellis Park, long befe the hour for
opening the crowd begi to assemble
and when the first evenwas called at
l:2o o'clock over 1000 persons we're
assembled to witness theeatures Of the
afternoon. The first const called was
that of the run and jup and eleven
athletics entered this oonst, Buel Fargo
and Raymond Gleason tidg for honors,
and carrying off the pris, jumping 2
feet and inches.
In the hop, step and jup contest there
were also a number contestants all |
striving for position and the close Of
this event it was found tt Gleason was |
entitled to first place ID Stanton to
second.
When Greek meets Gnk then comes
the tug Of war and at t, point in the |
program the Greeks s together. 1t
was a long pull and rong pull but
John Higgins forces overde those OF the
other fellow and they sxed while their
opponents watched them
In the standing broad up there we're
a number of contestants nd several Of
them made remarkable owings Blgnall
OF Smyrna beating the hch by an inch |
and half with Fargo se second, the
distance jumped being feet and ii
inches
At the close Of the athlc events Roy
Cox introduced his woerfu climbing
and diving dog Babe " climbs to the
top Of 40 foot ladder al at the call OF
his master jumped thrsh space and
landed il canvass heldY several men
at the foot Of the ladder. his is one Of
the most unique acts ev attempted in
this city and was we'll Hh the price Of
admission alone. Thelitte dog is
certainly phenomenon.
Next in the order Of lngs came the
base ball game which v fairly good
. contest between the Hutand lndepen-
! dents, but as the Indepdents were no
. | match for tha Iuhe N lad a little of