The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-17
PARTYOfPICNICKERS
SUNDAY SCHOOLS or OPELikA
 CAME TO MONTGOMERY.
spec,nI Train Brought 1,200 People From Capital of Lee Ccun-
 ty to Pickett Springs.

More than 1900 of opelika's men, women and children came to Mont gomery yesterday and picnicked at
 Pickett Springs
 l The occasion was a union picnic of I the Sunday schools of that~thrivtng ht- | tIe city, and out of a population of s 200 white people. considering that ] onlv the members of the Sunday 1 schools of the Cradle Roll and tho | Home Departments were in the party, 1 the showing was fine. especially from | a religious standpoint.
 1 That Montgomery was selected as the place of outing and that those peo- ! nIe were eager to take the aixtv-fve- i mile ride to avail themselves of the 1 opportunity of spending one day in the i Capital City speaks volumes for Mont | gornery While Pickett Springs was : the picnic ground. few there were of i those i.2oo people who did not visit the city during the, day.
 The picnic train came over the , Western Railway. leaving opciika ut 7:45 o'clock yesterday morning and reaching the picnic grounds at 10;3o o'clock At the ent-off switch near Pickett Springs, the Montgomery Trac- ton Company allowed the train to pc switched to the Springs over the Trac- ton Company's line and also rendered the grounds. for the occasion.
 The only occurrence to mar the pleas ure of the occasion was the stoppage of the Traction Companys cars Tor nearly two hours in the forenoon. Just after the picnic train reached the cut of at the Traction Company's switch the engine smokestack became en- tangled in the trolly wire. tearing them down and creating quite com motion. The greatest damage was to A AZ yhsA wanted to come on into Montgomery before am ner and on account of the mishsp nao to wait till the wires could be repaiFea sohich required nearly two hours.
 The train was chartered by the bus mess men of Opelika. and all the ex- pense Of the trip excepting the oaspet dinner. was the gift of Opelika's bisl- ness men Id the Sunday Schools. John Allen Jones one of Opelika's prominent business men and great Sunoar School worker of the First Methodist Church was the chairman of the com fnittee of arrangements and personally looked after the comfort or the pc nickers. He was ably assited og fsa aptain J. L. Dean of the Presbyferlan f~hurch. I. c. Street of the Methodist Church and R. H. Boyd of the Baptist Church.
 Eleven coaches were used coming hut the committee asked for another coach for the return trip as a great many stood up all the way.
 When the hour for dinner arrived the 500 feet of table under the baroe- cue shed was quickly filled and many had to spread their dinners on the rround under the trees. Large num- bers of Montgomery people sweiled the crowd at the Springs during the afternoon for almost every one had friends and curiosity carried many to see the. crowd.
 An Advertiser reporter approacned MT. Jones the chairman. and while that gentleman superintended the making oI several large tubs of lemonade with which to quench the thrist, of the crowd. he talked of his town and or the sunray Schools of his town.
 Out of population of 3.2oo white people" he said Eve have so per cent. members of our Sunday Schools. Opelika Sunday Schools are the big ecst In the Sate, and you know thatY
 ''Yes. for you must remember that there was recently held the State Sun dpv School Convention in Montgomery and statistics were thoroughly alreu, making Opelika the banner schools or the state" was the reply.
 well that was right" he continued, Last Sunday there were present at the four schools represented here to- day, 9S3 pupils. Al the First Metno- dist school alone, there were 47S per sons in attendance.
 one year ago, on a special occasion, at the First Methodist Church there were 500 present. Yes, we were glad to come to Montgomery. It is great old town and we Opelika people swear by The Advertiser. It is a great paper We all take 1t. and we read if too
 At 5 o'clock in the afternoon tired. but happy party boarded the train for the homeward trip.