Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-08-06

Having at heart the movement IN
augurated for Homecoming" the
PILOT has been gathering data regard
movements in other cities We decided
to write to the editor of the Watertown
Gazette for information, knowing that
that city has had enough experience to
know their worth and have received in
reply the letter given below. The
PILOT wishes to again urge upon every
citizen the importance of handing in
list of names of those whom they know
to have been residents of Wausau at
one time, but who areliying outside the
city now, that they may be invited to
come here. Hand in your names to
Judge Henry Miller, secretary. Here
follows the letter:
WATERFOWL, Wis, Aug. 4, 1907.
DEAR SIR -
Replying to your inquiry of August 3,
1907, regarding the manner of conduct
ing and advertising our annual home
coming write the following
Waterfowl is the pioneer city CT the
state in the matter of having an annual
Homecoming for former residents.
| The idea originated with number OF
former residents of this city who now
reside in Milwaukee. They held a meet.
| ing in that city and sent committee
/ 10 of N IN fol tho
over with our people, the committee
consisting of DIR. Frank j. Toussaint,
Ernst A. Kehr, Jos. Schumacher and
| ex-Alderman Laffey. This committee
metwith the newspaper mon and few
| other WATERFOWL citizens and form.
ulated a program. A day was set and
program arranged at once. 1t con
| sisted of an excursion from Milwaukee
to this city, all the details of which was
looked after by the Milwaukee end OF
this affair. The Milwaukee papers were
used by them to write up the affair. and
large list of names of old WATERFOWL
people was secured, some from the Local
newspapers here, and former Water
town people all over the world were
solicited TO send their names to the sec
rotary of the Milwaukee, WATERFOWL
club in Milwaukee. Names were sent
from Milwaukee, Chicago, New York
al the larger cities of this state, in fact
names were sent in from Maine to Cal
| ifornia.
The Watertown newspaper men and
a few other enterprising men looked
after this end of the homecoming. .
They did considerable advertising
flooded the surrounding country with
small and large posters, the dodgers
being placed in every business house
with the request that everyone whl
entered these places of business was tc
receive dodger and every letter mailed
was also to have a dodger enclosed. A
fund was raised among our business
men to defray the expenses, and all
contributed literally. The business
| houses and private residences were dec
Grated with flags and bunting, and the
local committee looked after decorating
| the streets, which included electric
arches and strings of electric lights fol-
the night time.,
Our homecoming is always held in
July. Saturday night the city is bril-
liantly illuminated, also Sunday night
Sunday morning our band meets al
trains arriving in the city and escorts
all coming up town, and in the after
noon picnic is held at Tivoli island, 9
famous picnic resort here, at which
there is speech making, sports Of
various kinds and refreshments served
| The picnic usually continues till about
| dusk, when all go up town, and Oul
streets for several hours truly represent
| a merry crowd of 'thorae eomers." AS
each train bears our guests away, they
cry out, Keep this thing up. We're
| coming back next year"
For three years a local committee
worked in conjunction with the Mil