The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-09-05
Old Settlers Of County Hold An
nuaI Reunion at Paddocks
Lake on Thursday
COOPER MAKES FINE ADDRESS
Praises the Work Of the Pioneers and
Tells the Story of His Famous
Trip With Taft to the
Philippine Islands

For the first time in more than a de-
cade the elements we're unconsider
ate of the Old Settlers of Kenosha
county on Thursday and the picnic,
which was held at Paddocks Lake,
while success in many ways, lacked
many of the elements that has made
it the one big event of the summer in
the county in other years. Paddocks
Lake was one of the wettest places in
southern Wisconsin Thursday morn
ing and during the early hours of the
afternoon, but Notwithstanding this
fact crowd of more than thousand
people were at the park. They stood
about in the rain and wandered into
the pavilion and while some of them
were soaked with the downpour of
rain, all of them seemed to be having
a good time. In the afternoon when
out the crowd increased and hun
dreds of people from the sur
rounding farms came to the Old Set
tiers grounds to attend the meeting
in the pavilion. The dance given in
the evening was one of the most sue
cessful ever given on the grounds.
Notwithstanding the rain there was
a large attendance of the Old Settlers
at the picnic and some of them drove
a dozen miles just to DE able to clasp
the hands of the pioneers and recall
the incidents of other times.
President Stocker and Secretary
Bishop were on hand early in the rain
and remained until the last dance in the
evening. One of the interesting fea-
lures of the day was the picture gal
1ery prepared by Photographer Fred
Schroeder, of Kenosha. In the gal
1ery we're hung the portraits Of more
than three hundred of the pioneer
settlers of the county and city and af-
ter the picnic was over yesterday Mr..
Schroeder presented the group of
pictures to the Old Settlers club.
asset to the club property and they
are priceless III value. Many of them
could never be reproduced.
The gathering at the pavilion in
the afternoon was one of the most
successful ever held in connection
with the Old Settlers picnic. The
crowd at the grounds was just large
enough to fill the pavilion comfort
ably. Music for the day was fur.
nished by the Union Grove Cornet
Band and orchestra, and after the
opening band concert President
Stocker introduced Asa Foster Smith.
an old resident of the county, who
had not been in Wisconsin in forty
years, who read an original poem, en-
titled, MANDY
Then there was more music, after
which Congressman H. A. Cooper, of
Racine, was introduced as the speaker
of the day. Congressman Cooper was
in happy vein and his address was
one Of the finest ever heard on the
Old Settlers grounds. He spoke of
the pioneer history of the county and
paid fitting tribute to the pioneers
who had laid the foundation for the
county's greatness, and paid no un-
certain tribute to the sacrifices that
these men and women had made in.
the early days. Later in his address
he told the story of his famous trip
with the Taft party to the Philippines
bringing out the most interesting
points in connection with this famous
trip of thousands of miles. The Con-
gresham did not talk politics, as he
seemed to be of the opinion that the
gathering of the old settlers was
hardly place for candidates and
politics.
Following the meeting of the direct
ors of the club was held but no bust
ness of Importance was transacted.
There was nothing but the rain to
mar the pleasure of the day. In the
morning the Kenosha visitors to the
picnic had little excitement on ac-
count of the fact that the train was
not run over to the picnic grounds as
had been agreed upon and it was re-
ported that wash out had made it
impossible for the company to run the
train to the grounds. An investiga-
ton showed that some of the men who
had busses for the use of the people
were behind the wash out story and
after two hours wait the men in
charge of the train received orders to
run it over to the lake.