Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-08-20
Immense Crowd From All Parts
OF the County at Annual
Reunion
WEATHER AIDED THE PLANS
A Perfect Summer Day Makes Annual
Picnic of Early Settlers Success
Many Old People From the County
Attend = Program Both Morning
and Afternoon.

Pioneers from all parts of the coun-
friends. including hundreds of the
younger generations, formed a gather
ing that ran into the thousands at the
thirty fourth annual picnic and reun-
ion of the Marshall County Old Set
tiers association, held at Riverview
park today A perfect summer day,
tempered with the mildness of early
fall, made weather conditions which
left nothing to be desired.
1t was estimated this afternoon that
not less than 5000, and perhaps as
many as 1000, people were at the park.
The morning crowds was not so large,
but those that arrived soon after din
ner swelled the attendance rapidly.
Many Old People Attend.
The ideal weather conditions made it
possible for very many old people, the
pioneers and early settlers of the
county, ito attend.
Officers of the association estimated
that in the number Of bona fide old
settlers who attended the reunion to-
day eclipsed all previous similar gath
erings.
Riverview park, with its ample acre
age, abundant shade, and good walks
and drives, made an ideal place for
the reunion. The only handicap was
the lack of transportation facilities.
Practically all the buses and hacks of
the city We're pressed into service, and
did thriving business. Hundreds up
on hundreds were carried to the
grounds in this way, but hundreds of
others, especially those from the
country, drove in their own convey
ances. Hundreds of others walked to
the park. despite the distance.
Crowd Has Good Time.
The older members of the picnic
crowd, and especially the old settlers,
gathered about the grounds in groups
to talk over old days when the county
was thinly settled and this city was
but hamlet A few were there who
were pioneers before Marshalltown had
been born. The younger generation
found other things to amuse them. A
"bowery" dance, rry-go-round.. the
baby racks. and the park animals
each drew it's quota of participants or
Spectators. The animal cages were sur
rounded by a crowd all day.
The Morning Program.
1t was shortly before 10 o'clock when
the Marshalltown Union band, which
marched from the business district to
the park, arrived on the ground and
signaled the formal opening of the
morning half of the days program,
which began with the invocation by
Rev. l.. 3. HiX.
Mayor O. l.. Ingledue bade the old
settlers and the picnickers welcome to
the city, ana Rev. Frank M. Wheeler
responded to the welcome in behalf of
the association, of which he is presi-
dent.
Band and male quartet music fol-
lowed, and the program was closed
with an address by City Solicitor F..
e. Northup Mr.. Northup spoke for
half an hour, and he devoted the first
half of the time to reviewing briefly
the early history of Iowa and the
county. He praised the bravery, forti-
tude and sterling qualities of the pio-
neers who came to the prairie Wild
erness Of central Iowa and transformed
it into the abiding place of a prosper
Gus, happy, and contented people.
The Afternoon Program.
Many had with them picnic dinners
and during the interlnission preceding
the afternoon program these spread
their meals upon the grass. A short
program by the band preceded the
opening of the afternoons program.
Rev. Xix offered the invocation.
The principal speakers OF the after
noon were Jerry S. Green and ]. E.
Stanton. Miss Frazer gave a reading,
and between the addresses and her
reading there was music by the band
and the male quartet.
Several short addresses were given
on the general topic of "reminiscences
of the early days of the county by A.
p. Woolston, of State Center; Samuel
Mooney, of Clemens; j. A. Lynch, of
Green Mountain; Rev John Mont
gomery, of Albion, and Benjamin r.
Nichols, ]. C. Meyers, Joseph N. Cooper
and w. III. Calhoun, of this city.