The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1908-09-29
THOUSANDS FED
AT The BARBECUE
UNIQUE FEATURE OF THE TAFT
CELEBRATION WAS A PRO-
NouNcED SUCCESS = EVERY
BODY WAS IN GOOD HuMoR
AND ENJOYED THE FEAST.

Just how many people were fed at
the big barbecue which was held
within short distance of the speak
er's platform in Island park is hard to
accurately estimate, but suffice it to
say that there was little of the large
spread left when the last one asking
for piece of the delicious meat sand
wiches was supplied. That thousands
were fed was fully demonstrated by
the fact that few OF the thousand
loaves of bread and 10000 buns were
left over. Dozens OF men were busily
engaged making the delicious bun and
bread sandwiches for the throng who
fought to get possession of the morsel
of food.
There was only one drawback to
the barbecue, and was unavoidable,
as far as those who conducted the
feast were concerned. There should
have been several police at this part
of the ground for the purpose Of keeL-
ing gang of boys quiet who made
life miserable for those who wished
to get their share of the food. These
boys crowded and showed repeatedly,
after they had all that they could
eat and made 1t difficult for others
to obtain their share of the feast
The site of the barbecue was desig-
mated by lanrge bonfire. the cheer
full light of which IS spread over the
scene, and with thousands of people
all In the very best of humor It was
"a sight from which the poets could
have drawn food for an extensive
series of verses.
Everybody was anxious for a piece
of the roast beef or lamb and it was
simply a matter of patience for any
one to be served. Large numbers of
women were in the throng and took
the buffeting of the crowd without a
murmur in order to secure a coveted
sandwich.
The serving OF the food started
shortly after 6 o'clock and continued
until long after the presidential can
didate had finished his address at the
park. 1t was a feature of the entire
celebration in which everybody was
interested and it is doubtful If there
were hundred people who were not
served. The greatest rush occurred
Immediately after the speaker had
finished his address, when the thou
sands of people who listened to him in
the parry made their way to the long
table which surrounded the pit and
pushed and showed for a place at the
table where they might obtain at
least a taste of the dainty though
crudely served food.
The members of the seven bands,
which took part in the parade. and the
members OF Co. B, II. D. N. G., were
taken charge of by the management
of the celebration, who saw that they
received goodly portion of the feast.
Out of the thousands that were
present it is doubtful If a third ever
tasted barbecued meat, and their COM
ments on the delicious flavor of the
meat cooked in this way would have
more than repaid those who went to
such trouble and expense to provide
the feature. That it was cooked by
experts was fully attested, and Sem
ator Green, in whose charge this part
of the celebration was vested, and his
able and experienced assistants, Pete
Pellisier and j. F. Brodie OF Dickinson,
are to be complimented on the way in
which the affair was handled
The work entailed was enormous In
the preparation of this part of the
great celebration. All day Sunday a
large force of men were employed in
digging a pit which was at least
eighty feet long and six feet deep and
four feet wide. Crosswise of this pit
four-inch cast iron gas pipe was laid
and lastly on these pipes railroad iron
was placed, all of which formed the
grating on which the carcasses were
cooked. Sunday evening the pit was
filled with maple wood which was set
afire and kept burning all night long,
and yesterday morning when the fire
had burned to solid mass of glowing
embers the quarters of twenty beeves,
forty lambs and as many pigs, tur-
keys, geese and smaller birds were
placed on the CRATE and allowed to
simmer. throughout the day, They
were closely watched by the attend
ants, who from time to time turned
them to insure thorough cooking
and the result was the delicious meat
that will long be remembered by those
who partook of the food. To many it
was the only evening meal that could
be obtained in time to take in the
evening celebration, owing to the
crowded condition of the restaurants
and hotels.
Taken throughout, the barbecue
was at once novel and easily one OF
the features of the stupendous ceie-
bration in honor of the next president
OF the United States, and the Dick
inson people, who were the originators
and furnishers of this part OF the
rally, are greatly complimented on its
success.