Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-08-12
FIFTH ANNUAL PICNIC
Given by St. Louis Sugar Com
pany to It's Sugar Beet Crow
ers and Employees.
EIGHT THOUSAND PRESENT
Sugar Beet Farmers and Their Families
Come From Miles Around.-Af-2
fair Huge Success

ST Louis Sugar company TO its en-
ployees was held at ST. Louis, Wednes-
day, August 5th Over 5000 farmers
were in attendance and it was big
success from start to finish. Besides
the regular features, there were
several new ones which served to en-
liven the occasion and at least two
of these were not on the regular
program.
The crowd began coming soon after
six a. m. and by noon the village
streets and the grounds about the
sugar factory were crowded. They
came on foot, on wheels, in wagons
and carriages and by train load from
every direction. Some were from
Howard City on the west, from Mt.
Pleasant and Midland on the north,
from Saginaw on the east and from
Owosso on the south and in addition
TO these were many guests from out
side points including Senator William
Alden Smith, Railroad Commissioner
Glasgow, of Lansing; Hon. Watts
S Humphrey, of Saginaw; Hon.
Francis H. Dodds, of Mt. Pleasant;
Directors Geo w. Browning and ]. ].
Cappon, of Holland; c. T. Wright, OF
Greenville; ]. J. Bale, of Lakeview;
State Senate J. H. Whitney, of
Merrill, vice-president of the COM
pany, F. II. Case, of Santa Anna, Cal.
B. A. Church and w L. Young, of St.
Louis, Jochaim Allen, ]. G. Kreis,
Senator Ely, of Alma, Editor Bert
dorf, of the National Farmer at Bay
City Fred Griswod, of Ithaca, Thos.
Doyle and E. Contant, of Merrill,
and many others.
These picnics here come to be an
annual holiday of pleasure for the en-
ployees of the company, the beet
growers and the officers and the di-
rectors OF the company. And this
years gathering was no exception TO
the rule Three bands, one from Sag
inaw in natty blue uniform, one from
Pleasant Valley, composed of sugar
beet farmers, in dashing Rough
Rider uniforms and one St. Louis own
city band in neat well-htting white
duck suits, took turns in furnishing
music for the crowd
The big sugar factory was thrown
wide open for the visitors and appro-
priately draped in flags and bunting
for the occasion. Inside and outside
long tables were set and at noon
everyone sat down to a real old
fashioned country picnic dinner 1t
was a dinner worth going miles TO
eat Cold fried chicken, sandwiches
of every known variety, salads,
cheeses, bread and home made butter,
baked beans, cakes and great grout
| pies OF apple. cocoanut custard, berry,
and other kinds such as farmers
wives know best how to make. Cof-
fee was served in big bright shining
tin cups by the company. Everyone
ate all he could and to the credit of
those in charge, there was enough to
have fed the crowd again.
Another feature worthy of men
! ton is the free lemonade stand Here
lemonade was served all day long in
immense barrels which were filled
again and again. And it was not the
circus variety either but real, rich,
luscious lemonade, sweetened by the
company's own sugar, and smacking
good. Over 1000 gallons were given
out free.
The office was used as a reception
room for the guests of the company
and was a center of interesting ma
tional, state and local gossip during
the day.
Everyone wanted 10 see Senator
William Alden Smith as il was the
occasion of his first visit to St. Louis
since he became Senator Michigan's
junior Senator was at his best and he
not only had the opportunity to meet
many old friends but he made many
new ones Rich in anecdote and re-
miniscencc, he proved an agreeable
entertainer all day long. All we're
glad 10 see him and accorded him a
hearty welcome into our midst.
The people enjoy the opportunity of
meeting their state representatives in
this way and knowing that nothing
pleases Senator Smith more than to
meet and rub elbows with the COM
mon people, it is sincerely hoped
other occasions will soon arise where
by he can repeat his visit. He may
rest assured he will always get a
hearty welcome for all liked him and
none could resist the dashing William
Alden style of meeting and making
friends of everyone.
Another. who came in for much at
tention during the day and who was
warmly greeted was Francis II.
Dodds, of Mt. Pleasant. Mr.. Dodds
was with Cong. Darragh much
OF the time but he was in the house
of his friends all the time. His quiet
modest demeanor won him friends
on every side, and from the general
trend of remarks it was easily seen
that his candidacy for congress from
this district is meeting with great
favor in this end OF the district. The
affair as a whole was signal success
and too much praise and credit cannot
be given manager Case and his asso-
ciates for the admirable manner in
which it was handled
The new feature was the speaking.
II was not on the program that any
speech should be upon politics In
fact, the management were anxious
to avoid that subject and should be
otveo credit for thar oood ,ofcrt,ox,s