Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-05

departure or 6he balloons.
Outside Of the balloon races to-
days program centered about the
800 mayors Of American citles
who are the guests OF the munich
paIity this week. Speeches Of well
come and responses were deliver
ed today.
ST. Louis, Oct. 4.Fifteen thousand
enthusiastic and curious persons tried
to board four tiny torpedo boats at the
same time Sunday afternoon. The
boats wouldn't hold them, and part of
the overflow, numbering 153, were
pushed into the Mississippi, to be
drawn ashore by police. sailors and
others. Many were tranpled under foot
when two squads of police reserves
charged the crowds to drive them back
from the boats.
The torpedo fiotilla, whose officers
and crews are the first of the official
guests at ST. Louis one -.nndredth
birthday party, anchored at the leyee
in the afternoon, and the public was
allowed to inspect the vessels. A small
squad of police was stationed at the
Iwharfboat to which the boats were an
chored to keep the visitors in line.
In an hour the squad had been in
creased to sixty and the policemen
! We're hustled about roughly. There was
not square foot on the torpedo boats
above or below that was not crowded
and twice as many persons on the
wharf boat were trying to shove their
way aboard.
| Scores of women tainted. These were
carried into the wharfboat at the land
| ing. The police, as a last resort, began
to thurnp heads with their clubs, and
the executive officer of the fleet ORDER
ed the boats closed to the public. The
greater part of the crowd, which was
good natured though rough, dispersed
No sooner had they gone than another
multitude arrived and the pushing
lstampeding and cracking of heads
were repeated.
Yesterdays Program.
Centennial week was inaugurated
! here yesterday at o'clock by the
blowing of whistles and ringing OF
were devoted to centennial themes. In
the afternoon 5000 children assembled
in the Coliseum and sang patriotic and
religious songs. Twenty Thousand
Catholic children gathered at the same
4 time for services at the statue of st
Louis in Forest park. Bishop John j
Hennessy of Wichita, Kans., celebrat-
LED mass and Archbishop John j. Gseln-
| mon made an address.
! Those who did not attend the relig-
/ ious services flocked to the levee to jim
spect the torpedo boat flotilla in sucf
members that the police were power
less to control the throng for a time.
The aero grounds drew many thou
sands, who viewed the airship and ba-
Icons which \, ere made ready for to-
/ days races. Orman. with Farmar
aeroplane, arrived yesterday. Ten bal
looms will ascend today. Prizes have
been offered for time and distance ant
the entrants hope to win the Lain
cup by exceeding ATS miles. Il
The first race will be for balloons ot
10000 cubic feet capacity with the bal.
lloons Missouri, Aero club of ST. Louis
Peoria, Aircraft club of Peoria, ant
Indiapalolis. Aero club Of Indiana, a
Ientrants.
The second race for balloons of so,
900 cubic feet capacity which will star
at 4 o'clock today has seven entries
| Three of them are owned by member
lof the Aero club of st. Louis and ar,
the ST. Louis III. Centennial and Uni
lversity City Other entrants are Hoos
Iier. Aero club of Indiana; New Yorl
and Pommern, Aero club of America
land the Cleveland of Cleveland.
I During the day hundreds of adver
4 tising balloons have been turned loos
with rewards for their return.