Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-03-02
SOUTHERN california
IS Scene OF PICNIC OF
north DAKOTA SOCIETY
Many Former Residents of State Have
Splendid Outing
James W. Foley.

JdHSo W. TOtSys
LOS ANGELES, Cal March 2.-1f
you want to get some idea of the
manner in which the populations OF
the middle west states, have been
drawn upon to ballld' up the state of
California, and especially the south
ern part of California, you should at
tend the "state picnics'' which are
feature at just about this season OF
the year. Annually, these former
residents of the states get together
in one of the parks or groves about
here and exchange "reminiscences OF
old days, before they came out to
California. They are loyal SONS and
daughters, too and their love for the
old states is expressed not only by
their enthusiasm i'm promoting these
picnics, but in their words on these
occasions. In the past few days
Iowa, Montana, Utah, Michigan, and
North Dakota have held their annual
reunions, and although the weather
has been unusually cool and windy
for California, the attendance and en-
thuslasm were by no means diminish
ed.
I think Iowa has contri buted more
people to the population OF LOS
Angeles and its environs than amy
other OF the states. At a picnic OF
the Iowa society held a few days ago
there were more than 10000 former
Iowans in attendance, and it is stated
there are over $4,000 people in this
vicinity who were FORMER residents
of the Hawkeye state. The Iowa
people maintain a permanent organ
izatiom here with an office and a Sec
Rotary. Michigan also numbers
great colony of former settlers and
they held their picnic ON the same
day as the Month Dakota reundnon.
Mrs. Rose Hartwick Thorpe, who
wrote "Curfew SHAH Not Ring To-
Might" a blessed reminder OF old
rhetorical days" in school, was pres
ent at the Michigan reunion and read
parts of this rather celebrated poem.
And North Dakota, not to be outdone
by Michigan. had q poet to offer as
we'll, and the laureate of the Fltcker-
tadl state read "The Letter Home
and another characteristic verse, and
the attention and enthusiasm 1ndtcar
ted that Michigan had nothing on
North Dakota. The Month Dakota
society is seven or eight years old
and has grown from few struggling
visitors to California to a society Of
seven or eight hundred, which is full
of enthusiasm for California, and
wholesome and kindly recollection OF
old days in the Dakotas.
The North Dakota reunion was
held Saturday i'm Sycamore Grove,
which is out on the line to South
Pasadena. Sycamore grove Is tract
OF several acres grown up to Immense
sycamores. eucalyptus, and other
trees. and is provided with benches,
speaking platform and the other con-
veniences necessary for such an
occasion. Although the day was
windy and cold the usual unusual
weather-there were five or six hund'
red visitors who brought their basket
dinners, ate them at long tables pro.
vided for that purpose exchanged
greetings and recollections, and after
ward listened to addresses and rat1'
fled the SELECTION of officers for the
ensuing year. Mayor E. R. Kennedy,
formerly of Dickey county and at one
time head Of the MILESTONE Hills
battlefield commission, was president
of the society for the past year. The
major has been enthusiastic i'm en-
larging the North Dakota association,
and has worked under the handicap
of i'll health, from which he has SUI
tered for the past seven or eight
months. but from which am happy
to say he is recovering. A. NJ.
Gamble, Of the Leach and Gamble
company of Wahpeton, now at 745
Hartford avenue, Los Angeles, is go
retary of the association, and he was
On charge of the details for the annual
meeting. A register by counties was
provided in which the North Dakotans
inscribed their names, with their
present homes in California and their
FORMER homes in North Dakota. Prac-
tically all of the counties in the state
were represented at the meeting.
shalt get the complete List when 1t ts
transcribed by the secretary, and send
1t on to show where the Month Dakota
reputation of California CAME from.
! It will be a pretty long list, too. and
! interesting, because there are many
out here OF whose presence I did not
know until the day of the reunion
and of whose residence i'm California
you will not know until you learn
| it from the list.
: NJ, II. Kilt, the we'll known Tower
| City merchant and temperance work
! or wan chosen az president Of the