Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-11
LACKING SUPPORT,
CALL BANQUET OFF
Semi Centennial Celebration
Committee Forced to Aban-
don Plans.
ONLY THREE RESPONSES
TO ABOUT 1000 APPEALS
Officials Make Plea With Mar
shall to Extend Route
of Parade.

Abandoning hope of selling a SUI
6cient number of tickets to guaran-
tee the success of the affair the men
WHO had charge Of the arrangements
fer the banquet which was to have
elosed the celebration of the semi
centennial of East Orange, advised
the general committee in charge of
the celebration last night to elimin-
ate the feast from the program. 1t
was with regret the committee did
90
Much surprise was voiced when II
developed that only three responses
have been received from about l,ooo
requests to purchase tickets which
were sent to people throughout the
eitv Less than twenty-five tickets
have been sold for the banquet.
Postmaster E. Tracey Lanterman,
chairman of the committee that had
the affair in charge. deplored the
lack of support in a lengthy letter,
which explained why the committee
advised eliminating the banquet. lie
said the committee contemplated nav
ing dollar dinner, but this did not
meet the APPROVAL of the entire COM
mittee. and it was then that the
members arrived at the conclusion
that failure would characterize the
function if it were held. and for that
reason he favored dropping it.
Noted speakers were to have been
invited to deliver addresses, and the
banquet was expected to prove
grand climax to the other events 1t
was not definitely announced where
the committee contemplated holding
1t. but it was almost certainty that
the dinner would be served in the new
arnlory of Battery A, on the Parkway
The lack of support given the affair
creates somewhat of an embarrassing
situation, as the committee had IS
sued invitations TO prominent people
to be present Included among those
who were to be guests were the four
teen surviving men who participated
In the first election of the old town
ship.
To Attend other Dinner.
David L. Pierson, historian general
of the Sons of the American Revolu-
tion, suggested that the committee
arrange to have the men attend the
banquet which is to be given by that
organization Saturday night sug-
gestion that the general committee
appropriate $50 to cover the expenses
of an entertainment for the men met |
with unanimous approval, and the
banquet committee was instructed to
arrange for the affair.
Some of the reasons advanced why
support was not given the dinner
were that a large number of citizens
intend having dinners at their homes
Sor their guests and the sact that
there are to be a number of other
public banauets on Saturday night.
AK Extension of Parade Route.
Yielding to the argument of the
business men of the Fourth and Fifth
wards that it would not be proper
not to have the parade pass through
the lower section of the city, the gem
eral committee which has charge of
the semi centennialc celebration agreed
last night to do all possible to have
Colonel George P. Olcott, marshal,
extend the line of march to Steuben
street. The committee had declined
to have anything to do with the pa
rade feature. taking the attitude that
Mr.. Olcott should have control of the
entire arrangements.
Colonel Olcott was not present at
the meeting. II was generally be-
heved that he remained away antioi
pating stormy developments, until
Colonel Oscar H. Condit explained
that he had to attend another ses-
sion. Seventy-five of the business
men were at the meeting. and every
time word in their favor was spoken
hand clapping would follow for two
minutes a a time But one member
of the general committee. Henry W.
Landau. was opposed TO the body re-
questing Colonel Olcott to extend the
line of march. He believed the action
would be disceurteous to Mr.. Olcott.
W Give Crosby, president of the
Municipal Art League, was spokes
man for the delegation of Fifth ward
citizens. His arguments were very
convincing to the committee mem
hers and they agreed with him that
the parade should pass through the
streets of the lower section. 1t was
upon his suggestion that the com
inittee adopted the resolution asking
Mir. Olcott to extend the line of
march.