Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-09-12
ROYAL WELCOME
GIVEN BOOSTERS
GREAT CROWDS GREET RETAIL
MERCHANTS IN TOWNS ON
I MILWAUKEE LINE.
BLAKE MAKES BIG HIT

BLAKE MAKES BIG HIT
Popular soloist With Fifty-Fourth
Proves to be Big Drawing Card
Prominent Attorneys Make
Speeches.
| The Retail Merchants special train
carrying seventy-five boosters, speak
ers, band, soloist and press men ar
rived in the city Thursday evening at
9:15 from one of the most successful
trips ever taken by this organization.
With decided odds against them on
account Of the weather, the party left
Ottumwa Thursday morning shortly
after s o'clock. A steady downpour Of
rain greeted them at the stations until
about noon time when the skies
frightened a little and the rain ceased.
These showers did not dampen the en-
thusiasm manifested by the men on
the trip and it certainly did not de-
tract from the rousing welcome which
greeted the boosters at every stop.
Large crowds were gathered at the
stations and escorted the visitors to
the speaking places. Here the mayor
or some other town official welcomed
the boosters and he was followed by
one or two talks given by the speakers
of the day. The band led the pro-
cessions through the towns and played
during the gatherings held at each
place. These numbers were varied
by selections from the soloist Edward
Blake.
While the rain detracted to some ex-
tent from the plans which had been
made at Williamsburg, yet an excel
lent gathering was held at that place
in the Trojan opera house. The boos-
tiers stayed there about an hour
and John w. Lewis made the
opening address. After thanking the
williamsburg people for the generous
reception Mr.. Lewis was followed by
Senator John F. Weber, who deliver
ed a rousing booster address. r. j..
Shanahan, secretary of the associa-
ton, followed Mr.. Weber, and he dis
cussed the organization of the trip and
the ideas that prompted it. A COM
mittee of Williamsburg boosters con-
DR.. F. G. Bowman, Harry Dunlap, j. c..
Nickler, Elmer Pugh, Walter Durr, G.
H. Thomas, j. w. Yates, ]. j. Williams,
James Keegan, Bert Keil, D. G. Lewis,
]. D. Lewis, J. H. Penly, Orson Har-
rington and Gene Pagan of Marion,
who has been officiating as race start
er at the Williamsburg fair, met the
boosters on the trip UP and accom-
panied them to Conroy and return.
AS the train left they passed cigars to
the Ottumwans.
At Parnell the boosters marched up
the principal street to the town hall
where the meeting was held on ac-
count Of the Indictment weather. Al
ter an Introductory speech by M. B.
Hutchinson, George Heindel and Mr.
Shanahan spoke, the band played one
selection and Mr.. Blake sang.
Ladies' Serve Dinner.
Dinner was served the party by the
First Christian church ladies in the
basement of the church at North Eng
fish. Led by the band the men
marched to the church frst where a
sumptuous dinner was served. The
return trip to the business part OF
town was made over the same route
to the opera house. About two hun
dred and fifty people were gathered
in the building when the boosters ar
rived. Places were provided on the
large stage for the members of the
band and they opened the meeting
with several selections. John W..
Lewis was the first speaker at that
place and he discussed to some extent
the present war raging In the coul-
tries across the seas and emphasized
the great need for thankfulness on
the part of the people In this country
that they were not experiencing some
of the same calamities. Mr. Blake fol-
lowed with his popular solo, open
the Gates of the Temple" This made
tremendous hit with the audience
and he responded with when Dream
of Old Erin" George Heindel told
his hearers Of the great need in every
day commercial, social and cultural
life to work together. Mayor j. w.
Erwin met the boosters at the, train
and headed the procession.
At Webster Mayor John Bowman
met the train and escorted the party
to the town hall where several short
speeches and a number Of musical
numbers were given,
Big Crowd at Sigourney.
At Sigourney there were about two
hundred people at the station to meet
the boosters. The party marched to
the square, circling 1t entered the
court house yard, where the first out
door meeting of the day was held.
Dan W. Hamilton gave the welcoming
address and he was followed by Sena-
tor Weber, Mr.. Lewis and Mr..
Heindel. Mr. Blake gave several solos
here and the band played number of
selections. The court house yard was
filled to overfowing with spectators
and listeners. The procession march.
ed back to the station by different
route than when arriving and they
were off for Hayesville. A two hour
stop was made at Sigourney.
At Hayesville the meeting was held
at the station and r. J. Shanahan
made short address and the musical
numbers were given on the platform.
Many Out at Hedrick.
Despite the cool, damp weather OF
the evening there was a large crowd
out at Hedrick to greet the merchants