Connecticut western news., 1914-08-20
THE SHEEP ROAST
Republicans From All Over the State
 Have Field Dal at Bridgeport.

annual Field Day and sheep Roast of the Bridgeport Republican Club, Satur- day, including Chairman J. Henry Roraback, of the Republican State Committee. and NIr. E. A. Crcevey, n former resident of Bri ri3gepnrt and ex-U. :. Consul to various cities in Germany aId other countries. It was gather ing of the republican clans from all parts of the state, aud the attendance is estimated at somewhere between 2,00o and 5000 patriots.
 Previous to the departure of the hosts from the headquarters of the Republi- can Club, for the street parade and the start for AerOlrome Park, tie State Committee held a meeting, over which Mir. Roraback presided, and fixed upon September and 10 as the dates on which the state convention will be held, at the Hyperion Theatre, New Haven, when United States Senator Frank Brandegee will be the temporary-and of course, permanent-chairman
 The parade, of marchers and guests ill automobiles, headed by a platoon of police and the Wheeler & Wilson Band, was novel feature, and was witnessed | by immense throngs, who viewed the festive statesmen with as much interest as if it had been circus parade with elephants and open dens of lions and snakes. The procession was inter spersed with bands and drum corps so close together that martial strains l tangled with rag time and the exhilarat- ing tempo of the Tango blended discord- antly with Onward, Christian Soldier" in way that baffled the efforts of the parading patriots to work their hay feet and straw feet in unison but they got there just the same.
 On arrival at the Park, lunch was served, consisting of clam chowder, potato and beef salads, etc., which served as an appetizer for the sheep roast later in the afternoon. The sheep. roasting operations were watched with interest by the crowds. Forty sheep were suspended over fire, on "spits," and the aroma, as the chefs "basted" the carcasses with melted butter, was such as to make the patriots breathe deep and fast.
 Baseball and athletic contests had been arranged for the delectation of the sport-loving element, and there was something doing all the time The principal attraction was the oratory, in the front of the crowded grand-stand. In the exact center of the space reserved for the speakers and distinguished guests sat J. Henry Roraback, fianked on either side by United States Senators, former governors, lieutenant-governors ex-Congressmen, state officials and would d-be's. Speeches, stirring and eloquent, were made by Mayor Wilson, of Bridgeport, Senators George F. Mclean and Brandegee and former Con- gressman E. J. Hill, who reused their hearers to high pitch of enthusiasm that almost-but not quite-made them oblivious of that soul-satisfying aroma from the sizzling sheep, several rods distant. The speakers list had to be cut short because the speakers speeches had been cut so long, and the sun kept moving into the west, while the aroma from the sheep-ba bake grew constantly more and more assertive- Mir Roraback, who was down for a speech, didn't make one, but, as one account stated, "he handed out little straight from the shoulder talk in which he assured everybody that the convention was going to be real con- vention in every sense of the word and that no slate was going to be made by the state central committee, collectively or individually. This assurance, from the state chairman, somewhat non- plussed certain of the visiting scribes who may have misinterpreted the assurance of Secretary Robinson that it was going to be great day for "news gathering ill republican politics. q As if there wasn't news enough in tue parade, (which, by the way, formed under the windows of the democratic Bridgeport Farmer office, and in full view of the Farmers peppery editorial writer, Lynn Wilson, who is said to be u potential candidate for the democratic gubernatorial nomination;) the parade which, under the regulations of the police, giving it the right of way on the streets, held up for 20 minutes the automobile in which Theodore Roosevelt was hastening to Hartford, to the bull moose gathering; the oratory of the eloquents; the preparation and serving or the sheep-roast; the ball game, and all the other enlivening incidents of the festive occasion. There was news everywhere. And to some there was news even in J. Henry's frank and candid assurance.
 The serving of the roast concluded the festivities, so far as Aerodrome Park was concerned, and the multitude made their way back to the city and departed-most of them-at once for ] their several homes.
 It was day of triumph for John T. King, who engineered it, and for !. Alex. H. Robinson, who looked after the details. And it certainly showed an awakened and awakening interest in politics at an early stage of the game. |