Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-28
10000 I0WANS GATHER
Annual Picnic on Feb. p Brinas To-
eether Largest Crowd in History Of
Iowa Association, - Seventy nine
Smaller Picnics in One.

ltrom the Los Angeles Times]
With more than $4,000 men, women
and children dotting a mile and a half
! OF the greensward, riding the scenic
railway and rowing. on the lake. the
Iowa Association of Southern Calfor-
MIA held their seventeenth annual WIN
ter picnic yesterday afternoon in East
lake park. 1t was the largest picnic
| ever held in California, and according
to some of the enthusiastic officers of
! the society, the largest ever held any
where.
| The picnic was in fact the joining of
ninety-nine smaller picnics. The COM
mittee in charge OF arrangements had
placed poles. each pole bearing the
name of one of the ninety-nine coun-
ties of Iowa. Each county headQuar-
tiers had registration bureau. and the
former residents of that county were
expected to spend most of his time in
his own section. In this way, conges-
ton was avoided to d certain slight
extent.
Directly opposite the boat house, and
as near the center as possible. the
speakers stand was erected. Near by
large banner announced headquarters
for the thirty one colleges and univer-
sites of the Hawkeye state. and few
yards away another banner called to
the members of the Fifty first Iowa
regiment, Spanish war veterans
The crowds began to arrive shortly
after II O'Clock. 1t was not long before
the curbings around the park We're
lined with automobiles and late ar
rivals were forced to park their cars
sometimes almost mile from the park.
Special street car service brought
other thousands. and 81 ncon the park
was filled. Everybody had been warned
to bring their own lunch, but even with
this warning, the popcorn and ice cream
stands did q land office business.
Shortly after l o'clock eX-Judge
Taft, president of the local Huwkeye
organization. mounted the speakers
stand and opened the program with a
short address. Little groups detached
themselves from the various poles, and
walked toward the speakers stand.
Within short time 10000 persons were
packed in front of ,he boathouse. and
yet no diminishing of the number in
VIM aS1t ioiio vi Inc pal n <ipPal
ent.
The speakers introduced by Judge
Taft gave the audience an opportunity
to hear varied program. Frank Gotch,
heavyweight wrestling champion of the
world, took his turn on the platform
with Gardner Cowles, publisher of the
Des Moines Register and Evening Trib-
une. and Mrs. Isaac Lear Hills. presi-
dent of the Mothers Congress of Iowa.
G. H. Parsons, secretary of the FEEDER
ated State Societies. read d telegram
from Senator Cummins in which the lat
ter expressed regret in being unable TO
attend. Another message from Governor
Clarke, of Iowa, was also read. sending
his greetings to his former people. The
Iowa Society of San Francisco wired
their best wishes.
Other speakers OF prominence in
man: walks CT life told how glad they
were to be present. Because Of the
great number of picnickers and also
because they considered the day tee
fine to waste on games, no regular pro
gram Of entertainment had been ar
ranged. The picnickers were permit
/ ted to do as they pleased. and this ev-
identity pleased them more than any
thing else