The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-11-24
VISITING FARMERS
ENJOY EXCURSION
To Pretty Welaka and Par
take of Barbecued
Dinner.

Wednesday was picnic day at the
Farmers Convention. And according
to arrangements the visiting dele
gates were all given a steamer ride
oak shaded Welaka, where they were
the guests Of the good people of that
town for the day.
The trip was made on the steamer
Civedon of the Beach q Miller Line,
and as the boat pulled out from the
dock in the morning just as the sun
was dispensing the thick mists, it was
happy crowd that filled her decks.
A colored orchestra made music on
the main deck and those Georgia boys
mad a hard time to keep their feet
still. When the string band ceased
the newly formed cornet band under
the direction of Prof. Seger struck
up lively airs. To many Of the visit
ors steamboat ride was a new pleas
ure and che that they enjoyed to the
full
Welaka is on the east bank of the
river, scme % nciles above Palatka.
The town is situated on high bank
and is beautifully shaded with wide
spreading live oak. On arrival the
visitors were met by the towns peo-
pie and escorted to the park, where
tables and speakers stond had been
erected. Here before the serving of
dinner, a umber Of addresses were
made.
Mayor Frank E. Reeder, who was
i'll ard unable to make the address of
welcome, WGs represented by Rev. W..
P. Troutman, who in a few cordial
words of welcome put the visitors at
ease. His address was followed by
others from representative visitors,
including Hon. w. A. Bowen of Paris,
Texas, editor of the Farmers Fire
side Bulletin, Hon. w. P. Young, ag-
ricultural agent of the Southern Pa
cific Railraw; Hon. w. C. Langdon
of Kansas, and late candidate for
governor; J. J. Brown of Georgia and
others. These addresses were all
bright and filled with interest both
for the people of the town and the
delegates.
The barbecued dinner followed,
served on long tables spread under
the oaks. The menu consisted of
beef, pork, fish chowder, bread, pick
les, hot coffee, ETC., followed with an
abundance of fresh oranges, tango
rines and grapefruit.
The people of Welaka were the soul
of hospitality; the visitors, many of
whom had never seen an orange
grove, were permitted to go through
them at will and pick what fruit they
wanted, and hundreds of them accept
ed the invitation. The day was one
of unalloyed pleasure to all the dele
gates and the experience novel in its
every feature.
Mr.. Bowen in his address referred
glowingly to the river trip and de-
clared that "the upper reaches of the
St. Johns for scenic beauty and classic
picturesqueness could not be supass-
ed by any river in the world, and he
had traversed all the famous water
courses both at home and abroad"
The party returned to Palatka just
at dusk More than fifty of the re
turning eXcursionsts told The News
that nothing in the way of pleasure
could have been provided that could
have taken the place of the river trip
to Welaka. eve will always remem-
Der little Welaka," said one enthu-
siastic matron.
The dinner was supurb. 1t was
barbecued as only an artist like Ju-
lus Neubeck knows how Mr.. Neu
beck went up on Tuesday and did the
work.
Many visitors also made the trip
to Welaka in autos, thereby having
opportunity to view the big camphor
farm.