Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-02-23
MANY PIONEERS
ATTEND ANNUAL
WINTER PICNIC
Hall at Labor Temple Taxed
to Capacity at Dinner and
Program; Jefferis Makes
Principal Address.

II was a field day for the Douglas
County Association al Nebraska
Pioneers and they made the most
of il. The occasion was the annual
mid-winter picnic and it was at
tended by 200 OF the men and wo-
men who came. to Nebraska when It
was one Of the outposts OF civiliza-
ton. Not only was the picnic at
tended by these sturdy pioneers,
but with them we're something like
800 Of their children and their chilli
dren's children. With this company
recounting events of many years
ago, II could not help but be hap
py and congenial gathering,
The picnic started off with din
ner at noon, spread in the large
dining room of the Labor Temple.
where everything that would tempt
the appetite of the inner man was
spread. Following the dinner there
was a social session, at which the
pioneers recounted events and in
cidents OF the long ago and then
came the program.
Praises Pioneers.
The seating capacity of the large
hall on the third floor of the Temple
building was taxed to its utmost
when President Unit of the Pho
neers announced that everybody
would join in singing America
President Unit paid glowing trib-
ute to the accomplishments of the
Nebraska pioneers and then intro
duced the pioneer of the pioneers,
not a Nebraska man, but Father
Henry belong, who came to Coun-
Gil Bluffs in 1916, and who has since
been a resident of that city.
Father belong, apparently as
hale, hearty and vigorous as the
average man of so, notwithstanding
that he is IS years old, told of his
trip from Nauvoo to Council Bluffs,
coming overland with a party of
1000 Mormons, who, with so teams,
were nearly a month on the road,
In September, 1916, he crossed the
river at point just to the north OF
where the smelter is located and by
so doing, was one of the first white !
men to set foot on Nebraska soil,
not taking into consideration sol
diers at Fort Calhoun and Indian
traders then located at Bellevue.
Iowa was a wilderness, inhabited
by Indians and at Des Moines, aside |
from the fort, there were only three
or four families of whites, they oe-
cupying log cabins on the site of
the present city. .
Many Hardships.
According 10 Father belong, !
many hardships were endured by
the pioneers of the "40s" No crops |
were raised and trips $50 miles dis
tant had to be made into Missouri |
to buy corn for food. This was
ground in hand mills, or soaked in
the I've from wood ashes and then
converted into hominy.
Congressman Jefferis. the speaker
of the afternoon, was greeted with
liberal applause when he was intro-
duced by President Unit. He told
the pioneers that he felt it a dis
tinguished honor to be invited to
address the men and women who
had so much to do in making his
tory for Nebraska and who by their
labors had been instrumental in
changing a wilderness to an area of
millions Of broad acres, growing
abundant crops and inhabited by a
happy and contented people, and
adding, he said:
"You pioneers, not only of Ne
braska, have performed your duty
we'll. Those who came to the
shores of America before you,
came to seek land where they
could enjoy their religious liberty
and the liberty of thought and ac-
tion without interference.
Were Loyal Citizens.
"When you came here it was not
a question of whom you were prior
to that time, nor from what
stock, or country. You were loyal
citizens and you taught your boys
and your girls to love the flag and
obey the laws of the land. You
performed your duty-performed it
well and during the recent war, inn
bibing the lessons learned around
your hresides, your sons rallied
around one flag, doing so, almost
to the man, indicating their sim
cere sympathy with the doctrine
Of government for the people
and by the people,
Touching upon the recent war.
Congressman Jefferis said that it is
"one thing to win the war and
another thing to pay for it." How
ever, he had no doubts but that the
country would soon enter upon an
era of prosperity. He urged that
employment be found for the re-
turning soldiers and that they be
given the best the land affords.
Musical Program.
The musical, literary and feature
program in Connection with the pic
mic was one of the best that the
Pioneers have ever assayed. In it
they were ably assisted by the men,
bers of the younger generation. The
opening number was piano solo
by John A. McCreary. This was
followed by violin solo by James
L. Mack, his sister, Miss Hattie
playing the accompaniment on the
piano Little Miss Martha Doty en-
tertained with a dance and Miss
Camilla Elliott recited, responding
with a women's suffrage selection
as an encore. Little Miss Margaret
Leary appeared in a solo dance, fol-
lowed by Miss Amanda Tebbins,
who sang solo.
There were recitations by Miss
Martina Stiles and Miss Laura Ort-
land followed by singing by Miss
Margaret Brown, the program clos
ing with piano solo by Miss Ellen
Stoltenburg.
Before closing the festivities of
the afternoon, the pioneers extended