Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-08
BANKER, PREACHER AND MER.
CHANT PEELED HIS COAT
AND LABoRED HARD.
COMMUNITY DAY WAS
GRATIFYING SUCCESS
Business Suspended in Uptown Dis
triet While Citizens Labor to I'm
prove Merrill PARK and Arbor Lake
Community Dinner and Supper
Served 70 Hungry.
special to Times Republican.

SpoClal 10 1lWcb-ISopupaiCaA'
Grinnell. May s.-The business
portion Of Grinnell was as quiet az
on Sundays or safe and sane 4th
Of July, yesterday. but the north and
south extremes OF the city showed
a. much activity ~ the preparation
for, a celebration OF the national hol-
iday or the coming Of the big circus.
Autos were waiting at the corner of
Broad street and Fourth avenue, be-
fore Z O'Clock in tho morning to take
the volunteer laborers to Merrill
Park or 10 Arbor Lake. Union hours
OF labor were disregarded at both
ends 3of the day. On the north the
noise OF tractors tearing UP the turf
with three plows in gang or SCOOP
ing up turf and loose dirt In the
spauldinx graders, and doing other
like work, gave the listener the inn
preston that he was In the midst
OF an aviation field with a half doz-
EN- fliers in full motion. Merrill
Park extends from West street on
the west to Park street on the east
IN ono continuous body. the space
that would be occupied by Main and
Broad streets north having been va
Gated for park purposes. In the CEN
ter OF what would have been broad
street was firmly planted yesterday
morning a steel flag pole about sixty
- A. hA Ao1 NynuoA with
leveled grounds over q large space,
by the help Of many hands with
shovel, rake and spade. and the
crowd, most democratic in its make
up. Catholic priest and protestant
ministers, blistering their hands side
by side, merchant and clerk warm
ing the same rake handle by turns,
and Boy Scouts running hither and
thithsr at every beck and call. while
many autos kept communication open
between the two camps.
Baseball and tennis grounds were
laid of, large frame building for .
rest room was well under way. sand
boxes. swings, and teeter boards
were fixed for the children, trees and
shrubbery were ret out extensively.
and other landscape features were
either completed or fairly put under
way. At noon all workers and help
err assembled At the loaded tables,
trucks ana autos bringing the labor
err from the south end Of the city
ct the lake. No one left the table
hungry. but all were Glad to hear the
8 o'clock cali for sRashsz meal .al
16SSr4n-RaS1e
About 10 o'clock In the morning the
strains Of band music wese heard on
Broad street and the boys band Of
williamsburg. dressed In their natty
uniforms, In which SNOW whitenesa
was predominant marched into the
park and cheersd the crowd with
their music At intervals.
At Arbor Lake on the south there
was IN equally busy crowd Of vol
untssr workers, not 20 large az Fl
the north because the space was not
moro than fourth - large, A band
stand was erected in the shade Of the
grove on the east shore, with sew
eral solid fixed tables and seats fol-
future picnic parties. Sand wa
brought In by the car load and
spread over the mud beach made
bare BY the drainage Of the waite,
the night before. Floats Of plank
and poles or joist were made. The
large rope furnished by A. c. Dick
erson was made ready to stretch
across the lake and fasten to the
steel drums for the safety Of swim.
mers. Teams and men were en-
gagged in cutting down tho high bank
on the side hill to widen the drive.
way and furnish filling for lower
spots on the lake side Of the drive
A heavy post was set on which tc
have q light out in the lake for eve.
ming sports. A roomy pen Of ample
size TO accommodate all the little
tots that ans likely to be there q
any one time was enclosed with WOW.
On wire % that they may play In the
water in safety to their hearts con-
tent Leading business and profes.
sional men ana the postmaster were
here shoveling dirt. handling sod
drtking nails or doing anything els<
th&t gave full scope to the expires.
sion Of the community spirit. So tbs
first Grinnell Community Day ended
With . general feeling Of satisfaction
with the days results. 49,
q.