The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-08-05
CAN YOU REMEMBER
WAY BACK WHEN
People Went Picnicing in Excursion
Cars and the Driver Was Always
Given Big Tray Full OF
Fried Chicken.

Thermos bottles and canned heat
outfits were scorned in the days of
real old fashioned picnics, when
people went to the picnic grounds
in excursion cars, and the driver was
given great big tray full OF fried
chicken, cake and salad eggs, and a
shoe box full of sandwiches for the
evening meal. These picnics were
really the events deluxe of the sum
mer time.
Wild Cat springs across the river
was the really aristocratic place to
go in those days, and it kept the
moving and excursion car men busy
during the season carrying all of the
picnic parties. Sinton, Steiger, Pat
terson and many more were kept busy
as nailers during the summer season
filling picnic dates.
Benches upholstered in carpet
pieces were put along the sides OF
the excursion cars. These benches
were about as comfortable as the pill
tories of our great grandmothers, and
by the time everybody was crowded
in on the benches there was a solid
iphalanx of knees down the center OF
the wagon. The step at the rear of
the car always accommodated either
one passenger or a FIVE gallon packer
,of ice cream, sometimes both.
1t was quite ceremony to drive
up to the drug store in those days,
Swing around and back into the curb,
while big gray or green packer of
cream was trundled out and fastened
securely onto the rear step. Ice
cream was Sold at the rate of five
gallons for dollar in those days
when nickels had purchasing power.
The drive across the bridge was
thrilling for the one who occupied the
front seat The drivers were all pro-
vided with fifty cents for the bridge
toll. The wagon seats were high from
the ground and the bridge collectors
carried a little box on a long handle,
like a cigar box on broom stick,
only these were specially built for
the purpose. Dropping tolls in a
painted box was no thrill for driver,
but it was ambrosia and mamma 20
the front seat fans.
The box would come up propelled
by the accurate arm of Mr.. DOUGH,
Mr.. Fleisbach, Mr.. McCahan, Mr..
Spears, Mr.. Albertson, or some OF the
others on the bridge, and in it would
be the red or yellow ticket. You
would get the ticket and deposit the
fifty cents. Then on the other side
the ticket was collected in the same
manner.
At the picnic grounds the, usual
procedure was to tank up" on spring
water, and then ramble around the
cliffs in search of the wild cats cave.
There was no mistaking the dinner
hour for long before time to sit down
stoves were started and coffee boilers
were set on to boil water for the I'M,
portant requisite TO any picnic dime:
The tables were heaped with frleo
chicken, sandwiches, eggs, picked
beets, cakes, cookies and heaven only
knows what not. Before anyoody
else was fed big tray full of v1ctuais
was sent down to the field where the
drivers were all congregated under
the wagons either asleep or playing
cards. There was no food commls.
sion or dictator in those days, and
everyone ate to his stomach's d1scon'
tent and then threw what was lett
out for the stray dogs to get.
The return trip was usually less
crowded because invariably the Ice
cream packer was forgotten or some
careless couple in the desire to AVOID
the chaperonage of small brother,
hid themselves so completely from
view that they were forgotten until
il was too late to turn back for them
and they were consigned to the tate
of "hoofing it, home.