New Britain herald., 1924-08-18
Declare Hardware City" Has Shown Best Spirit of Any Community Along Route of Pilgrimage

yesterday and today by the city oi
 New Britain, Not only did HaTr,
 eaten, master of The Grange of eSie
 pay this tribute to New Britain. bu,
 veterans of past tours were glad tc
 talk for themselves and said that this
 city was the most hospitahle and
 generous Of any at which these tours
 have stopped during the six years they
 have been conducted, An exceptionally
 fine camp site, a big free dinner. an
 interesting program of entertainment,
 and a tour of the points of interest in
 the city combined to make the reeep-
 ton planned by the local Chamber of
 Commerce and the state Grange a sue-
 eessful and memorable one 10 both
 guests and hosts.
 The Changers proved interesting
 both personally and in their methods
 of touring. They were . happy-so.
 lucky. good-natured crowd, smiling
 and waving at the people who stopped l along their route 10 watch the pro-
 csssion so by and entering willingly into conversation with curiously-mind-
 cd New Britsinitcs. The majority of
 them were farmers. but nearly every
 occupation was represented. The
 orange license plates Of the state of
 Michigan were displayed on the great
 est number of cars. but there were
 also Grangers from Ohio. Pennsyl-
 vania, New York, Indiana. New Jer-
 sey, and other states, one car coming
 all the way from Fresno, California.
 All told there were about 200 auto
 mobiles of every description in the caravan. some pulling trailers, all piled
 with tenting and baggage arranged in
 way showing all grades of ingenuity. The visitors arrived about 2 o'clock
 yesterday afternoon and were met at the New Britain -Plainville town line by Mayor Paonessa, delegations from
 the local civic clubs, and other citi-
 gems in automobiles. and were con- ducted to Walnut Hill park, where . veritable city of tents was erected, the scene having a carnival aspect and re- niinding local people of those more famous tourists, the Gypsies. The tents w1e even more varied than the automobiles, being of all shapes and sizes and having greatly differing con- tents. Mudh interest was displayed in the headquarters car of J. H. Brown, the manager of the tour. This was . specially built Pullman" with sides which let down and containing all the comforts of home from beds to kitchen sink. A fagpoe was fastened to the front bumper and screwed into the ground.
 Everything which could b> done to make the visitors feel at home was done. Water piping was laid through the camping space, with faucets at every few yards. Gasoline was avail able from two trucks. Free lemonade, furnished by the Eddy-Glover post, American Legion, could be had for the asking at specially erected | stand.
 A sheep-roast made the biggest hit with the Changers. Soon atfer the line of cars arrived at the park, the visitors were served with roast lamb, sweet corn, potatoes, pickles. apples and blueberry pie, and milk. That this had been prepared for them seemed satisfactory to the Grangers but when they tried to pay for the meal, as most of them did, they were amazed that the big feed was free. Pierce and Norton, of Lake Con- bounce, did the roasting, the milk was furnished by the Connecticut Milk Producers association, and after-din- ner cigars were provided by J. W. AL sop of the Connecticut Tobacco Crow srs' association Although the guests dug into the meal voraciously, there was still much left after they had finished. and this surplus was given 70 the New Britain boys and girls who had hung around watching pro- with envy.
 The program of speakers began shortly after o'clock in the after loon. Allen B. Cook, state master of he Connecticut Grange, opened the exercises by extending the westerners ! hearty welcome to Connecticut, aft sr which he introduced Joseph R. Andrews, secretary of the local Cham per of Commerce, who welcomed the ,isitors to New Britain and extend- |
 Mayor Angelo M. Paonessa official y welcomed the city's guests and said hat New Britain was at their serv- ce while they remained here. He raced the history of the city, recall ng the fact that the first articles here were sleigh bells , md telling of the part played by this l ity in the various wars from the year { f 1872 throughout the last one. He ( made reference to the Court of Honor l n park entrance and to the proposed one at the top of the hill. (
 The mayor spoke as follows:
 Tt is seldom indeed, that the op- is given 10 a municipality l 0 extend its hospitality to so dis l inguished and representative a body 2 f American citizens, as the members [ md on behalf of the people of New ( Britain, it is my privilege as the chief xecutive Of the community, 10 bid ! ou welcome.
 You people who make this long pilgrimage to the spot where the fore athers of our nation first set foot on lmerican sil. have conferred upon the [, ,ity of New Britain, an unprecedented , onor. It is a privilege for which we : re deely grateful and it is pleas re to invite you within the portals of [ UT city. q
 You have arrived here on the q abbath-the day of rest and we trust ou will find comfort and quiet here q 'ithin the confines of this beautiful | ark which has been thrown wide S pen to you. Had your caravan T