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The Bridgewater Picnic

The Bridgewater Picnic image
Parent Issue
Day
30
Month
August
Year
1895
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The eighteenth annual farmers' picnic of Bridgewater was held this year in the grove at Joslyn's lake last Saturday. Mr. Shellenberger, the owner of the grove selected for the meeting, had it nicely cleaned off, a good dock made for the landing of boats from the lake and things in good order generally. A nice rain in the morning laid the dust and cooled the air. The continued appearance of rain kept many from the gathering, yet there was a large attendance. Among the old pioneers we noticed D. W. Palmer, Mrs. Katner and Mr. Welch. Mr. Palmer is nearly 90 years of age and Mr. Welch is considerable past that age. The K. O. T. M. band of Clinton was on hand and gave nice music. Mr. S. Tate, the chairman, called the people to order at 3 o'clock and announced the programme. Four young ladies gave recitations and acquitted themselves nicely. B. G. English, president of the Farmers' club, spoke upon the drainage quesüon and the value of the lakes as a water supply for evaporation. He also gáve some reminiscences of early life in Bridgewater. He pronounced himself decidedly in favor of the gold standard on the money question. The most of men who have bank stock or mortgages on others' farms hold to the same opinión. C. M. Fellows was the nex speaker called upon. Owing to th lateness of the hour, he decided t make his speech short. He spok of the farmer as a necessity, his re sponsibility in government and in society. First, the farmer produce a living for the rest of mankind The world could live without th lawyer, the doctor or preacher, bu could not live without the farmer Second, to secure good laws he should attend the primary meetings looking to the selection of the righ men to fill official positions. Third he should keep up with the times in reading and knowledge of curren events, prices of produce, sun Fourth and last, walk in the etc shine; stop complaining; iet "hard times," "dry weather" and "no profit in farming" have a rest. George Rawson, the Bndgewater orator, was given the last place on the programme. George filis mos any place well and so he did this He took exceptions to Mr.English's view of the money question anc said if one kind of money was made the standard, it would doublé the value of that kind or money, and it would take twice as much produce to buy it. He favored free coinage of silver. Mr. Rawson read a letter from Augustus Wilcox, one of three surviving brothers who settled on the land where this gathering is held, coming there many years ago with an ox-team from New York and living in their wagon until they could build a house. Mr. Wilcox now lives in Shiawassee county. By a unanimous vote all agreed to come to the same place next year for their nineteenth annual picnic.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News