The Deutscher A Jolly Crowd

THE DEUTSCHER: A JOLLY CROWD

They Made Merry in Ypsilanti Yesterday

THE ANNUAL CELEBRATION

German Societies from Washtenaw and Jackson Counties Had a Glorious Time

(From Daily Argus, Aug. 7.)

The Germans have taken Ypsilanti today, but the city thoroughly enjoys the experience, for the Deutscher are jolly conquerors, who create an atmosphere of good fellowship and general festivity.

Those in a position to know, estimate that this, the thirteenth, annual celebration of the Germans of Jackson and Washtenaw counties, has called 10,000 strangers to the city, and this figure is apparently a conservative statement of the crowd that has filled the streets and the Arbeiter Verein grove. It has been German and the Germans everywhere, and from force of association there is grave danger of Ypsilanti's acquiring permanently a fondness for a certain amber fluid and a tendency to lapse in stress of excitement into "Wilkommen," "Wie geht's?" "Danke schoen" and similar cabalistic utterances, which are today flying through the air on all sides.

The local Arbeiter have worked hard and faithfully in preparing for the event; the response to their invitation has been widespread and general, so the celebration is one of the most successful in the history of the association. There is a big enough crowd to suit the most gregarious, there is enough amber fluid and eatables for the most capacious; there is continuous entertainment - by parade, speeches, dancing and fireworks, and what more could be desired? All the details of the program are being carried out without a break, and the comfort and pleasure of the guests has been provided for from the arrival of the first delegation, so the visitors have as yet found nothing but words of praise for the celebration, and rejoicing over the fact that they and the Frauen and Kinder are on hand.

The day has been a continuous round of "doings," but the program divides itself into the following general heads: Reception of the outside societies and delegations by a committee of the local Arbeiter assisted by the Ypsilanti band; a monster parade at 10 o'clock, with the various societies and lodges of the two counties in line, with bands and floats; a short program of speeches at the Grove, at 2 o'clock, with the address of welcome by Mayor Dawson, a speech in German by President Reichmann of the Algemeine Arbeiter Bund of Michigan, and addresses by local speakers; a concert and dance at the Grove in the afternoon; an elaborate display of fireworks at 8 o'clock and throughout the evening a grand ball in Arbeiter hall.

The officers and the committee from the local lodge which have charge of the celebration are: George Letter, chairman; Jacob Schmid, secretary: George Witmire, treasurer; Jacob Foerster, marshal; Herman Meyer, deputy marshal: arrangement committee - George Letter, Raphael Kopp, Joe Meyer, Dr. L. D. Camp and George Witmire.

The permanent officers of the local lodge are: President, George Letter; vice president, Jacob Foerster; secretary, Jacob Schmid; treasurer, George Witmire; cashier, Dr. L. D. Camp; trustees, Herman Meyer, Raphael Kopp, Louis Foerster, John Kuster, Charles Lau and William Dusbiber.

President Letter, of the local lodge, accompanied by the K. of P. band, received the Jackson and Chelsea delegations, each 100 strong, when they arrived on their special train over the Michigan Central at 9:20.

Both of the visiting lodges had their banners, and the Chelsea people had brought a band, so the march to the corner of Congress and Huron streets was a small parade in itself.

It had been intended to have the big parade at 10 o'clock, but just as the marshalls were beginning to form the line it began to rain, and it was not until 11:45 that President Letter felt like giving the word to go ahead, and even then occasional drops were falling.

The procession formed at the corner of Congress and Huron streets and proceeded by the following route to the Grove: Congress to Adams, thence to Pearl, thence on Pearl to Huron, along Huron to Cross, thence to River, on River to E. Congress, thence to Grove street, along Grove street to the Arbeiter Grove.

The parade was led by Nicholas Schneider, of Ann Arbor, on horseback, and was as follows:

Chelsea band and Chelsea delegation Herman Meyer, of the Ypsilanti lodge, on horseback, followed by the Athens band, of Ann Arbor, and the Ann Arbor lodges.

The Knights of Pythias band, of Ypsilanti, and the Ypsilanti lodge.

A carriage containing President Letter, of the Ypsilanti lodge, President Reichmann, of the Michigan Arbeiter Bund, Vice President Albert Frank, of the Michigan Arbeiter Bund, and Attorney J. P. Kirk.

Two carriages containing the aldermen and mayor.

Two floats, C. D. O'Connor's five and ten-cent store and George Hayes' grocery store.

Jacob Schmid, secretary of the Ypsilanti lodge, on horseback, followed by the Saline band and the Saline lodge.

Floats as follows: L. Z. Foerster Brewing Co., a bower with men inside engaged at brewers' work; Ypsilanti Reed Furniture Co., men at work making reed chairs; Engel's wood and coal business; large float representing the Ypsilanti Paper Co.; an elaborate display for Harding & Schafer, the hardware firm; the Ypsilanti Gas Co., showing two cooks at work, one using a gas range and the other a gasoline stove, with dirt and frequent explosions in the gasoline department, to illustrate the superiority of gas ranges; Fairchild's meat market; Elliott & O'Brien; Richards's drag; "Dad" Yates, the hotel man, in a trap; King's shoe store; an elaborated float representing Wiard's fruit farm; Hixson's restaurant; Kuster's meat market; "Osmicure"; Peters' blacksmith shop.

At the Grove the parade disbanded and the visiting delegations proceeded to make themselves at home. 

At 2:30 o'clock fully 2,500 people were at Arbeiter Grove. They are continuing to come in from the country districts. Everything is going along smoothly and the visitors are having a merry time.

The German Day crowd enjoyed themselves at the grove yesterday afternoon as suited their individual tastes, and at 2 o'clock President Letert escorted the speakers to a stand and introduced Mayor Dawson for a few words of welcome. The mayor said: "Ladies and gentlemen and visiting friends: - As mayor of the city I extend to you, one and all, the privilege and freedom of the city. It is with pleasure we join you in celebrating German Day. The flowery orations I leave to my distinguished friends, who are here for that purpose, and I will content myself with welcoming you to our city, and bidding you to make yourselves perfectly at home with us."

J. P. Kirk spoke happily of the success of the day, saying Germans above all other peoples have mastered the art of having a good time. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," observed Attorney Kirk,  "and for my part I am always glad to see a body of people enjoying themselves." He paid a high tribute to German-American citizenship. When the independence of this country was declared we had a population of 3,000,000 with all around us a wilderness. Today we have 80,000,000 independent, free, liberty-loving citizens. What has brought about this change? It is the people who came across the waters and united with our forefathers in building this great country. We are all Americans in the broadest and best sense of the term. There are no more devoted citizens, loyal to the country of which they are now citizens, than those of German blood. As a rule they acknowledge no mastership save their own convictions, and of them it can truthfully be said, "No man carries their votes around in his vest pocket." As a purifier of American politics tell me the man who stands higher than the German. In the civil war and the Spanish-American war they did their full duty as soldiers, and in case of future wars the Americans of German descent will be found doing their full duty. If this country is good enough to live in, to rear and educate our families, it is good enough to defend when occasion requires it.

Col. Kirk continued: "The typical German is an honest man and that is the noblest work of God. He is a square man, square with his neighbors, square in his dealings, an honest man, who speaks the truth, pays his debts, tends to his own business and is satisfied with what he earns. Of all the people who come among us none are more successful or more prosperous than the German."

In conclusion Mr. Kirk said: "When it comes to a question of your duty, remember that there is a country here supporting you which is entitled to your support, a country here defending you, entitled to your defense."

President Reichmann, of the Michigan Bund, gave an address in German on the organization and growth of the Arbeiter. The state Bund was formed in 1869, and it now has 81 lodges and 9,000 members. The purpose was first purely social, but soon the death and sick benefit feature was introduced, and that is now the real basis of the organization. During its history the Bund has paid out over $1,000,000 in death benefits, and this sum has been greatly exceeded in the department of sick benefits and funeral expenses, while its annual outlay for these purposes is steadily increasing as the membership steadily mounts higher.

President Reichmann referred to the substantial part Germans have taken in the development of the United States and to the number who have left the Fatherland to seek their homes and fortunes in America.

Rudolph Worch, the German editor of Jackson, was called out and made a very witty speech in German, urging the teaching of the German language to the children. He said the only one the Germans fear is God. The Germans in this country own their own homes and live in their own homes.

Albert Frank, president of the German Workingmen's association of Jackson, spoke briefly in German. He urged the keeping of German societies together, the teaching of the German language and the talking it to the children and a German-American celebration every year.

The weather continued threatening during the afternoon, but still incoming cars and trains discharged their burdens of Deutscher and their families bound for the celebration. Everybody seemed to be looking forward with particular eagerness toward the evening, as each expected to have an even better time then than in the afternoon.

A noticeable feature was the orderliness of the big crowd. There was beer, and more beer, and still more beer, and everybody was indulging with more or less frequency, but there was little drunkenness or disorderly conduct. The local lodge had divided the work of caring for the visitors among committees, and everything went off with perfect smoothness.

Ample provision had been made for feeding the crowd with a regular dinner served in the basement dining hall of the Arbeiter hall, and numerous eating stands around the grove. Amusement booths, merry-go-rounds, and other holiday attractions were in evidence on all sides, and the little Germans found every opportunity to make the hours pass quickly and pleasantly.

The Michigan Central and the D., Y., A. A. & J. both offered special rates from various points to and from the city, and if it had not been for the threatening weather they would have been swamped with passengers, while as it was the capacity of the electric line was tested to the full.