Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 September 1899 — FARMERS’ PICNIC. [ARTICLE]

FARMERS’ PICNIC.

The Second Annual fleeting at Wheat* field A Great Success. The second annual Farmers’ Picnic at Wheatfield last Saturday was largely attended by the people of the northern part of the county and good delegations from North Judson and San Pierre. The day was hot and dusty but all present seemed to enjoy themselves and everything passed off very nicely. Jacob Keller and Attorney Biby of North Judson, made brief but excellent speeches in the forenoon, touching upon the early history of the Kankakee Valley and its present and future development. Mr. Keller was there in the interest of j the proposed sugar beet factory which is to be located at North Judson providing a sufficient acreage can be contracted for with the farmers of that locality. The proposed factory will employ about 250 people, and the prospects of securing the required acreage is very flattering, over onehalf the amount having already been contracted it is said. The amount wanted, we believe, is about 6,000 acres. Mr. Keller is a pleasant speaker, a most agreeable gentleman to meet, and is enthusiastic on sugar beets. He said that he believed the proposed factory 1 would form the nucleus for a large number of sugar beet factories in the Kankakee valley, that the adaptability of the soil of that section had been tested and it was found to be the very best for the purpose, and that growing of sugar beets would prove very profitable to the farmers.

Mr. Biby made a neat speech in which he referred especially to the necessity of the farmer boys and girls attending school and gaining i knowledge in the practical things of life—not to become dudes and dudesses —and to be able to farm i intelligently and, incidentally, care ; for a few acres of sugar beets. He also spoke of the duty of children to their parents; that it was better ito cover their life's pathway with i flowers, rather than their biers. In the afternoon Congressman Crumpacker delivered the principal address of the day. Mr. Crumpacker is a good speaker and held the close attention of his hearers. He among other things, touched upon imperialism, the “old flag,” and intimated quite broadly that the proper thing for everybody to do was to stand by the splendid administration of William McKin- : ley.” His ideas on some things, i as publicly expressed at least, have undergone somewhat of a change since he intimated that Tom Reed was a bigger man than the Major, and registered his vote on the Hawaiian question. Mr. Crumpacker also touched on sugar beets and said that he hoped to be able to report on returning to congress that this industry was an assured one in the Tenth district, which included the luxuriant Kankakee valley. Brief remarks were also made by a few local speakers, touching upon the meeting, early history, etc. The ball game between Wheatfield and North Judson attracted considerable of a crowd. Both clubs had loaded up with several imported men, but the N. J’s. seemed to have loaded the heaviest, as they won the game by a score of 31 to 9, which score indicates that it was not a very interesting game. The platform dance, merry-go-round, shooting gallery, wheel of fortune and hucksters were all there. There were also some racing sports, we believe, but the writer did not see them so can give no report of “who won.” The Knox K. of P. band, an excellent musical organization, by the way, furnished music for the occasion. The boys were not afraid of their wind, and played a large number of splendid selections.

Landlord Helmick was nearly eaten out of house and home by the hungry ones, and for two hours and a half his tables were filled by those who had failed to bring along a picnic dinner. Taken all in all the meeting was one of enjoyment and, we trust, benefit to those who braved the heat and dust to attend.