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Days
Home-Coming Day a Great Success
1905
07 26 WATERTOWN CLUB OF MILWAUKEE
The third annual homecoming and excursion of the
Watertown club of Milwaukee to Watertown will be held on Sunday, Aug., 6. The train will leave over the Milwaukee road
at eight o’clock and arrive at Watertown at 9:20, where the excursionists will be met by a large reception
committee of the citizens of Watertown. Ward’s
military band will play concert music at Tivoli island at Watertown in the
afternoon. . . It was decided to invite
Mayor Dunne of Chicago, Mayor Rose of Milwaukee, and Governor La Follette to deliver addresses to the people at the picnic
grounds in the afternoon. There will be a parade of all civic societies of
Watertown in the afternoon. WR
08 08 SUNDAY, AUGUST 6, A GALA DAY
Sunday, August 6, was certainly a gala day in this
city it being the observance of the Third Home Coming Day which has become
quite a social feature in the experience of the inhabitants of Watertown, and great
credit is due the mayor and members of the home club, in making it the grand
success it was under the circumstances — and there would have been a much
larger attendance had the railroads made special rates for the occasion, which
they were precluded from doing on account of the existing laws in the
state. As it was, there were at least
700 former residents of Watertown who came to meet relatives and friends and
visit the scenes of other days. The
delegation from Milwaukee numbered about 500... WR
Hundreds of Former Watertown People
Heartily Welcomed Here Last Sunday
Watertown
Gazette, 08 11 1905
The
third annual home-coming of the Watertown Club, of Milwaukee, last Sunday was a
great success, and besides the large number of the club present, hundreds of
old Watertown people from various other cities throughout the country took
advantage of the occasion to visit their old homes here, hold family reunions,
meet old friends and join in the general celebration on Tivoli Island. Nearly 500 people came out from Milwaukee on
the excursion train at 10 o’clock and the day previous about 300 came out from
Milwaukee.
People
came from far and near, and it is estimated that fully 1500 former Watertown
people were here to participate in the event and judging from the way the
immense crowd of people vied with each other in the afternoon on the Island in
extending happy greetings, we should say that all appreciate the occasion and
hope that this annual gathering will continue for many years to come.
It was
a great success and special thanks for it are due to the president of the
Milwaukee-Watertown club, Ernst Kehr and his able
assistants, vice-president, Theodore Kusel;
secretary, M. A. Blumenfeld; treasurer Jos. A. Schumacher; and Marshal of the
Milwaukee forces, Al Urtubees. Those having charge of the Watertown end of
the affair were: Mayor Herman Wertheimer, James W. Moore, J. P. Holland, M. F.
Blumenfeld, F. C. Werner, Otto Wegemann , Fred Kusel, John Gruel, Wm. F.
Brandt, Julius Wiggenhorn, Edw. L. Schempf, Joseph E. Davies, Fred Ohm, Wm. Hartig, Wm. A. Beurhaus.
Financial
committee -- Max Kusel, F. G. Keck.
Decorations
committee -- Aaron Mead, George Spohn, Harry Beurhaus, Frank S. Weber, Ned Racek.
In the
words of the Milwaukee Journal staff
correspondent, “It was a genuine home-coming.
Men who for many years had been away from the little city and from their
friends and relatives, returned and once more walked along the familiar streets
and visited the old time haunts. Mothers
and their sons, separated for years, were united. Fathers grasped the hands of sturdy offsprings and shed tears of joy at once more gripping them
by the shoulders and looking into their faces.”
The
arrival of the special train from Milwaukee at 10 o’clock really was the
opening of the day, although in an informal way hundreds of home-comers who
arrived the night before already had begun their own individual celebration by
uniting with friends and acquaintances and going over once more in conversation
and reverie the old life. The afternoon
was spent in perhaps the most natural picnic grounds in all America - Tivoli Island. Situated in the middle of Rock
River, containing several acres of fine wooded land, and within walking
distance of the city, it is an ideal spot.
The beauty of the scene is enhanced by the renowned Rough and Ready waterfall, which stretches the
whole breadth of the river just at the end of the island and within full view
of it.
The
citizens of Watertown were in gay attire and they decked their streets and
buildings too. Down the full length of
Main Street, the principal thoroughfare, were strung streamers made up of small
national flags. These zigzagged across
the street from side to side, forming a continuous arch. The buildings in many places were covered
with flags, streamers and bunting, while everyone who had a flag brought it out
and displayed it.
At
Western Avenue (should be Main St) and Fifth Street was an arch made up of
sheets of bunting, stretched from one side of the street to the other. In the center was the flag and under it the
suggestive inscription “Welcome Home.”
Visitors
wore badges of the Watertown Club advertising the fact that this was the third
annual Home-coming. Officers and members
of the executive committee wore special badges, and all citizens of Watertown
wore ribbons which told that they were on the “reception committee.” The whole town was on the reception
committee, and this was evidenced by the whole heartedness of the welcome and
entertainment.
Visitors
could have anything a Watertownian could give. The Elks club was thrown open and in the
morning the officers of the Watertown club and the press representatives were
entertained there.
The
special train, bearing the 500 members of the Watertown club of Milwaukee, left
at 8 o’clock. It was really a Watertown
train because every man of the crew was from Watertown. This ingenious way of carrying out the spirit
of the day was the idea of D. C. Cheeney,
superintendent of the LaCrosse division of the road,
who himself was a Watertown boy. The
engineer was Pat O’Byrne, a well-known Portage engineer, formerly of Watertown;
Ossie Forkenbridge and George Johnson were the
conductors; Charles Forkenbridge, George Hurst, Harry
Gassett and P. W. Bialkowski
the brakemen.
Aboard
the train were the officers of the club: President, Ernst A. Kehr; vice-president, Theodore Kusel,
Waukesha, secretary, M. A. Blumenfeld; treasurer, Jos. Schumacher; executive
committee, Jonas Hirsch, Chas. Bellack, A.
Schumacher, Louis Quentmeyer, G. Wiggenhorn,
Leonard Meyer, T. Liefield, L. Schmutzler
and Charles Reul.
The
last car was occupied by Ward’s military band. Half of the town was at the
Milwaukee Road depot to meet the home-comers when the train pulled in at 10
o’clock. Hundreds of the big reception committee were there and the
arrangements committee, headed by the genial Herman Wertheimer, mayor of the
city, the finance and decorations committees.
Besides the mayor there were in the party Jas. W. Moore, J. P. Holland,
M. F. Blumenfeld, F. C. Werner, Otto Wegemann, Fred
C. Gruel, W. F. Brandt, Julius Wiggenhorn, Edw. L.
Schempf, Joseph E. Davies, Fred Ohm, William Hartig,
W. A. Beurhaus, Max Kusel,
F. G. Keck, George Spohn, Aaron Mead, Harry Beurhaus, Frank S. Weber, and Ned Racek. Many of the home-comers who arrived on
previous trains were in the party.
Mayor
“Jim” Wertheimer, as he is familiarly called, is a great big man who looks the
part he holds in the official life of the city.
Although the city is strongly democratic, he was elected republican
mayor by a safe plurality.
“Glad
to see you, boys. Glad to see you, boys.” was his greeting as he shook the
hands of President Kehr and his other friends as they
alighted. There were many happy reunions
in the next minute. Relatives, mothers
and fathers were there to meet their loved ones. Tears of joy were shed and broken accents
mingled with hearty shouts of laughter.
Then someone gave the signal to Ward’s band and soon the strains of
“Home, Sweet Home,” broke upon the ears of the gay throng. It brought a hush over the assemblage and the
sweet music only added to the deep sentiment of the moment. When the piece had been finished Thacker’s
Concert band, led by Frank S. Thacker, struck up H. C. Miller’s “King
All.” This was a more lively air and it
served to turn the thoughts of the people from the sentimental to the really
gay. A line of procession was formed
under the direction of Chief Marshal Al Urtebees, of
Milwaukee. This was headed by the mayor,
wearing a long streaming badge of red, and the other members of the various
committees. Next came Ward’s band
dressed in blue, and Thacker’s band in bright green, followed by the
home-comers and their friends afoot and then by parties in carriages.
Nearly
every family in Watertown had company; nearly every home was made glad with a
reunion, and all hearts were light and free from ordinary care. It was home-coming day and the best in every
larder was brought out for the visitors and for the families themselves. All the hotels were crowded and repaid their
visitors by serving delicious dinners.
Many
visitors took advantage of the interval in the festivities to wander about
their old haunts and look for the old familiar faces. On every street corner
groups of citizens were standing usually encircling some old friend and
listening to the narrative of his experience in other parts. Ray Brown, who had traveled all over the
world, has been in Japan and Russia during the war and who hurried home from
Australia that he might be in Watertown on the gala day, and ex-city attorney
Arthur Mulberger, who has been in Europe but who
managed to get back just in time for the celebration are among those who call
Watertown their present home. They were
able to bring news from friends in different places and to tell their fellow
townsmen what people in other parts think of Watertown.
“One
meets people from Watertown all over the world,” said Mr. Mulberger
“and they are always doing well. In
London there are two Watertown men who are holding responsible editorial positions. Major Evan R. Jones, who is a cousin of
District Attorney Joseph E. Davies, is editor of The Shipping World, an important semi-weekly paper. He has been in
parliament and has attained great distinction.
“Ralph
Blumenfeld, born in Watertown, is managing editor of The London Daily Express.
His father at present father of Watertown’s German paper, The Welburger. Even on board ship I met Louis J. Merkel, a
New Yorker who formerly was a Watertown boy.”
Another
citizen told of members of the Watertown Club and ex-Watertownians
who lived in Germany, France and almost all countries of the world. In New York there is a Watertown Club and a
Wisconsin Club. In Minneapolis and St.
Paul the Watertown “boys” often get together in an informal way.
At 1 o’clock,
the mayor the various committees, and a
large number of citizens met at the Turner Hall, and from there after marching
about the principal street to the Tivoli island. They were followed by a vast throng of the
pleasure seekers. All afternoon, too,
the people continued to pour into the island from all directions until fully
5000 people were gathered. Hundreds came
in buses, the scores of rigs tied to fences and trees in the surrounding
neighborhood told how many more had come, but by far the largest number walked
to the park.
Here
every possible means of entertainment was offered. There were swings for the children, fish
ponds where the girls could fish for bright pins and ornaments for 5c a chance;
shooting galleries, cane ringing and baseball throwing attractions, and the
usual other amusements of like
variety. Souvenir stands intermingled
with sandwich counters and cracker jack, peanut and popcorn venders. There were countless opportunities for
enjoyment and they were not neglected.
Ward’s band gave a concert during the afternoon. The band was placed in the concert pavilion
in the center of the island, and the excellent character of the music won
universal praise.
Shortly
after 3 o’clock the exercises opened.
The mayor, the executive committee and other officials occupied seats
inside the dance pavilion, while the crowd gathered outside. The Watertown grand march by Ward’s band was
the first number on the program. After
this Mayor Wertheimer made a short speech of Welcome which was cheered
enthusiastically.
“Ladies
and gentlemen, home-comers and friends,” said the mayor, “in the name of the
people of the city of Watertown I bid you welcome to our city. It is not necessary for me to give you the
key to our city, for the door is always open.
And not only is the city open to you but the kitchens and dining rooms
or our homes are at your service. We
want you to understand that.
“I am
sure you are glad to return to this city.
The papers sometimes have made misleading statements concerning it and
have told you that more people were leaving than were coming. But this is not
true, and don’t you forget it that the people who are leaving here are the
right kind of people and when they go out into the world they do something and
amount to something. But I want to tell
you that the trains are bringing people into our city and that we are growing
and prospering such as an honest and earnest people should. I hope you will enjoy yourselves while you
are here and that you will come again.”
C. A. Kading
C. A. Kading, city
attorney of Watertown, was the next speaker.
His remarks were heartily applauded, and his effort was much
appreciated. He said in part: “Watertown
may not have the skyscrapers,” he said, “the traffic and excitement of some
cities, but it is steadily progressing, and above all, we can boast of one
thing that surpasses all such benefits.
We can look into the bright sparkling eyes of more handsome girls and
women than any other city of its size. The boys from other cities have
discovered this fact, and many have come here and captured and taken away some
of Watertown’s fair daughters. We can’t
blame the boys, though we are sorry to lose the girls. Yet they help bring fame to our city, for
they always speak of it with kindness and enthusiasm.
“The
city of Watertown can well be proud of all those who have gone from its midst;
proud to find such a large representation in the front ranks of successful and
honorable undertakings; so proud to find so small a representation in the
prisons and workhouses. Full of energy
and enthusiasm they go ahead knowing that there is room at the top. We find them in all parts of the world
holding all kinds of positions of trust and honor, and as our German paper, The Weltburger,
says: ‘Ein Watertowner muss dabei sein.’
“This
idea of home coming is certainly a tender and beautiful sentiment. The word
“home” means to us everything that is pleasant and comfortable. There is no place like it.”
Joseph
E. Davies
Mr. Kading was followed by District Attorney Joseph E. Davies,
one of Wisconsin’s most gifted orators, and when he was announced a cheer that
went up from the assemblage gave testimony to his popularity. For an impromptu address it was a masterpiece
of oratory, and he was frequently applauded.
Among other good things he said:
“We
are proud of the many public spirited old Watertown people who have gone out in
the world and who have taken their position of honor and trust,” said the
speaker, “who still retain the old love for the old home and who come back on
‘home seeing’ day, glad to be here. We
are glad to see them. It may be
permitted for me to say that here on Rock River we have a little inland city
than which there is none more beautiful in surrounding scenery, shady streets
and comfortable homes. The workingman
who lives here owns his little plot of ground.
It is recorded in the United States census that this little city of
Watertown, with its strong German conservative business methods and Irish and
Welch enthusiasm, is the third in the United States in point of percentage of
those who own their own homes. Let me
call you attention to the fact that $75,000 has been expended on our streets
for permanent improvements and that taxes are not going up but going down. It
means that the cost of living is cheap.
It means that our workingmen do not go on strikes. It must mean that this city is to be a
manufacturing city, with its ample railroad facilities furnished by the
Milwaukee and Northwestern roads.”
“Home
-- what a flood of memories that word records.
And yet with the pleasure of that word comes the sorrow. There are many faces not to be seen to-day,
who are lying on the hillside up there.”
The speaker dwelt upon the benefit of the home-coming, its beautiful
associations and its benefits to the character and life of those who
participated in it. The young speaker’s
words were eloquent and they brought tears to many eyes.
Ernst
A. Kehr
Ernst
A. Kehr, president of the Watertown Club, was the
last speaker. He dwelt principally upon
the loyalty of the people of Watertown and urged all to extend the friendly
hand to other people from Watertown - to promote the brotherly spirit.
Among
other things he said: “Since we last met
we have made many additions to the Watertown club. Our list of members has grown materially, and
it is surprising indeed how many Watertown people there are all over the United
States. A great many former Watertown
residents do not know today of the Watertown Club, but in time to come we hope
to have them all with us.
______________________________________________________
After
the speaking the merrymaking continued during the rest of the afternoon and
late into the evening. Milwaukeeans and
other visitors left on the late trains.
Today
the people of Watertown are already looking forward to the next home-coming
day. One of those most interested in the
events of home-coming day was Dr. Edward Johnson (*), probably the oldest living
settler of Watertown. Dr. Johnson has
just celebrated his eighty-eighth birthday and appears as active and alert as
many men thirty years his junior. “I
came to Watertown in 1843,” he said to The
Journal reporter. “When I stood on
the hill near where this house stands I counted 25 roofs including barns, in
the little settlement. The hill was much
higher then before so much grading and filling in had
been done, and you could see all over the town.
Watertown was then called Johnson’s Rapids, after Timothy Johnson, who
was the first settler here.
(*) Not related to Timothy Johnson, who settled here in 1836
History
of Watertown, Wisconsin