This is the narrative - partly humorous, partly tragic -- of the first public picnic ever held in Osgoode township. it is fifty-six years since the event happened, and most of the people who took part in that picnic have long since gone to their rest. A few of those who were young at the time survive and they will no doubt recall the event with keen interest, for it had a real lively windup.
To Aid Orphans' Home.
The picnic in question had been gotten up to help pay for the (new) St. Patrick's Orphans' Home. A few weeks previous to the event, Patrick Baskerville, Neil McColl, Martin Battle and Michael O'Leary, all well known citizens of Ottawa had driven out from the city one Sunday in August and after mass addressed the congregation of St. John's R.C. church, on the old Prescott road in Osgoode, urging them to help the orphans. When the congregation asked how best they could help, the delegation had suggested a public picnic. None of the people of St. John's had ever been at a picnic, but did not like to admit their ignorance of how to conduct a picnic and promised to get one up. The delegation promised to attend the picnic and bring others, and went home happy. A committee of the males of the congregation was at once formed and got busy. There wasn't any ladies' committee. In those days in the country the women took no part in business of any sort, except to sign away their dower when a mortgage was being negotiated.
Three Requests for Public Picnic
When the committee got down to business they agreed on three requisites for a public picnic. The first was to be a charge for admission in order to help the home. They fixed that at twenty-five cents. The second must be dancing (band included). What good would a picnic be if the boys and girls could not dance? Third, there must be liquid refreshments. What would there be for the old chaps if there wasn't something to refresh the inner man?
Sports Left Out.
Nobody thought of suggesting sports. As an afterthought someone did suggest speeches and they were agreed to, on the understanding that they must not interfere with the dancing. The last week in September was fixed as the date for the big event. Soon afterwards a couple of the committee drove to town. hired McGillicuddy's brass band and arranged for the "refreshments." At Murphy Brothers' beer cellars they arranged for four 60-gallon barrels of beer. At another place they bought a 25 gallon keg of ginger wine. This was to be for the ladies, the boys and the girls. Then the committee went to a grocery store and bought: 4 boxes lemon biscuits. 1 box Abernathy biscuits, 1 box tea biscuits, 1 box ginger snaps, and 80 lbs. cheese. Old timers will remember that in the seventies these four brands of biscuits were all the go. In fact there was hardly any other kind offered for sale. At another store the committee purchased four dozen beer glasses. hoping to borrow other dozens of drinking vessels from the surrounding farmers. All these things were to be delivered the day previous to the picnic.
Andrew Doyle's Field.
A field owned by Andrew Doyle was chosen for the picnic. The day previous to the picnic every able bodied male member of St. John's took a day off to put things in shape for the next day.
Requisites.
For instance, a dancing platform had to be built and it must be generous in size. Logs for "sleepers" for the platform had to be cut and drawn. Lumber had to be drawn, both bought and borrowed, and balsam trees (a lot of them) had to be cut and drawn. The balsams were to be planted all around the platform, as both sun break and wind break.
All Day Picnic.
The picnic was to be an all day affair, the grounds to be opened at 9 a.m. Farmers began to arive as early as 8 a.m. but McGillicuddy's band did not put in an appearance till 10.30 a.m. About ten o'clock there came a demand for liquid refreshments and a gesture towards the beer barrels was made.
Opening the Barrels.
It so happened that no one on the grounds (not even the bandsmen) had ever opened a beer barrel or inserted a faucet. Somebody suggested that the proper way would be to stand the barrel on end. drive in the bung with an axe, insert the faucet and then lay the barrel sideways on the rest that had been made for the purpose. Mr. Michael McEvoy, of Lisgar street, then a youth of 21, was a witness of what followed.
Shower of Beer.
When the bung was smashed in, the disturbed contents (or six or seven gallons of them) shot into the air. covering those near by with hops and malt.
A Big Crowd.
By eleven o'clock the field was crowded. Never before nor since were so many people gathered in one place in Osgoode. The people came in hay wagons, in buggies., on horseback, in phaetons (from Ottawa). They came from Osgoode, Nepean, North Gower, Ottawa, Gloucester, Mountain, Russell and other points. The day was fine, both overhead and underfoot, and the weather was ideal for the last week in September. Dancing began about one o'clock. The morning had been taken up in making and renewing acquaintances, and in eating lunches which had been brought from home, and in speeches, and in a "drawing" for prizes. The dancing platform was 48 feet long and about 25 feet wide, and was full at the time. By four p.m. the beer and cheese were all done and nothing remained but a couple of boxes of biscuits.
