1902 Labor Day Association History

Princeton, Indiana Celebration at Gibson Firegrounds

Weather:  Inclement weather in the morning but cleared up to be sunny and bright. The Labor Day Committee was appointed by the Central Labor Union The secretary is William M. Wilson of Princeton, Indiana.

The meetings will start on August 9th at the Carpenters Union Hall in Princeton, Indiana, to make plans for the 1902 Celebration. The Celebration will be held during the Gibson County Fair — it is held on the 1st day of the Fair.

The sub-committees will meet on August 14th. At 10 am the Labor Day Parade started and 1,200 union members marched in the Parade. The Speakers were: William H. Raney, J. W. Brady, Thomas Duncan and 1,500 attended the speeches.

Indiana Governor Winfield T. Durbin issued a proclamation declaring Labor Day a holiday. The Crowd was well behaved and attentive to the speeches on this warm moist day. Kennedy’s Wild West Show was featured over the Labor Day Celebration.

Labor Day Committee:
William M. Wilson, secretary

1902 Parade Lineup

Color Guard
Chief Parade Marshall — Arthur Horn
Assistant — John Traylor
Assistant — William Wilson
Princeton, IN Mayor C. W. White
Princeton City Council
Princeton Fire Department
Princeton Police Department
Labor Day Association Officers;
President —
Vice President —
Treasurer —
Recording Secretary — William M. Wilson
Speaker Carriages;
William H. Raney
J. W. Brady
Thomas Duncan
Princeton Band
UMWA Committee
Miners with Flags
Miner’s float–car of coal
Indiana State AFL President, Edgar A. Perkins
Holder with American flag
Owensville Federation of Labor
Coopers Union # 12 & float
Butchers Union # 246 & float
Hod Carriers Union # 59
Brick Masons Union
Plasterers Union # 114 & float
Machinist Union #751
International Typrographical Union # 15
Printers Union in Landau
Bartenders Union in jackets & aprons
Carpenters # 90 & float
Retail Clerks Union # 143
Painters Union 156 & float
Millers Union
Kennedy’s Wild West Show
 
1902 Parade Route
starting on West Emerson, East to Hart Street, South to State Street, East to Main Street, South to Broadway, West to Hart, North to State & West on State to Fairgrounds.
 

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Other Celebrations were held in Evansville, Vincennes, Sullivan, Washington, Linton Indiana. They all had a UMWA presence as well as an American Federal of Labor involvement.
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Sullivan, Indiana Celebration

Weather: Rainy
Location: Coffman’s Park

Speakers: Rev, A. W Sonne of Green Castle, Indiana praised laboring men as having high character. William H. Hays gave an address later. An afternoon of races was held.

  1. A Potato Race was held with a $1.00 prize offered—it was won by Robert Lacey.
  2. A Shoe Race was next with a prize of $1.00—it was won by a Mr. McClure.
  3. An Apple Eating contest after that with a $1.00 prize offered—Roy Klinger was the winner.
  4. Largest Baby Contest was after that and Englina V. Bower was the winner.
  5. A baseball game was the next offering between Linton and Sullivan men. The prize was $15.00 and Sullivan won 11 to 9.
  6. Green Hill Mine was the winner of largest delegation in the Parade.

 Labor Unions later marched around the Sullivan Square in the evening.  Afterwards, come a magnificent display of fireworks to wrap up the Celebration.

Parade Line up:                                                                                         

Parade Route:

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