The First Labor Day Celebration, DeLamar 1896

The DeLamar Nugget, Sept. 11, 1896:
"Labor Day Celebration.
The new national holiday was celebrated enthusiastically in DeLamar. Labor Day is now an established institution in Owyhee, to be henceforth observed with due form and ceremony.
The DeLamar Miners’ Union set the pace for celebrating the day, on Monday, by turning out in full force on parade and holding a grand picnic with all the etceteras of oratory, music and games which go to make the day a pleasant one. At 1l o'clock in the morning the members of the Union, 160 strong, met on the school house grounds, formed in line and, led by the DeLamar Cornet Band, marched to the lower end of town and then countermarched, proceeding to the picnic grounds on Pole creek, where they and their families and friends spent the day. Arriving at the grounds, the exercises were opened by singing the hymn, America, after which the people were called to order by Mr. Ed. Andrews, President of the Union, who, in a neat address, congratulated all laboring men that labor was now not only recognized but honored by a national holiday, which was for the first time being generally observed and he believed the observance would be perpetuated.
Mr. Archie Warren was then introduced and delivered an oration fitting the occasion, which was followed by an address by Hon. J. J. Bennett.
The balance of the day was engaged in sports and games, feasting, fun and, judging from the numerous pairs discovered sitting apart from the others —in love-making. The luncheon was provided by Mrs Franks, whose ample tables were loaded with good things in profusion. An ice cream and lemonade arbor, well patronized, was under the charge of H. W. Warren and James Kent.
"There being so many members of the Union now drawing upon the sick benefit fund, the Union, in order to replete the fund, put up an elegant gold watch, to be voted to the most popular young lady in the camp and nominated Misses Nellie Miles and Ida Wills to compete for the prize, votes costing twenty-five cents each. That the contest was a spirited one, is told by the number of votes polled. and amount of money turned into the treasury. The number of votes and amount of money turned in by the respective candidates is as follows:
Miss Nellie Miles 675 votes, $168.75.
Miss Ida Wills, 621 votes, $155.25.
The festivities of the day ended with a Grand Ball which was largely attended and for which splendid music was supplied by the recently organized DeLamar orchestra, consisting of violin, piano, trombone, cornet and tuba.
In every way the celebration of Labor Day, for the first time in DeLamar, was a grand success."

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(same issue, adjacent story)

Indignation Meeting Called.

Jimmy Pascoe, Tommy Miles, Elmer Hall, George Jeffries, Earl Brashar, and a half dozen other boys and three or four little girls, called at the NUGGET office this morning and requested us to state that a mass meeting of kids would be held in the wood yards tomorrow evening at four o'clock, for the purpose of divising means to stop certain person from interfering with the rights of DeLamar kids. It is claimed that said person has been found gathering up and storing away empty flasks and then employing a kid to dispose of them for him. The children claim that ever since the biggest one of them was knee high to a duck, the bottle trade in DeLamar had belonged exclusively to the small boys and girls and from it had been derived a revenue which had supplied them with candy and chewing gum. Al the kids are requested to be at the meeting to consider what means may be adopted to break up this interference of their rights.

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