Page:The Fritz Reuter Home.djvu/3

 John Holler,

, Henry Röttger, and Franz Kreyemborg; Financial Secretary—Louis Moor; Treasurer—J. N. Crusius; Manager—H. Von Fahje.

At the following meeting, May 30, it was resolved that the first Plattdeutsche Volksfest should be given in Schuetzen Park, Union Hill, N. J., Sept. 6 to 10, 1875. Seven other societies joined the general organization in the month of June, so that at the time the festival was opened, the outlook was extremely favorable. The different committees patterned this festival after the popular Cannstatter Volksfeste, which had been given with much success annually for some years previous by the local Swabian constituency, and added many features such as are only to be found in the homes of the Plattdeutsche. The ultimate popular success of this first reunion of the Low Germans astounded even its promoters. The admissions to the grounds sold in the five days of the festival figured up over 150,000. Casten Vatt, which was a genuine "Plattdeutsche Bauern Hochzeit," at which the Rev. Mr. Moor of Hoboken officiated, was witnessed by 50,000.

The cornerstone of the Fritz Reuter Monument, which now stands near the "Castle" in Schuetzen Park, was laid on the second day of the festival, in the presence of an immense crowd. The total gate receipts were $24,000 at 25 cents per ticket. To this must be added the large number of membership tickets admitting