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Dike Scouts Reach Hornell With All Hands Safe, Sound

Some Blisters Are Worst Casualties to Date – Everybody Reported Having Good Time

By COVERED WAGON GUS

            The Dike Trail Scouts are coming to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the settling of Allegany County by Nathaniel Dike at Elm Valley.

            At the starting point – Cohocton- 50 Scouts and five Scouters assembled at the school grounds at 10 A. M. Tuesday to start the Covered Wagon Trek to Elm Valley.

            The morning as spent in checking in and organizing into patrols.  Eight patrols were formed with six Scouts to a patrol.  The patrols and leaders are as follows:

            Pioneer – Jim Burgett, Troop 42, Andover.

            Owl – Bruce Dunbar, Troop 22, Wellsville.

            Beaver – Brandon Chenault, Troop 33, Wellsville.

            Wolf – Charles Tefft, Troop 35, Wellsville.

            Pine Tree – Robert McEnroe, Troop 35, Wellsville.

            Eagle – Kenneth Etter, Troop 33 Wellsville.

            Panther – James Arnold, Troop 35, Wellsville.

            Bison – Fred Chapman, Troop 5, Wellsville.

            Senior Patrol Leaders are:

            Monty Mitchell, Troop 22, Wellsville.

            George Goetschius, Troop 22, Wellsville.

            The Scouts are under the supervision of the following  Scouters who are serving as the Trek Staff:  Raymond Dare, Scoutmaster Troop 35; Harry Goetschius, Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 35; Don Wixson, Scoutmaster Troop 33; Lewis Felton, Field Scout Executive, all of Wellsville, and Clarence Jewell, Scoutmaster Troop 60 of Belfast, with Olin Stoneham of Scio as Wagon Boss.

05 Scout Masters

            After lunch at the Cohocton school grounds a sendoff program was given the boys by the Scouts and Scouts of Cohocton.  After the Flag Raising ceremony,  James Meagher on behalf of the mayor gave a brief address of welcome which was followed by an address by Rev. Charles Wood who drew a picture of early pioneer life in America after the Revolution when chaos more or less prevailed and with undaunted faith the early pioneers went forth to build a better country.  This was compared to the present world conflict which has also brought about chaos.  The Scouts who are now building for citizenship and with the same faith as the early pioneers will build a better world in the post war era.

            At 2:30 P. M. the Trek got under way with a parade through Main street of Cohocton.  The order of parade was as follows:

            Color Bearers and Guards leading with the Covered Wagon and Drummers and Scouts following.

            After a four mile hike the Scouts pitched camp at Loon Lake at 4:30 o’clock on the property of Michael Wahl on the old baseball field near the skating rink.

04 Pitching tents

            As a final dress rehearsal the Scouts pitched camp in record time, followed by swimming which was enjoyed by all.  After supper was cleared away the boys went to the roller rink.

            This was followed by a Campfire with the following guests from Wayland who took part in the program; George Way, Chairman, Troop 24;  Rodney Stanton, Committeeman, Troop 24, and Earl Glover, Scoutmaster Troop 24 with six of his Scouts, and Erwin Townsend, Scoutmaster of Troop 4, Atlanta.

            Earl Glover’s Scouts entertained with a trumpet solo and a story telling contest by two boys, both in a loud voice spinning a yarn at the same time which resulted in considerable amusement as well as confusion.

            Lew Felton, accepting a challenge to play a trumpet, proved his ability to the Scouts’ amazement.  Ray Dare gave them a story which was followed by a few songs and then the Trekers bid their guests good night and turned in.

 

            The next morning remarks were heard “Gee Whiz! It was cold last nite,” as they beat the reveille call and huddled about their morning fires, thawing out.

            After a hearty and hot breakfast the boys started out on the next lap of their journey at 10:30.  They were escorted by uniformed Deputy Sheriff Harland Pease of Steuben County under Steuben County’s Sheriff Benjamin Balcom’s staff.  This was as a safety precaution due to the prevailing traffic of the Fourth of July, to and from Loon Lake.

            At 12:30 P. M. the Scouts settled down in Haskinsville for lunch.

            At assembly the patrol leaders were called upon for their report.  “All present Sir” rang out down the line when it suddenly stopped and the chagrined voice of the Pioneer patrol leader said “All absent but one.”  After a search the absconding members were found riding in the wagon with shoes off.  Band Aids revealed that they were suffering from blisters.

            The old wagon and stragglers hobbled into Millers Grove, North Hornell about 5:30 P. M. having put 14 miles in back of them.  The boys – high spirited – and now experienced beat the time of old professional circus men in setting up their tents.

            Supper was ravished by appetites aggravated by 14 miles of hard road.

06 Relaxing after dinner

            The evening brought as camp guests Clayton Rowe and six Scouts along with Scouter Bert Rasmussen who made arrangements for the campsite.  They are all of Hornell.

            The Troop 28 Scouts entertained the Trekers at the campfire program.

            Tell all anxious mothers and dads that all goes well so far and we will see them in Elm Valley.