From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for July 12, 1911:

“Today is a gala day for the street car employees. They cannot have their picnics and good times when other people are having theirs, for they must be busy collecting the nickels and hauling the people on occasions like a general holiday. An ordinary holiday means little to the street car men except long hours, crowded cars, and hard work. But this is not an ordinary holiday. It is a special one declared by the street car management for the benefit of its regular employees, given in appreciation for the manner in which they have handled the crowds this summer and especially on the Fourth of July. At three o’clock this afternoon the men and their wives and families boarded the cars and went to the park as passengers instead of as motormen and conductors. An excellent program was prepared and the men are having the time of their lives. The first thing will be a ball game between the A.M. men and the P.M. men. This promises to be a feature of the day and will probably furnish a topic for conversation between the men for some time to come…. Then there is to be a track meet with cash prizes…. By this time the street car company believes the men will be rather hungry, so the picnickers will spread their supper on the grass in the park and when they have eaten their fill of fried chicken, peanut sandwiches, and pickles, the street car company will produce a large freezer of ice cream to top things off with. Cigars will also be furnished by the company…. The men will not lose a cent of their regular pay by not being on duty, but will be given this time off on full pay.”