“Don't worry! Watch us grow!”
Eight [street] cars of the Pacific Electric Railway, bearing this motto, gaily bedecked in crimson and white . . . arrived in Long Beach shortly after 2 p.m. yesterday [Thursday] afternoon. Behind these were three more cars . . . .
Forming a long procession, with gongs ringing and whistles tooting, these eleven conveyances of Henry E. Huntington’s 
[similar to the one shown here] proceeded along Ocean Avenue to Golden Avenue, where a halt was made and the picture men got busy. Then the cars went back and 900 people alighted and made a grand rush for the beach.
Such was the beginning of the seventh annual outing of the Broadway Department Store of Los Angeles. The end came late at night, when, after spending many happy hours on the beach in swimming, banqueting and dancing, the last employe of the big store boarded an electric car for Los Angeles and home.
There were 600 employes of the Broadway and 300 wives, children and friends. Arthur Letts, the man who owns the store, was there walking around hand in hand with his little boy [Arthur Letts Jr., whose Holmby Hills home was later turned into Playboy Mansion West by Hugh Hefner] . . . .
[A number of contests were held on the beach.] Perhaps the funniest of these was the pie-eating contest. A dozen small boys entered the guzzling match, and when the signal was given buried themselves in blackberry pies. . . . as pains began to gnaw at them, the young hopefuls gave up. But one lad, pluckier than his fellows, ate on and on. At last the $5 reward was flung to him . . . .
There was a fifty-yard race for married women, . . . which was one by Mrs. H.G.R. Philp [wife of the assistant manager] in 8-1/2 seconds.
The women’s and girls’ potato race was run twice, there being a dispute as to whether Miss Walton or Miss Lockous was winner of the first heat. The second was won by Miss Mamie Lockous. Her reward was an automobile bag.
In addition, there were foot races for men, egg and spoon races for men and women, a hammering contest for women, tug of war, sack race, three-legged race and donkey race.
When all these games were over, it was dinner time, and there was another race not down on the program — namely, a dash for the restaurants.
After dinner there was dancing in the pavilion and swimming in the plunge for all who cared to indulge.
“We are the only store in the country that I know of,” remarked Mr. [J.W.] Eccleston [advertising manager], “which gives an annual outing to its employes.”
“And the result is,” added Mr. Letts, “that we have the most loyal set of workers I ever saw. We believe in giving our employes a good time, and they certainly appreciate it.”
