El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-17
A WARM FEELING
Pervaded Soul and Body As
the Evening Wore Away
and the Dawn Crept
Up the Sky.

Nearly two hundred men sitting
down to banquet table at one time is
a happening that has never been equal
led. if at all, more than once in the
history of Ell Paso. The occasion last
night was the first banquet of the
/ Southwest International Miners asso-
citation given complimentary by the
citizens of Ell Paso to visiting mining
men.
| The banqIet was a complete success.
/ Owing to the late hour at which the
/ coronation ceremonies concluded at
the opera house, the banquet was not
begun until nearly midnight But the
attendance exceeded the preliminary
i estimates, and demonstrated the great
, interest that had been aroused among
! the visitors as well as among the peo-
pie of this city in the event. There
was no confusion in seating the large
number of guests. and the arrangement
committee deserves much credit for
its work
At the head of the table were seated
Juan 8. Hart, the toastmaster, Cover
nor Ahumada of Chihuahua. Mayor
Magofin, and Chairman Martinez of
the citizens committee. At the two
long tables which extended the full
length of the room were seated mining
! men from every part of the Great
Southwest, together with prominent
citizens of Ell Paso, present by invita-
ton. At the further end of the great
nall the Metropolitan orchestra was,
stationed. The orchestra played pop
, ular airs and marches throughout the
evening.
The menu was an elaborate one. but
all the blank spaces were filled in by
table talk and friendly chat among
neighbors. The conversation of course
ran mostly to mining matters. and
many good stories were told by men
who had taken active part in the SUBJ
, DUNG of the Great West, and in the
, discovery of it's vast mineral wealth.
When the time came for the toasts.
Captain Hart made a most felicitous
address, of welcome and congratula-
tion- Said he, in part: Guests of
the mining convention, friends. and To-
cal supporters: In trying to express
the sentiment that permeates such a
gathering as this, 1 can only voice
the general good feeling that so mani
testify exists. Ell Paso is deeply SEN
sible of the great honor conferred up-
on her by this gathering within her
gates of the representative mining
men Of the Great Southwest. You
have made her the choice city. 1t is
true, the mining association was born
here, and with your help We intend to
nurture it and make it grow
Our people fully realize the fact
that the mining industry is their pri-
mary interest, and today the people
of Ell Paso stand together in the de-
termination to make this city more
than ever merit the name, the mining
center of the Great Southwest.
When, only comparatively few
years ago, the men of this section
were fighting the Indians away from
their struggling plantations. and mill
tary guards had to be provided to ac-
company immigrants across the
plains and hills to the west. no one
ever dreamed that out of the earth
would be taken minerals and metals
on scale that the world has never
known, that great industries would
grow up from the utilization of these
earth products. and that tonight we
would be seated in this beautiful hail.
enjoying all the benefits of civilization
in the greatest profusion.
What has brought this about? 1t
is the nerve of those men who first
the Wilderness opened ma
lures mountain treasures, brought
forth the wealth that was stored there.
and, through the development of the