Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-10-09
RECEPTION TO CONSUL MIL
IER

Pass Board of Trade and their friends
rendered Consul II. b. Miller recep-
tion at Odd Fellows hall Mr.. Mil
Ter was among those who laid the
foundation stones of the city of
Grants Pass and the meeting Of Fri
day evening was mainly TO give his
many old friends an opportunity to
meet him and to show their apprecia-
tion of the good work he has done for
this city and Josehpine' county, as
we'll as all of Southern Oregon.
There were about 100 people present
at the reception. President Coe, of
the Board of Trade, made the address
of welcome and this was followed by
a vocal solo by L. c. Suman. Presi-
dent Coe, in his address spoke of the
good work Mr.. Miller has done in
the building up of Grants Pass and
the important part he has played in
its development In behalf of the
Board of Trade and the citizens. of
Grants Pass and Josephine county,
Mr.. Coe extended to Consul Miller a
hearty welcome,
An instrumental solo was rendered
by Edward Van Dyke, followed by an
address by attorney Robert G. Smith
In happy vein Mr.. Smith reviewed
the early history of Grants Pass and
the part Harry Miller played in the
making of that history. why" said
Mr.. Smith, during those days, when
any of us went to Portland or any
place north or south and people ask
ed where we were from and we told
them Grants Pass, they would say,
Oh, yes, that's where Harry Miller
lives isn't itY SO it was in every
thing. Harry Miller and Grants
Pass were almost one and the same,
In fact, if it had not been for the
efforts of Mr.. Miller, Grants Pass
would not have been in Josephine
county at all. During its infancy,
the town was supposed to be situated
i'll the extreme eastern part of Jackson
county, but during one year when
Mr.. Miller was extra prominent in
politics he went to work and /, de-
liberately stole three townships from
the eastern end of Jackson county and
added them to Josephine. That put
Grants Pass where it belonged, how
ever it was considered one of the
greatest larcenies in real estate ever
committed in Oregon. Following
the address of Attorney Smith, G. j.
Kurth rendered violin solo.
Consul Miller was then introduced
and was loudly applauded as he arose
to speak. Mr.. Miller began his adj
dress by expressing his appreciation
of the good will shown him by the
people of Grants Pass and the high
compliments paid him by the citizens
of his old home. He said he was
glad to be back in Southern Oregon
once again and to breathe the delight
full atmosphere of this more than de-
lightful climate. Mr.. Miller modest
ly declined to accept all of the credit
given him in the matter of the build
ing up of Grants Pass. He said he
was only one of the several who were
instrumental in the founding of this
city and he simply fell in line and
attempted to do his part He felt
that as much or greater credit was
due the hardworking men who labored
with him during those days and who
saw Grants Pass rise from mere
stage station to the leading city in
Southern Oregon.
Mr. Miller spoke Interestingly OF
, his more recent work in the Orient.
He said he has been met everywhere,
since his return, by an anxious desire
, lon the part of everyone to know more
about China. The people of the
Pacific Coast are awaking to reali
zation of the good this country will
derive by a closer commercial relation
with the Orient. This relation i,
already much closer than it was o
few years ago, and it will be still
, closer in few years hence
The evening closed with refresh
ments Of ice cream and cake. By
/, the good will and cheer that pre-
: vailed through the evening, Consu
Miller could happily understand th'
feeling of appreciation all have fo
him in Grants Pass 1t is hoped tina
. he may some day make his home ono,
again in Grants Pass.