Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-07-10
GRANTS PASS CELEBRATES
s----a-s--s<.-s.
Pleasant Fourth of July Festivities
Extend over Two Days.

"A very pleasant and enjoyable
celebration was held in Grants
Pass on Friday and Saturday, July
4th and 9th. Though it was not so
pretentious and elaborate as some cell
ebrations that have been held here,
yet the program was very good
throughout and some of the features
were exceptionally enjoyable.
For several days preceding the
Fourth the weather had been cold
and rainy, raw and disagreeable, to
an extent which was almost dis
grace to Southern Oregon summer
weather. The elements, however, in
handsomely patriotic spirit subsidized
at the approach of the glorious day
and with the exception of few light
sprinkles of very slight dampening
effect, the day was a perfect one, cool,
mild and pleasant, without the roast
ing sunshine which is feature of so
many Fourth of July celebrations.
The attendance was fairly numerous
though the number Of visitors was not
so great as it has been on some previ-
GUS occasions of like character.
The customary salute was fred at
sunrise; presumably, as the orb was
not visible, At 8 a. m. the people
congregated at the bicycle park to
witness the bicycle races. The first
was mile race with Crescent BIZ
cycle as the trophy The race and the
wheel were won by Max Smith, Carl
Gentner second. The second was a
ladies race with camera as the win
ner's reward Miss Annette Jordan
secured the reward, Miss Abbie Stack
pole second. The race for boys under
IL years was won by Frank Evans,
Guy Binns second. The most unique
event of the series was a five-mile
motor cycle race between Carl Gent
ner and S. NJ. Wiley. Mr.. Wiley rode
Herb Simpsons machine, and as he
was not thoroughly familiar with its
management, was somewhat at a dis
advantage. Gentner won handily in
1885.
The exercises of the day were held
at the ball grounds at TO- 80. Several
selections were given by the Medford
band, prayer was offered by Rev. X.
L. johnson and the Declaration of In
dependence was read by Miss Pearl
Cunningham. Rev. G. d. Doyle de-
livered the address. He spoke in a
very impressive manner and his ad.
dress, though brief, was an excellent
one and full of high order of
patriotism. The event of the day was
the base ball game between the Grants
Pass and Central Point teams. The
grand stand was crowded with the
spectators who gathered to witness the
game. 1t was too one-sided to be
thoroughly satisfactory event and the
spectators interest soon centered in
the problem, as to whether or not the !
Jackson county boys should be allow !
ed to score. The Central Pointers
were a badly ratified lot of boys at
several stages of the game, while the |
home team piled up the runs in a
scandalous profusion. Anderson and |
Earle were the battery for Grants
Pass until the last inning, when |
Martin entered the box and furnished |
a spectacular finale by tanning three
men with II balls, pitched in swift
succession. The Central Point boys
took their medicine like men and ac-
cepted their fate without grumbling, |
earning the cordial respect Of the
spectators by their persistent good hu-
NOR and gentlemanly conduct The |
score was 3s 20 0.
In the evening a dance was given
at the Opera house by the base ball /
club The music was furnished by |
Prof Boffa's Medford orchestra and |
was of a quality greatly enjoyed and !
by both dancers and spec
tators. The dance was well attended
and was a pleasant event
The first event on the morning Of
the Fifth was the rock-drilling con
test. The Saunders brothers, two
brawny miners Of the Oregon Bo-
nanza, muscled like Hercules, drill
led 21 inches in II minutes, in a
granite boulder.
The next event was the 100 yard foot
race which was won by Goodwin Of
Roseburg by small lead over S. NJ
Wiley.
Next came the tug-of-war, married
men vs. single men. On the first trial
the bachelors hauled their more
weighty opponents over the line and
supposed they had won, but were
brought back and made TO try it over
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