Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-22
WORKMAN HOST
TO THE PIONEERS.
DAYS OF F0RTY-NINE ARE.
RECALLED
Notable Gathering Of Those lnstru-
mental in Making Los Angeles
City Pays Tribute to
"UneIe Billy"

ttitBIdltu lut nlNitNN diiAhNCA odly VI
his arrival in Los Angeles last night.
Uncle Billy, as everybody calls him
and as he loves to be called, did not
celebrate the occasion in solitary
grandeur. At his table in Turn Yer
elm hall 200 OF his friends we're assem-
bled.
No man in California has so many
nephews and nieces as "Uncle Billy
and no uncle ever loved his brothers
offspring half so well. One phrase of
his last night indicated the compass of
his hospitality. II only wish," he
said, that L could have entertained
here all of the $4,000 friends 1 had on
the fifth of December"
The speeches were mirror of the
growth of Los Angeles from a strag-
Cling Mexican Pueblo to it's present
commanding position as the queen city
Of the southland. The gathering was
one distinguished by larger number
of the men and women who builded the
state than has been seen in this city
for a long time
Among the "old boys" as a jocular
pioneer phrased it, were noticed: Com
modore A. H. Haines, ex-Chief of Po-
lice Burns, Eugene German, II. u. Os-
borne, Oscar Macy, Judge B. S. Eaton,
James Dodson, John Young, DIR. Ma
deau, ex-Mayor John Bryson, Victor
Ponet, w. N. Furgeson, ex-United
States Senator Coles, John White, ]. M.
Quinn, Fred l.. Allies and many others.
The pioneer women were there, too,
with their husbands
Mai. Truman POSTMASTER
Mayor Ben C. Truman, the veteran
journalist and good fellow, acted as
postmaster. M. T. Quinn, president
of the pioneer society, welcomed the
guests on behalf of Mr.. and Mrs. Work.
man.
Mr. Workman" said Mr.. Quinn, "ar-
rived here when but 16 years of age
Now he is Sc years old, a hale and
hearty man and one of whom it may
be said Hail fellow well met He has
seen fit to call the pioneers of Los An
geles together that we may enjoy with
him an old-time banquet. We thank
him for this kind expression of good
will, and we say Long may he live
and prosper We will now eat and be
merry"
Henry T. Hazard responded to the
sentiment, Crossing the Plains" and
said he once belonged to an ancient
debating. society of which j. M. Quinn
was president.
The guests cheered and Hazard
stopped speaking and, looking very Sc
rious, remarked that when he was
family to interfere. He said every old
pioneer had two very clear recollec-
tions of the trip across-the OK team
and the navy six shooter. These were
the chief things upon which the argo-
nauts depended
j. M. Quinn told of the pioneer trip
by way of the Isthmus of Panama. "It
took nine months for the story of the
gold discovery to reach the east ard
then the rush set in.
There were three routes by which
the pioneers could reach California.
One by way of the isthmus. another by
way of Cape Horn and the third by
crossing the plains. No matter which
way a man came he always wished he
had come by some other"
Santa Fe Trail
Mrs. Virginia Whistler Davis told
an interesting story Of experiences she
encountered while coming across by
the Santa Fe trail.
Louis Roeder told of crossing by way
of Nicaragua, and narrow escape
his party had during the troublous days
of Walkers filibustering in Central
America.
Major Truman said that great num-
ber of letters had been received by the
president of the Pioneer society. AS a
sample of these one from the veteran
journalist, Col Joseph c. Lynch, was
read. This letter sketched Mr.. Work
mans career gracefully and clearly.
Commenting upon it, Major Truman
said he had known Mr.. Workman al
most forty years. and was one of those
who attended the marriage of Mr.. and
Mrs, Workman thirty-seven years ago.
The host of the evening and his good
wife were then introduced. They were
given a great ovation. Responding to
this reception. Mr.. Workman said:
"UncIe Billy" Speaks
II am most happy to greet my fellow
pioneers here tonight in such large
numbers. From the looks of this as
semblage 1t shows that after all many
of US are left. l have long had desire
to entertain my pioneer friends, and l
only regret that available space pre-
vented. me from including many of
those outside of the Pioneer society.
1T would indeed be the joy of my life
to entertain In this manner my $4,000
friends of December 5, 1904. had in
tended celebrating the actual day tn I
marked by hftieth arrival in Los An
geles. butt being absent at that time
visiting the st. Louis exposition 1
could not do 1t.
After January 1 l resolved to defer
the pleasure no longer, and because of