Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1905-11-10
WOODMEN DEDICATE HALL
Splendid New Structure in Dallas Is
Opened With Formal Exercises
Tuesday Evening.

The beautiful new Woodmen build
ing in Dallas was dedicated to the
uses and purposes Of Woodoraft by
Head Consul I. I. Boak, of Denver,
assisted by the officers of Dallas
Camp, No. 2O9, Woodmen Of the
World, Tuesday evening. The largest
gathering of Woodmen ever assembled
in Polk county witnessed the exercises
and listened to an able address by the
honored Head Consul. Members Of
the order were present from Portland,
Salem, Eugene, McMinnville, New
berg, Sheridan, Dayton, Amity. Inde-
pendence, Monmouth, Falls City,
Ballston and other valley towns. The
large audience filled the new hall to
overfowing, and many people stood
in the halls and ante-rooms through
out the exercises.
The Head Camp was represented by
Head Consul I. l. Boak, of Denver,
and Head Banker P. E. Snodgrass. of
Eugene. Hon. Walter L. Tooze, of
Woodburn, Oregon's delegate to the
Fraternal Congress of America State
Organizer Harry L. Day and Hon.
J. M. Woodworth. of Portland, were
also among the prominent guests of
the evening. Uniformed drill teams
from Monmouth, McMinnviIle, Sheri-
dan and Dallas camps were in attend
ance. A special motor train from
Monmouth early in the evening
brought large crowd Of enthusiastic
Woodmen from the south end Of the
county, accompanied by the Oregon
State Normal School brass band.
Head Consul Boak and party arrived
from Salem in the afternoon and were
driven to the Hotel Gail, where rooms
had been reserved for them. They
were met at the hotel by the members
Of the reception committee, and
pleasant half-hour was spent in re-
newing old-time acquaintances and
in social conversation. The members
Of the reception committee were V. P.
Fiske, Judge J. E. Sibley, Frank
Kerslake, L. G. Kirkpatrick and w. A.
Ayres. Messrs. kirkpatrick and Fiske
having attended former Head Camp
sessions, were personally acquainted
with Head Consul Boak, and intro
duced him to the members of Dallas
Camp who called to pay respects.
Later in the afternoon the visitors
were escorted to the new Woodmen
building, where an informal reception
was held. The Head Consul was
greatly pleased with the arrangement
and furnishings Of the new structure,
pronouncing it one of the most COM
modious and up-to-date lodge build
ings he had ever visited, and paying
high compliment to the members of
Dallas Camp, No. 2O9, for the energy
and progressive spirit displayed in
the erection Of building creditable
alike to the order and to the city of
Dallas Before returning to the hotel,
the party was formed in a group III
front of the building and photo
graphed by 7. J. Cherrington.
The evening exercises did not begin
until 8 AS o'clock, owing to the late
arrival of the train from Portland.
While waiting for the train, the large
crowd was entertained by the Mon
mouth band, which rendered num-
ber of choice selections. Visitors
arriving from the north were met at
the train by the band and the Dallas
drill team, under command of Major
V. P. Fiske, and escorted to the hall
where seats had been reserved for
them.
The vast assemblage was called to
order by E, G. Kirkpatrick, who had
been chosen to preside as chairman of
the evening. After stirring rendi-
ton of "Hail Columbia" by the
Woodmen orchestra and the singing
of America" by the audience, Mr..
Kirkpatrick arose, and, in graceful
speech, requested Hon. Walter L.
Tooze, of Woodburn, to assume the
active craftsmanship. In accepting
the proffered honor, Mr.. Tooze gave a
pleasing 1O-minute address, in the
course Of which he paid high tribute
| to tho work of the fraternal orders in
the United States. He closed by
warmly congratulating Dallas Camp
for it's enterprise in building such a
beautiful home and for its rapid
growth in membership. Mr.. Tooze is
an eloquent and entertaining speaker,
and his brief remarks were received
with enthusiastic applause.
Hon. George L. Hawkins read an
excellent paper on ''The Objects OF
Woodcraft," and closed by giving
brief history of Dallas Camp, No. 2O9.
He traced the growth Of the camp
from the date of its first organization
down to the present time, and told OF
the active interest that has always
been taken by the Woodmen of Dallas
in the growth and development OF
their home city. Oscar Hayter was
requested to read a portion Of the
Woodmen ritual entitled "Woodcraft
in Life and Death" and responded in
a pleasing manner.
Head Consul Boak then took charge
of the exercises and formally dedicated
the new hall to the uses Of Woodcraft'