Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-07-02
san Juan .I
PIONEERS
Complete Proceedings ofthe
Meeting at Pagosa
Springs

Through the courtesy OF John w
wingate, permanent secretary and
treasurer OF the Pioneer association,
we are enabled to give the complete
proceedings of the Pioneer gathering.
also review of the social events and
entertainment provided by the good
citizens for visiting Pioneers and Ma
sons, as follows:
Minutes of twelfth annual meotins
of the San Juan Pioneer association
held at Pagosa Springs. June 26,
1906 and incidents connected there
with.
AS the annual meeting of the Pic
neer association and that of the san
Juan Masonic association in some q
The social features were held in
measure In conjunction. part OF
these minutes will apply to such por
ton as were intermingled.
The train of Sunday. June 90. car
rying the La Plata county members
Of the San Juan Pioneer association
also carried the representatives o.
the San Juan Masonic association 70
It's annual meeting, held also In Pa
gosa Springs on June IS, At Pages
Junction the Pioneers from San Luis
valley and the reception committee
from Pagosa Springs were met and
all boarded a special train for the
Springs. After mutual greetings
and handsbakings. usual among old
time friends, attention was turned TO
the beautiful park-llke scenery
through which the train wended its
way. BY some fortunate circum
stance portion of the section
through which we passed had not
been denuded of it's timber. and the
and level grass-covered ground gave
the face of the country the appear
ance of an immense natural park. AT
the Springs we were met by large
delegation of citizens who extended
q warm and hearty welcome. Car
riages were waiting to convey us to
the hotels where comfortable quar-
tiers were found.
On Monday morning the Pioneers
and Masons were taken to the exten.
siye sawmIli nf suilsnborsor & Co,
situated at the edge Of town, the daily
cut Of which is many thousand feet
The quickness with which log Is
run through the mill, the amount OF
machinery used In It's economic hand
ling. the completeness of its finish
and It's diversified product, reminds
one Of the handling of hog in
packing house. where, 1t is said, ev
erything is utilized but the squeal A
very pleasant hour was passed at the
mill.
In the afternoon an excursion to
the logging grounds was announced
The logging train was boarded and
the run to the grounds. distance OF
two or three miles. soon made
where the cars were rapidly loaded
with the logs banked by the side ot
the track having been hauled from
the hillsides near by. The almost
human intelligence displayed by the
highly trained team in doing the work
Of loading. with only the voice of the
driver to direct 1t. was both surpris
ing and interesting. 1t also displayed
another common trait of humanity
humanity"--in its prone
ness to shy at the women when they
came too near.
The program provided for our en-
tertainment called for banquet IL
the evening at the several hotels, no
one hotel being large enough to ac
commodate all the guests. Severa
were drafted into service for the oo
casion. among them the Commercial
least, the Arlington, presided over by
the well known and public spirited
citizen of Silverton. Bryce Patterson
The principal dish at the banquet was
trout. d dish dear to the heart of the
pioneer. not only for Its flavor, bu,
also for the memories recalled OF the
years when the country was new and
trout were abundant In all It's
streams. We were served with
trout galore-big trout. little trout.
brown trout, speckled front and
and when the Pioneers be
gan to wriggle In their seats from a
surfeit of trout. they Were informed
that another feast--one of a literary
character-had been provided. to
which the pioneers and Masons were
Invited.
All repaired to the Masonic hall.
and were very pleasantly entertained.
The program consisted of songs, read.
ngs and short talks on Masonry, the
of the old and pathetic
'ong. Peter. Peter. Pumpkin Eater"
bringing down the house.
The following morning at 10 O'Clock
he members Of the Pioneer and Ma
ontc associations and citizens OF Pa.
osa assembled In the beautiful park
n the banks OF the swift flowing San
uan, where. after the cordial vel
oming address by the president of
70 San Juan Pioneer association. who
'ndered the freedom Of the town In
WhoIe-souled manner. the orator of
. day. Hon. N. c. Miller. was intro