Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-08-15

lawyers, who had achieved distinction
both legally and politically in the
state.
To the toast "The Pioneer Banker
Ezra T. Elliott responded, telling Of
the trials and trlbulations attending
the pioneer banking business in Del
Norte. when the honesty and good in
tentions Of the borrower were never
questioned, when a note of hand was
the limit of security required, when
the jack pot embraced the bank roll,
and was assigned to the care of the
director holding the top hand.
Dan Z. Newcomb. the first county
superintendent of schools in the San
Juan responded to the toast '4The Pio'
neer schools in manner that con
vinced those present that he was an
important factor in the school system
os "ye olden time" He commended
highly the devotion to duty OF the
school master and schoolmistress OF
the pioneer years. but owing to the
number of his former pupils present
touched very lightly upon the effective
measures used to preserve order In
the days when the OK goad, The ruler
the stove poker and the six-shooter
were the "emblems OF power and
badge of authority" and always kept
within reach.
The toast, "The Pioneer Press" was
responded to by Geo. n. Raymond
editor OF the Durango Herald. He re-
lated in a most impressive manner
many of the difficulties and discour
agements that attended the establish
ment OF newspaper in the heart OF
the mountains when the country was
new and the trails narrow and rugged
and told Of the elevated position he
at length, by his own unaided efforts
attained in the newspaper world al
Anlmas Folks, altitude II. 200 feet "Ho
walked in
Geo. p. barley, a son Of Geo NJ.
barley, who all the pioneers pleasant
ly remember as a pioneer preacher
IN fact responded to the toast The
Pioneer Preacher.' recalling to mino
the earnest and illS paid labors of tho
pioneer preacher to improve the moral
conditions in new country.
The secretary of the association
Jno w. Wingate was called npon TO
respond to tho toast, The Badge oi
the Association-the Burro." He eX-
pla!ned why the patient sturdy buuo
had been chosen MS its emblem. That
+. was logical selection. because the
burro next to the prospector himself
was the most potent factor in opening
up the rugged mountain sections oi
the San Juan, and bringing TO the no.
tice of the world its inexhaustihle
mineral wealth.
Hon. Otto Mears, who had been as.
signed TO respond to the toast, Tho
Pioneer Railroad having been unex
peetedly called away. w. D. Lee, su
perintendent OF the San Juan division
of the Denver & Rio Grande railway
was drafted into service as his sub.
stitute, and most entertaining'y relat
ed some of the great diffculties over.
come in the building Of the pioneer
railroad of the San Juan. the engineer
ing feats accomplished, the strenuous
efforts necessary to keep the road
open during the winter. the great fac
tor 1t had been in the development
| OF the country and the constantly in.
creasing amount of its business. which
was convincing evidence OF the pros
perity of the people
Last but by no means least in in.
terest were the remarks upon the
Pioneer Politician" OF the San Juan
by the Hon. Amaranta Garcia of Cone
jos county, whose familiarity with the
practice of both the old and the new
school of politicians particularly fitted
him to handle his subject And he
fully convinced his hearers, chat for
ways that are dark and tricks that
are vain" the old time professional
politician had Bill Nye's Heather Chi
nee beat to finish. and they were
also convinced that with faith in his
ability to hoodwink the people. and a
private distillery to draw to. he
might reasonably hope for victory
at the polls, After the remarks ol
the future state senator were con.
cluded, the pioneers arose to their
feet, and under the lead of the Rev.
barley the banquet was closed with
the singing of a sacred song
At o'clock p. m. the meeting was
called to order by the president, and
he asked If there was any further bust
ness to be brought before this meet.
ing. None being presented the thlr.
teenth annual meeting OF the San Juan
Pioneer association was upon
Motion duly made, seconded and
carried closed
And thus closed a meeting OF this
association. which all visiting pioneers
realized for pure warmhearted hospi.
tality and apparent desire to make tho