The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-02-11
BILLY SUNDAY
IN HOOD RIVER
VISITS THE VALLEY ON MONDAY
Secures an option on Fruit Ranch
and May Become an Apple.
king.

If Rev. "Billy" Sunday, the has,
ball evangelist whose oratorical py
totechnics put the erstwhile San
Jones in the deep shade, buys The
$50, 600 orchard upon which he secured
verbal option during his flying visit
here Tuesday, Hood River bids fail
to become household word to botl
saint aud sinner throughout thes,
broad United States, for great is tn,
boosting capacity of Rev. Billy, anC
his eloquence travels faster than tn,
grip germ.
Mr.. Sunday arrived 10 town early
tuesday morning, terrying over from
the North Bank railorad. He was ac
companied by his wife, Rev. E. L.
House, of Spokane, f. q. Hanson
special engineer of the North Pacific
irrigation project at Kennewick, anC
f. q. Fischer, the latter in charge o.
the tig Sunday chorus. His daughter
Helen aud his three young sons
George, Billy, and Paul, went OIL
through to Portland to await theil
patents aud attend the big Tuesday
evening IdIly I'd tuhI Guy.
During the few brief hours that the
evangelist spent In Hood River he
fully demonstrated that his whilrwind
methods do not sppeItsin entirely tc
the conduct OF revival campaigns, fol
be accomplished az much as the OF.
dinary visitor does In thee days
Accomplished by several of the from
inent local citizens the party went oul
to Van Horn on the Mt. Hoo d railroad
where they were met by Willis Van
Horn and driven through the big or.
chard telts of both the east and west
sides Of the valley, making thor ougt
inspection OF growing trees OF every
age. The distinguished visitor in'
formed himself on Hood River meth,
ods of fruit growing and gathered 9
great deal of statistical data, asking
questions with such rapid fire tina,
it took a committee Of three or toul
to answer him. On the return trip 8
stop was made at the new high school,
where he addressed the pupils anC
their parents before hurrying back tc
tho hotel to catch the 3:05 local fol
Portland.
Notwithstanding that the roads are
muddy, the ground covered with snow
and the valley at its very worst il
general appearance, MIR. Sunday wat
charmed with his first view OF this
famous section aud positively stated
that he would buy here and endeavol
to spend his summers IN the new Ore
gon home he has selected.
The fact that most strenuous efforts
have been made In the Spokane, va
kima, Kennewick and other fruit dis
tricts to induce Mr.. Sunday to eitheI
purchase or accept fruit lands gratu
itously without avail, and that he 8,
unhestatingly selected Hood River al
the most attractive locality for ,
home and orchard, does not pass with
out appreciation here. 1t practically
substantiates the claim that we have
all the advantages of other fruit grow
ing sections and none of their disad
vantages, and private ownership oi
fruit lands here by man OF the
evangelist's Ienown will mean much
to the.. future substantial development
OF Hood River.
1t is to be regretted that Rev. Billy
could not have given the people OF
Hood River an opportunity to hear
one OF his soul inspiring addresses.
He is a man among thousands, hav.
ing peculiar personality, a wondroui
vocabulary, an efervescent spirit, 6
NepoIeanio will power and heart
that beats for all humanity. "He has
tho hanrt nf On nv ~ uou tba aynraa
sion that DIR. E. l.. House used in de
scribing the mans generous and char
liable disposition. at is true that
be Is very wealthy and that he re-
ceives large sums for his services, but
be supports several missions and doel
a vast amount Of good with his mon
ey."
There are many who do not entirely
approve OF oratorical and physica
gymnastics in the pulpit, but the fac
remains that the man who was onct
so widely known on the baseball dia
mond is capable Of reaching all classel
of people, high, low, rich and poor
When he played Eall to the cheers ol
thousands of enthusiastic fans he wa
the swiftest runner that ever sprinteC
to the home plate, holding the world
record. Now that he breaches aaC
lectures to thousands OF sinners ant
doubtful christians, he still evince
that came remarkable speed and ha
them scurrying in a mad scramble t,
put the ball over the fence, safe from
Satan In the outheld. Rev. Bill,
does his Own pitching and he doe
not Resort to curves 1t the man at tn,
bat means business. He is accom-
panied Oh his tour by party of ter
assistants, who preach to overflow
meetings sing, manage bis itinerary
aud make 1t possible for him to ad
dress multitudes.
While In Hood River Tuesday Mr.
Sunday received the sad intelligenc,
that his personal assistant, Rev. c.
p. Plsdger, who remained at Skopart
because OF illness was in a serious
condition and would probably dit
within the next 48 hours. He wal
much affected at the news and wired
instructions for every care and atten
tion to be given MIR. Pledger, having
Mr.. Butler, his soloist, and severa
Others ot his patty remain with th'
afflicted minister. After tbe bis
meeting at Portland Tuesday night
where he addressed thousands, to,
evangelist and bis remaining part,
left for California on the midnigh
train. When the series of meeting
there is finished, he will return t,
Springfield, ILL.,, to I'll similar en-
gagement. He has work mapped ou
for all OF next year, his sermons ant
lectures to be given mostly in tn
east and middle west, but he ha
fully determined to make his home II
the west and his brother and son
will run his Oregon orchard whil
be is on the road.
Mrs. Sunday, who proved a charm
ing ersationalist and who is
most able public skeaker, expresse
herself as delighted with Hood River
the mountains, hill and trees appeal
ing to her lose OF nature. ut
the unly fruit district we have visit
ed" she said, "in which | feel thH
| wonld like to make my nome. c
course We haze known what Hoo
River Ia from oommerCial atand