Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-09-24


four beer kegs and some half dozen
men standing, Note--the beer kegs
did not belong to our party.
We finally started. rear end of the
engine first, and would liked TO have
admired the landscape but could not
as we were busy keeping the
flying cinders from binding us. A
few moments and We were at our
destination, historical old Jackson
vile, the pioneer OF Southern Ore
gon.
We were met at the depot by Mr..
f. B. Haney with his three-seated
rig and handsome pair of blacks.
On our arrival at the camp
grounds We were met by several from
Grants Pass already on the ground.
The camping grounds were simply
perfect. A sloping. shady hillside.
covered with oaks and evergreens.
was chosen. The committee had
spared neither expense, work or
thought in preparing and arranging
the grounds for the comfort and con-
venience of the "battle-srarred boys
OF 81" and their families. The free
straw was bright and clean; the free
coffee-gallons of twas always
hot, always ready and of the most
delicious flavor; while the free SOUP
made In an immense iron cauldron
would have done honor to the most
fastidious French chef
The members of the North Dakota
association were given the grounds
and social privileges for their annual
reunion. Their presiding genius, a
gentleman who could make a finan,
cial success as real estate dealer,
gave short address in which the
greatness and possibilities-even the
mosquitoes We're so large that two,
in an emergency, had been called.
on to FIJI the vacancy OF stolen team
of North Dakota. Query-Why
did that gentleman come to Oregon?
AT the close of his address we
were invited to a feast of water
melons. A long table was loaded
with this edible, while musk melons,
boxes of apples and peaches and
baskets of grapes, all of the most de-
licious flavor, to which all did ample
justice. Every day while we were
on the grounds fresh melons and
fruit were brought and distributed
among the campers.
At o'clock we formed in line
and began the march to the school
grounds, headed by the drum corps
playing the old inspiring tune,
Marching Through Georgia." to see
the flag given by the G.. A. II. and
w. X. G. to the Jacksonville school,
and to hear the presentation address
of Rev. Robert Mclean to the school
children 1t is needless to state that
Mr. Mclean was in his element when
addressing the children, during
which he told them to always rever-
ence and respect that beautiful en-
blem of liberty, our glorious Stars
and Stripes, for which nearly 3,000,-
600 men and boys forsook home
and everything that life holds dear
to preserve with their life blood
an undivided country. OF that num-
Der of boys in blue, only 61S,511
were over 22 years of age, while
/ L159,79S were 21 years old or
under and 1,151,43S were not yet
IS years old, S44,S91 were under 1G
years, 1923 not over IA years and
22y were not more than | 2 years and
25 were 10 years old or under. The
grandest army OF boys the world
ever saw.
County Superintendent Wells
made the response, in which he
thanked Mr.. Mclean, the G. A. II.
and ladies OF the w. r. G. for the
address and the beautiful gift.
Here on the school grounds we
disbanded, returning TO camp at our
leisure. The day mad been one OF
the hottest, with plenty Of dust and
no wind, and we had thought Jack
sonvllle a small place, but as each
struggling party returned and had
picked out a cool spot to rest In, we
began TO estimate the distance from
the camp to the school house We
started in az | k miles, but as none
Of US could agree, we finally decided
10 ask each returning party as to
the distance. We did, and the last
one thought 39k miles about the
right amount, and there we left lt
II Jacksonville wants to set up a
claim as the largest, as well as the
Oldest city In Southern Oregon. call
on any one that marched from the
G. A. II. camping ground TO the
school house on the afternoon OF
September 10. 1909.