Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-12-10
In -nE YEAR 1915
LOOKING BACKWARD
Courier Writer Has Pipe Dream
In Which He Sees Grants Pass
Five Years From Now.

One of the occasional writers for
the Courier dreamt the other night
1t was the year 1915 and that he
had been given an assignment by
the Daily Courier, a 16-page news
paper, to write story on the growth
Of Grants Pass. This is what he
wrote:
It came about naturally, the presi-
dent Of. the ladies auxiliary, an
energetic woman in quiet way, be-
ing the one who started 1t. But she
did not know at the time the great
amount OF good she was doing. A
love for her home town actuated her
when the auxiliary was organized,
and from the beginning the right
kind Of women Joined with her. They
all got together and worked with en-
thusiasm, not allowing any petty diff
ferences to interfere with the auxili-
ary's progress.
From the commencement knockers
were strongly in evidence and their
hammers hit the anvil loudly and
continuously. This scum, usually OF
the male persuasion, could not see
the benefit of the work that was be-
ing done. The giving of prizes to
children who raised the best vine or
flower seemed to them, producers OF
nothing but discouraging noise, to be
puerile and silly. 1T was some
thing to amuse the ladies" they said,
while they snickered the intolerable
smile that comes by instinct to the
tribe. But the ladies worked away
supported by the commercial clnb
and the up-to-date citizens Of the
town.
Now when the auxiliary was COM
, menced the town was neither better
nor worse than the average town OF
It's size. AS usual many of its citi-
zens seemed to be satisfied with
their lot and terribly afraid of the
effect improvement Of the town
would have on taxes So the streets
, were bad, the main street being very
, bad, and in many ways the citizens
suffered unnecessary discomforts
Homeseekers on the trains were not
. attracted for the town appeared tc
be just small, unprogresslve place
There was nothing tangible by which
the passers through could learn OF
the richness OF the soil and Of the
wealth of the surrounding hills, OF
. the developing mines and of the
beautiful river rich In fish and watel
Il power. Even the citizens appeared
to be unaware Of the opportunity fol
g production and wealth that was II
: and around the town. Some there
4 were who told of these things. TolC
@ of them without enthusiasm, a
IS though they did not believe in wha
Il they said And thus things languish
= ed at the time the auxiliary was form
ed.
II The work OF the auxiliary pro
II gressed slowly at first, for there wer
II many obstacles to overcome, tn
:, chief being the one of indifference
IS and lack OF enthusiasm. The ma
u iority OF the people apparently di
u not know OF, or did not have tn
u ambition to bring the town to tn
u position its situation and resource
u entitled IL to, Only the ladies en-
@ gagged In the work know the amour
lc OF labor that was put into "gettln
Is started" OF the railroad parks. Ho,
~ many disappolntments and dlscoul
u agements had to be overcome be
U fore they had the earnest support G
~ the people. But the beginning G
4 this park was the real birth OF tn
70 town. From this time It's history q
r city commenced.
q The spirit shown by the ladle
" spread TO the men and the CONNER
y clal club. that had practically bee
v doing nothing but advertise, bega
% ito see things" Improvement @
the town became fetish and II
- splendid location began to be appr,
70 clated. A plan to open the rive
: from the steel bridge to the dam wa
proposed and carried to completio
" by the commercial club. The mud
" dy main street became an eyesor
i that was uncomfortable and the sprln
following the awakening saw a har
= pavement being laid on this thol
- oughfare with the greatest enthr
: siasm, From there II rapidly sprea
= to the other streets, everyone appea,
" Ing to think paving was az necessar
TO n good street as windows to
house.
With the commencement OF pawn
fresh impetus was given to the mat
4. Ing OF the railroad park The ladle
2 held tag day, q day that was hel