Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-01-21
SPECIAL TRAIN WHICH CARRIED
MORE THAN $50 PILGRIMS
RECEPTION AT GRANTS PASS
"A Pleasant Occasion That viii Long
BE Remembered by All
Parties.

The Inland Empire excursion from
Spokane to Oregon and California
passed through Grants Pass at noon
on Wednesday. The Commercial
Club having the matter in charge
secured the attendance of two hun
dred or more home people to be at
the depot to give the excursionists
royal welcome. AS soon as the
train arrived there were introduc-
tions and hand shaking and each ex-
Icursionist had pinned on to the lapel
of his coat badges by the ladies of
the Auxiliary and was handed a
stamped post card, each being a soul
venir of Grants Pass and the friends
who had greeted them. The visitors
were invited to gather at the depot
platform, where Judge Durham in
troduced our townsman, r. G. Smith,
who addressed the excursionists sub
stantially as follows:
Ladies and gentlemen: On behalf
of the people of Grants Pass | wish
to welcome you to our city We thank
you for stopping here this brief time
because we wish to tell you some
thing of our country and its re-
sources and for the additional rea-
son that we want some Of you who
have built up the wonderful cities
and prosperous communities of the
inland empire to cast your lot with
us and assist us in developing the
mining, numbering and fruit growing
that is possible in this region. 1t
would be to your advantage and ours
and then you would have the best
and healthiest climate on the coast.
We have here country where the
sun shines on us every day In the
year. The weather experts show we
do not have to exceed thirty cloudy
days in the year. The thermometer
IS never so forgetful as to fall be-
low ten above zero. Snow we never
have except little that falls on the
mountain tops when an excursion
from your country is approaching
and 1t is to bid your welcome.
when you know this country bet
ter you will, when you feel like es-
Gaping the cold and snow, stop here
instead Of taking a long journey to
southern California.
"One Of your party asked me
when the weather broke?' Well,
my friends, as far as snow, cold and
storms are concerned, 1t is always
broke We don't have storms and
ice and sleet and zero weather
Grants Pass is a city of 5000 peo-
pie, but none OF us are broke. It Is
situated so that It must become the
largest city in this part Of the state.
You noticed in coming over the
mountains that It Is situated next
to the hills and Rogue river flows
through the city and all its tributary
country must come to &C. Behind
these hills and in the valleys, people
have been mining for 80 years and
taken ont many millions in gold, and
these mines will last forever We
have forests where billions OF feet
of lumber have been cut and mar
keted and other billions Of feet await
the demand Of trade. On every side
Is the best fruit land In Oregon. We
are preparing to irrigate 10000
acres. It is country OF opportunity
for every one and right here in the
center Of the Rogue River valley the
fruit grower gets from the soil and
the climate the color for the big red
apple an the yellow Newtown."
Mr. Smith then invited the excur-
sionists TO stop on their return and
he assured them that the good people
here would point out tothem the way
TO comfort and fortune.
When Mr.. Smith concluded his re-
marks, he introduced Mr.. Conan, OF
Spokane, who said.
Ladies and gentlemen, we arc
very glad to meet you, and we ap.
preciate the courteous welcome
which we have received since we en-