The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1910-12-01
SPOKANE VICTORY
Is CELEBRATED
JOLLY MEETING AT CLUB ROOM
Interesting Talks About the Spokane
Show and Presentation of Gifts
Features of The Evening.

ne informal smoker pul'ed Off last
Wednesday at the Commercial Club
was one of the best social gatherings
which the club has had. The occasion
OF the meeting, which was the cele-
ration of the victory at Spokane, lent
enthusiasm and general good feeling,
and it was happy crowd which as
sembIed IN the club rooms. The first
part of the evening was spent in a
general social time, and it was inn
proved by all to get better acquainted
with his neighbor.
President Charles Hall called the
meeting to order in the assembly
rooms and Rev. Harris was called
upon to start the ball rolling, which
he did by reciting a story which had
for its text, "Opened with PRAYER. :"
+. II. Shepard was then called to
the platform and his remarks were
well chosen, and listened to with at
tention. MIR. Shepard spoke mostly of
the exhibit at Spokane, the conditions
which existed and the importnce of
Hood River taking the prizes. He
said in part:
. Hood River had everything to lose
and very little to sgain, from a com
mercial standpoint, in the contest at
Spokane. We stald out of the show
the past two years for obvious reasons,
and we began to hear the taunt that
we were afraid to go into competition
with the Washington apple box sec
tlOns. In making the exhibit this year
we had two cars against seventeen of
h,t
Hood River has always been first in
every contest, from the time we took
the blue ribbon in 1893 at the Chicago
fair. Our reputation is established in
the markets of the world as being the
best. Had we failed this year to take
the first prizes, it would have been
used against us by our competitors,
while the carrying off of the prizes
simply maintains our reputation. We
were up against the keenest CONF eti-
tlon. Our every move was watched.
They Were.all against us, and as they
could not reach our level, they tried to
pull us down to theirs. In spite of this
feeling against us, our crowd acted in
a gentIemanly, dignited manner, and
made no loud demonstration when the
decision was announced We should
have had four cars there instead of
two, and we would have taken first
and second on Spitzenburgs and first
and second on Newtowns. 1t was the
most phenominal display ever made
and was high class from every point
of view. Our decorations were sim
pie and effective. The electrical dis
play was Il winner, and the two carloads
were set off in a manner to attract
attention.. The packers
and decorators deserve the highest
praise, and all who had a part to do
acquitted themselves in creditabIe
Ernest c. Smith was then called
upon and spoke in a general way of the
work of the Hood River party. He
said he would not attempt to tell any
thing about the fruit, as he did not
care to display his ignorance of apples
among the experts present. He prais-
ed the packers and the other workers
for their untiring effotts to do their
best, and the judges for their intcgr ty
and moral courage to give a fair de-
CisiOn on the merits.
In commenting on the good work
done by President Hall, who, when
there seemed to be failure to have
Hood River properly represented at the
show for want of funds, took the mat
ter in hand himself and said that if
he would finance the pro-
position himself. He spoke Of the
work of E. H. sShepard, whose sug-
gestionS and work did 50 much in i'm
proving the display, and who was on
the job night and day with the rest.
He then sprung a surprise on the two
gentlemen by presenting, on behalf
of the club, a gold watch to Mr.. Hall
and diamond stick-pin to Mr..
1t was complete surprise to
the recipients, and while they were
both fluent speakers during the fore
part of the evening, they found much
in expressing their appre-
citation of the tokens.
A. A. Jayne was then called upon,
and he congratulated Mr.. Smith in
the happy manner in which he adj
dressed the meeting and for mis- we'll
chosen remarks. MIR. Jayne said that
he had been resident of the valley
for fifteen years, coming from The
Dalles, and when he came here the
people of that section tried to dis
courage him. Hood River was looked
upon at that time Gas bankrupt
country, with no future. The raising
Of apples was considered poor busi-
ness, as there was no market for them
at that time except a local demand at
a low price. Mr.. Jayne was the of
the same opinion when he came here,
and it took him some time to see the
possibilities of the future. He en-
phasized the fact that it was the mind
and conscience Of the apple business
here, that backed up the quality and
made Hood River famous. The de-
termination to put up an honest pack,
and the best pack, was the factor in
the reputation.
Prof. Van Deman, one Of the judges
Of the Spokane show, and also Of the
Hood River show here this week, was
present, and was called to the floor.
Prof. Van Deman said that he and the
other judges tried to find all the fault
they could with the exhibit and made
poor success. They tried to be
merciIess In their scoring, spending
their time looking for defects rather
than for the good points, as that was
about all there was left to do. When
they got through there was but one
thing to do and that was to give the
prize to Hood River. Mr.. Van Deman
said he was proud to see Hood River
set the pace Of the world in growing
and packing apples In his visits to
all the important apple sections Of the
United States, he always told them to
follow Hood River. lie could not say
it too often. In Virginia last year
they had good exhibit, the best they
ever had, and he remarked that it
looked, Hood Rivery," He hoped
they would continue to improve. 81
hope you will keep in the lead, " said
Mr.. Van Deman. "Put conscience
into the apple box and you will get
the right reward. There has never
been such an exhibition of apples in
the world as you have this year. 1t