Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-04-29
WHO ARRIVED IN GRANTS PASS
ON TUESDAY LAST
COMMERCIAL CLUB RECEIVE
Roses, Eloquence and Automobile
Rides Strong Features of the
Occasion.

The occasion of the excursion OF
the Portland business men last Tues
day was made a red letter day in
Grants Pass. The officers of the
Commercial Club and a large number
OF Its members accompanied by the
band met the splendid special train
and gave the visitors a royal well
come. While the band played the
visitors were saluted by old friends
and introduced to new ones. After
these ceremonies were over our
guests, led by the band, were escort.
ed to the rooms Of the Commercial
Club, where there was grand dis.
play of roses Of every hue. These
early blooms were a complete sur.
prise to the party and caused much
favorable comment on our climate
and soil which produced the beauti.
full flowers.
Without loss of time Judge George
Durham, as master OF ceremonies
called the assembly to order and In.
troduced R. G. Smith, who made the
speech welcoming the visitors to
Grants Pass and the Rogue River
valley.
The speech was replete with i'm,
portant information regarding this
section and covered the soil, the
climate and the productions of the
valley. He wound up with the in.
formation that the rainfall in thi!
section OF the country was only 27
inches annually, but by vote Of the
people Josephine county was dry the
year round.
DR.. Weatherby, president OF the
Portland Commercial Club, was In.
troduced and replied In eloquent
terms to the speech OF welcome. He
showed his appreciation OF the recep.
tion which had been rendered the
party The display or beautiful
roses was feature which he dweit
on with pleasure, remarking that the
party was quite astonished at the
early blooms which, indeed, was re.
markable when the fact was consid.
cred that Portland was at much
lower altitude than Grants Pass anc
yet when they left that city there
were no signs OF roses, and yet here
they found them in all their fra
GRANGE and beauty. There was only
one explanation and that was gather.
ed from the remarks OF the eloquent
gentleman who had welcomed them
with a warmth OF feeling, hot air
which was evidently stored among
the hills and which passed from cliff
to cliff resulting in early foliage
and bursting buds He spoke In
praise OF the climate and the general
prosperity OF the country. Speak
ing Of Portland he said It's people had
found out that they had been run.
ming In narrow grooves, but at last
they had resolved 10 get out and sec
the country and find out conditions
in the great state of Oregon. Hc
told Of the advertising that Portland
had done for all parts OF the state
believing the way TO build a great
city was TO help build up the coun
try surrounding II, and they hoped
thereby 10 make Portland the lead
ing city OF the coast He favored
diversified farming as II was a grea
help In building up country. III
spoke Of the fine weather OF Grant
Pass and IT'S dry climate, and h
hoped the people would make tn
most of t. In closing he invited hi
hearers TO come 10 Portland AM
while there 10 visit the Commercial
Club. Though It was dry here the
would not find II so In that city
Following these two speeches es
peclally prepared kilograms Of
humorous nature were read. Thes
had been sent TO members OF th
party. The first was from Mayo
Simon, Of Portland, addressed I
Or. Andrew G. Smith, a political lead
er. The telegram read, "Understan
you are making political speechei