The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-03-29
Thousands of People in the City
to Participate in the General
Greetings
.OBERT STRAHORN is
THE CENTRAL FIGURE.
He Points Out That the Idea From
Which the Entire Development
Came Was Purely Local in Its
Character

\hafacter
Then and Now
The North Coast was the frozen zone,
And Yakima Jack Rabbits own,
And Walla Walla Mossback's Home
Twas Devils Desert. THEN.
Two Villages to Cities grown,
The Mossback and Jackrabbit gone,
The North Coast has become our own
IT'S Gods Own Garden. NOW.
What the North Coast Hath
Joined. Let No Man Put Asunder,"
was the supreme sentiment that pre-
among the thousands living along the
line Of the Oregon w ashngton Rail-
way & Navigation company, who had
come here to celebrate its completion
to this point and the inception of a
regular passenger and freight service
that will mean much to the whole
country traversed by the new line.
1t was peculiarly fitting that the
central figure in the celebration
should be Robert e. Strahorn, who
for five long years had struggled with
the problem of building a competing
line in the territory of an old and es-
tablished railroad. For almost that
many years the work Of the indefa-
tigable, modest man of energy was
known to the public as "Strahorn's
Mystery" but it is a mystery no long
err. 1t would be useless now to 60
into the history of the road which is
we'll known to all. and 1t need hardly
be said that the proudest and hap
piest Of all participating in the cele-
bration was that same Robert E. Stra-
horn, whose efforts had at last been
crowned with success
Every Prospect Pleasant
The weather was made to order for
the occasion, the day being clear and
just warm enough to be pleasant,
consequence on this thousands as
sembled in town long before the two
passenger trains bearing the visitors
from down the valley and from the
eastern part Of the state came in. The
ranchers came with teams and autos
and their outfits could be seen all
over town. Every hitching post had
it's quota of horses and the stables
were all filed. The hotels did rush
ing business and long before night
had assigned the last room.
In the bright sunlight, the red,
white and blue of the decorations
added to the beauty of the scene, and
later the lights from the incandes-
cent arches strung over the intersec-
tons of Yakima avenue subdued the
coloring and lighted the street effec-
lively over its whole length through
the business section.
Reception at Station
The station of the Oregon-Wash-
ington Railroad & Navigation COM
pany, at West Yakima and First ave-
nue., dressed with flags and bunting
was the scene of the greatest activity
about noon, when the first train came
in from Kennewick and way points.
The platform and sidewalks were
crowded with Yakimans who had
gathered to welcome the thousands
from down the valley.
Nagler's North Yakima band played
appropriate airs while waiting on the
platform for the coming of the trains.
Rag time, marches and dance steps
kept the crowd interested. Among
the pieces layed was rag time en-
titled yakima Spasm," composed by
Walter Hamilton, of the Herald office.
As the official train came In from
Walla Walla bearing 10 carloads OF
shouting humanity. the band played
casey Jones'" the engineers favor
lite.
Kennewick Excursion
The train of a dozen cars from Ken
newick came in on time, arriving at
noon as the whistles were blowing.
This train was loaded to the guards
and contained passengers from Alta
liza, Kennewick. Benton City. Prosser.
Grandview. Emerald, Granger, I'll
lab, Beulah. Parker and Donald. Ill
lab led with nearlv ESQ of its best
citizens, headed by Zillah Chinauer
and Vera Smith, pretty girls bearing
flags, Mayor E. ]. Jaeger and the I'll
lab Concert band and troop OF
young ladies with hats decorated with
streamers and wearing numerous
badges. One of there read From Zil-
lah." The Kennewick crowd were
plastered with badges bearing the
words. watch Kennewick Expand"
and from their buttonholes hung tags
reading, From Kennewick to all
points in Washington and Oregon
BY Water or by Rail-"
The contingent from the first train
were escorted to the Christian church
and the Young Mems Christian asso-
citation, where they were served with
luncheon.
Welcome Guns Fired
While waiting for the Walla Walla
train, which came in about one
o'clock, a firing squad, composed of
Counc Imam Null. f. Hamilton. A. L.
Bell, C. w. Mitchell and e. L. Ruth.
fired welcome guns from two anvils.
The Walla Walla special. pulled by
two moguls, X144 and SO. dis
charged its much decorated and be-
rihboned crowd on the platform and
after being formed in line they were
headed by their funny men and the
Wala Walla band. They were es-
corted by Nagler's to the Commercial
club.
The Walla Walla Squad
The funny squad from Walla Walla
attracted much attention. Jack Lam
bert. attred as Dutchman with
green socks and other homogeneous
articles of dress. topped off with tall
hat tipped with a fountain, which
played water on the crowd from time
To time kent the people lining the