Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1911-05-04
ASTORIA'S BIG
CENTENNIAL
Pageant Will Open August 9,
Close September 8.
Aviation Meet, Regatta, Battleship
Fleet, Fireworks Spectacle
Are Arranged For.
(By John Day.)

years ago April u, 1911, the good
ship Tonquin, owned by John Jacob
Astor, sailed into the mouth of the
Columbia River, rode over the bar
and anchored ten miles up the river
in a cove opposite what has. now
become Astoria. The "Tonquin"
brought the first white man to the
great Oregon country which at that
time embraced all the land from
which the states of Oregon, Washing
ton and Idaho have since been carved.
1t is in celebration of this settle
ment that the Astoria Centennial was
projected. The pageant will be
opened with simple ceremonies on
August g. The public opening will be
the following day and the Centennial
will continue for thirty days, or until
September 8.
The legislature of the state of Ore
gon appropriated $4,000 toward the
expense of the Centennial. Clatsop
County made special tax levy which
brought $25000 additional funds to
the committee; Col. John Jacob
Astor, of New York City, donated
$4,000 to the cause and the business
men of Astoria contributed $4,000.
Additional subscriptions from the
transportation companies and Port
land business men have brought the
available sinews of war up to $150,000
Tourists from all parts of the
United States will be able to travel
to the Astoria Centennial at reduced
railroad rates and stop at all the prin-
ciple places of interest en- route. This
centennial celebration is the only
official exposition on the Pacific Coast
this year and offers the following at
fractions:
Pacific Coast motor speed boat re.
gatta with $4,000 in cash prizes, last
ing one week-Septembe 4 to Sep
tember s, inclusive. At this regatta
the free-for-all championship will be
decided and $4,000 is the prize money
for this one event alone. Practically
every coast city will enter boat and
craft will be entered from Peoria, Ill,
and several boats are expected from
the Atlantic seaboard. The displace-
ment boat championship will also be
decided at this regatta as will SUI
premacy in~the fishing craft classes,
sail rugged hulls, sculling contests, tub
races, canoe races between various
Indian tribes of the northwest and
such features as are usual at western
regatta tournaments. The manage
ment of the regatta is in charge of
the Astoria Motor Boat Club, affili-
ated with the Pacific Coast Internal
tional Motor Boat Association, the
officers of which will direct the con-
tests
Glenn Curtiss will have an aero
plane and an hydro-aeroplane exhibi /
ton lasting four days of the third
week of the celebration. Mr.. Curtiss
is under contract to fly over land,
seas and rivers, starting from the
surface of the Columbia River, run
ming at a speed of at least thirty-five
miles an hour down to the mouth OF
the Columbia River, rising from the
water without mechanical aid, circle
over the beach to the Gearhart Hotel
and return to the starting point, fly
ing in the air overland
From the opening of the centennial
to the close there will be two fleets
of battleships in the harbor, one de-
tailed by the United States govern
ment and one from the pick of the
British squadron. In addition the
South American republics and China
and Japan have promised to detail
battleships to the scene of the centen-
nial and participate in land and ma
rine pageants.
The Gearhart Hotel has been sc
Iected as the scene of the great naval
hop which will be given in honor of
the officers of the various battleships.
The Gearhart Hotel is within short
distance of Astoria and right on the
Pacific Ocean. 1t is an ideal place
for social functions and the centen
nial committee will have many social
functions at this hotel.
General FINER, head of the Oregon
National Guard, has decided upon AS
toria for the scene of the annual sum-
mer encampment of the Oregon Ma
tional Guard during the continuance
of the Astoria Centennial. Necessary I
arrangements are now being made by
General Finer and his staff to work
out the details of the encampment, /
and the United States War Depart
ment has ordered the artillerymen
and the artillerymen of the militia to
report to the forts adjacent to AS
toria for annual target practice dur
ing the centennial.
Officers from the national guard of
the various states will be invited to
participate in the evolutiOns and OBJ
serve the work of the combined ma
tional guard and the United States
regulars who will be assigned to As
toria for war practice.
Gearhart beach. the scene Of the
big coast automobile race meets an
nually, viii be the mecca for the
motor car speed experts during the
celebration. The beach is wide and
miles in length so that all the races
will be straightaway events allowing
the best possible time. Washed by
the ocean tides until the sand is
packed as hard as stone. this beach
offers ideal advantages for motor car
speed contests and arrangements have
been perfected for a carnival OF
speed merchants which will include
all the top notchers in the profes-
sion. This meet will be in charge Of
the Automobile Club Of Portland and
the Northwest and will be officially
sanctioned.
The Oregon Development League