The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-03-29
Hundreds of Leading People of
the State Unite to Express
Approval of His Acts
HIS RAILWAY BRINGS
MUCH TO THIS VALLEY
Speakers at Banquet at the Com
mercial Hotel Laud Man Who
Took the People Into His Con-
fidence and Built Railway

The banquet at the Commercial
hotel Wednesday evening closed the
gala day in honor of Robert Z. Stra-
horn and of welcome to the North
Coast to North Yakima. Throughout
the evening, every speaker paid some
tribute to the man who had for five
years fought and worked to make
the North Coast a go and at its close
those present rose en- masse and gave
him three cheers. When called on
for a speech, the builder of the
North Coast was hardly able to re-
spond because of his emotions. Let
tiers of regret were read from Unite 1
States Senator Miles Poindexter, Gov
ernor Hay and Guy M. Talbot, presi-
dent of the Pacific Power & Light
company Mayor Schott acted as
itoastmaster and sat at small table
a. the end and beween the two rows
of long tables spread for the guests in
the new dining room of the CONNER
cial hotel.
City Makes Good Deal
Mayor H. H. Schott the toast
master, called the meeting to order
shortly before ten o'clock and in a
short address welcomed those pres
eent to North Yakima. He said North
Yakima today celebrates the greatest
event of the city, which means much.
The values of property have risen i'm
mensely. North Yakima is on the
map, for every city in this country
will know that the North Coast rail-
road has come to North Yakima.
say now that Mr.. Strahorn ought to
be congratulated on bringing into
North Yakima the North Coast rail-
road. I was a member of the city
council when Mr.. Strahorn first took
out his franchise in this town. Since
then it lapsed several times, but now
I am glad he has finally got in. North
Yakima made the best deal 1t ever
made when it secured the North
Coast railroad. l thank Spokane and
Walla Walla for their cooperation in
this celebration. in making it success
ful
Views of "a Pioneer
Fred Parker, who spoke as a pO-
neer, said: when l came here so
years ago. l was not able to come IN
a palace car nor any kind of car,
but by a numbering stage by way oil
The Dalles. That was the way we
got all our freight in these days. |
came in 1888, and Pm glad 1 came,
In 1884, the Northern Pacific reached
Yakima City, but there was no such
celebration as this, on the coming OF
the North Coast to this ely. Then
we could have bought Mob hill, selling
now for $4,000 per acre for $500, but
we had neither the price nor the
nerve. We have waited long for this
event-the coming of the North Coast
railroad and the proper facilities for
transportation now grown so enor-
nous that it is no longer a one rail-
road proposition.
StrahOrn Comes Into His Own
H. ]. Snively, attorney for the
North Coast railroad was the next
speaker. He said this was the day
that Robert E. Strahorn comes into
his own. The day we looked for
ward to has come to pass and we
felcitate ourselves on the coming of
the railroad. In justice to Mr.. Stra-
horn l wish to say that l believe the
people of North Yakima have not
appreciated the gallant fight made by
him to get this railroad through" Mr..
Snively spoke of the attitude taken
once by Vice President Levy of the
Northern Pacific, VINO refused certain
concessions to the North Coast be-
cause he did not believe it was leg
itimate proposition, but a blackmail-
ing scheme. Later" said Mr.. SntVe-
qy, "Mr Levy acknowledged that the
North Coast was the finest railroad
in the country and he was sorry he
did not have a finger in the pie"
81 consider" said Mr.. Snively,
that the conception and construc-
tion of the North Coast railroad is
the greatest single act IN the history of
Washington"
Strahorn ana the N. p.
Introduced as the man who would
tell how he helped the North Coast
railroad come to North Yakima, Ira
p. Englehart, attorney for the North
ern Pacific, arose amid laughter and
applause and said: 1.-THE Northern
Pacific has been laboring 26 yeats in
this valley so that Mr.. Strahorn
would be able to build his n )rth Coast
railroad, and has always taken much
interest in it's growth" (Cheers and
laughter) with Mr.. Strahorr here
we think it will enable us to do more
business with the people of this city
and do it more pleasantly. In future
Gears we shall always take great in
terest in the growth of the North
Coast"
Welcome From Horticultural Union
w n. Irish. president of the H0r
ticultural Union was introduced a
- the man who had more to do with the
grower than with the railroad. Fl
said in part: THE coming OF thi
road to North Yakima means tc U
greater facilities for the greater dis
tribution of fruit at better prices III
Horticultural Union, on behalf of it
400 members, extends the Nortl
Coast railroad a hearty welcome"
Spokane Merchants Views
After extending the thanks of tn
Spokane delegation to the city o
North Yakima for its courtesy t
them and to Mr.. Strahorn for tn
pleasures of the trip, Mr.. r. Crane,
merchant of Spokane and a rancho
OF Wenatchee, gave those preser
some figures and facts to think o
= He said: "In 20 years the preser
railroad facilities will not be ampl
to care for the immense crops tha
will be grown on the 100,0 acres
this valley bearing at the rate of
carload of 600 boxes to each acre Il