Semi-weekly herald., 1912-09-30
STIRRING EVENTS OF PIONEER
DAYS RETOLD BY VETERANS.

More than one hundred pioneers
met at the Woodmen hall last even
ing to celebrate in honor of those
who left their homes and friends more
than thirty years ago to blaze a trail
in the then unknown San Juan.
Sumptuous Feast Prepared
After enjoying an hour of social
entertainment the word was passed
that the tables in the adjoining room
were prepared and that the banquet
prepared by Herman Hanno was
awaiting the many guests. The feast
consisted of chicken salad, sour roast,
roast veal, potato chips, escalloped po-
tatoes, picked beets, cucumber
pickles, peaches and cream, coffee and
assorted cakes.
All these good things were pre-
pared to suit the appetites of those
who are the best of judges when it
comes to deciding on good things to
please the appetites. 1t was evident
that the manner in which all con-
Quoted themselves at the banquet ta-
tle that the feast was surely appre.
ciated and that those who had pre-
pared and served the same were de-
serving Of much credit.
John w. Wingate Toastmaster
Although it was considered rare
treat to have the opportunity of par
taking of the many things to eat at
the banquet table, it was soon under
stood that more important feature
OF the occasion was to follow when
John w. Wingate, who had been Sc
ltcted as toastmaster for the occasion,
informed those present that in accord
anae with the contemplated program
several of the early pioneers would
be called upon to relate some of the
incidents and the history of the mem
bers of the association, dating from
the very early days when the San
Juan country was mere Wilderness,
inhabited by wild animals and in pos
session of rowing bands of Indians
Mr.. Wingate said that some sew
| onteen years ago a number OF the
old timers had got together ard dc.
cided it would be well to keep in
mind the many incidents connected
with the discovery and settlement of
the San Juan country.
He stated that some thirty-live
years before a few men had made
their way across the plains and III,
Sangre de Cristo range of mountains
with the idea of prospecting in rhe
mountains in southwestern Colorado
1t was the idea of those that tire
early settlers should organize and
meet annually for the purpose of
keeping alive the memories of early
days, the hardships that were endured
ir the effort of men to find the gold
and silver that was thought to be ir
tho mountains.
He stated that one of their nun.
ber had been designated to prepar:
a history of all the members of those
days and that it was the hope OF al
that the committee, W. H. Cochran.
OF Del Norte, would in due tine bc
able to publish the same which wor,
be a matter of great interest MOI
| only to the pioneers but to their rela
t;ves and friends.
Mr.. Wingate in most pleasing art
appropriate manner welcomed al
strangers to our city and wished then
an enjoyable occasion.
Influence of the Press
The toastmaster stated that ther.
was at the banquet table one who hac
been brought up IN an Iowa home
that he had made his way, when :
very young man, across the noun
tains with the idea of prospecting fol
gold, that he had decided to begin the
newspaper business in the San Juar
country in those early days when he
could be not only the editor, hut tht
proprietor, the compositor, the press.
man and the devil as well. He statct
that it required a great deal of cour.
age to begin such task in those
days and that the hardships of the
business were equal to the hardships
of any other line of business. He in.
troduced Mr.. George N. Raymond who
informed the members of the associa.
ton that it was not necessary for him
to tell of the experiences he had haG
in the early days in the newspaper
business as his experiences were well
known to all and that he had many
times related his experiences and that
he would refrain from indulging again
| into those "reminiscences.
He stated that he had arrived in
the San Juan country in the year
1878, that he had passed through all
the hardships of the early days along
with his comrades and that it gave
him great pleasure to state that the
press welcomed the pioneers to Du-
rango and hoped that it might be their
privilege to meet many times in the
future.
Banking in the San Juan
With appropriate remarks Mr.. Win
gate introduced John l.. Mcneil, the
pioneer banker, who stated that he
came from Denver in 1875, and visited
A l. n ~