The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-04-30

EiitCE The Glacier. With the con-
sent Of the editors of our local papers
wish space enough 90 express my ap-
prgCiatiug Uf the splendid work Of cur
citizens last Friday 0H The State road
beginning 40 thg city limits feel
that ! Was boz o position o. see and ap-
pre- ate what was done perhaps more
than ans other individual excepting
County Surveyor Murray Kay.
will say frankly that quite a mum
ber If ug old men, who had been
work NJ under my supervision for sgv-
eTal years. gg first took the matter Of
city business men coming UUt 10 work
along side of them as Joke. But
when tive o clock came those pink tea
shirt fellows, as they termed them,
were right On the job working like the
proverblal Trojan.
rode the entire line of operation
Just q short time before the close Of
the day, and | found up tlll the last
minute uHWavering. persistent, hard
work. No one lH shade red faces, with
pcrsuiration streaming down their
cheeks, bore mute and conclusive evil
dpnce of day spent hand in hand with
Mr. Toll.
Right here wish to say to the credit
Of all that / made no special selections
as TO soft snaps. J simply tOlled of
men into small groups and every man
lay hold on the Jobs as they came.
Some rode the beam Of those four-horse
road pIows, and like cavalry brigade at
Ballaciava, they rode them well. And
to say that those big plows in stony
soil is a tough job is putting the ques-
tien very mildly indeed
Il has been my experience to see
large numbers of men thrown together
at different times in my life, both in
military service and in civic life, and,
for my part, was very much surprised
how smoothly Hood Rivers citizens,
merchants, clerks, professional men,
farmers and all, merged so quickly into
one composite heterogeneous mass of
road builders. ! failed to hear a single
epithet which would jar on the sens-
tive nerves of lady No one lost his
temper and everybody had \smile on
like Sunny Jim.
The work covered in places from the
city limits of Hood River west to the
residence of J, r. Nickelseu. 1t was
of a permanent order. Hood River
county was the gamer in hard cash by
not less than thousand dollars to say
nothing Of the good feeling manifested
by the people, one to another.
| wish here to make special mention
of an exceedingly tough job of remov
ing an old bridge and installing "A per-
manent sewer pipe culvert. This was
hard work also wet, muddy and disa-
greeable. | started the job myself. |
was very soon relieved by one of our
local bankers, two or three of our local
merchants, "A minister and several other
gentlemen with whom ! was not ac-
quainted will say that they stuck to
the job to its final completion.
Ii is my belief that the great source
Of our strength rs mutton and peo
pie is this spendid spirit of indepen
dence and intelligent cooperation which
will always accomplish so much when
an emergency calls IL forth. Don't any
body become chicken hearted about
Mexico or foreign complications. The
American spirit will always rise high
enough to surmUunt and overcome all
difficulties.
consider last Friday the finest get
together meeting Hood River town and
valley ever have had IN my Is years of
experience living with you.
|, myself, am to blame for not haV
ing better arrangements. The number
of workers exceeded my expectations
about three times, In fact, failed to
catch the true vision as TO the magni-
tude Of the good roads spirit. But
viii say that the next time hear some
good road day rumors will be busy
with powder men several days ahead Of
tBc good roads boosters and workers.
The ladies' of the WomaH's club
served hot coffee and sandwiches to
the workers under the pleasant shade
at apple blossoms in the orchard of Mr..
Booth
1t is the belief Of all that everyone
enjoyed their experience immensely,
a0d L 1t is my lot to be SO fortunate as
jD have another such DAY feel safe in
saying in the name of the people in
road district No. 3, I'VE will be there
to meet you half way ON another Good
Roads Day. Roy d. Smith.