East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-08-04
BOISE EDITOR
PAYS TRIBUTE
TO PENDLETON
IDAHO STATESMAN CONAIE.NDS
ROUNDUP AND SPLENDID
COMMUNITY SPIRIT THAT
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.

One of the finest tributes ever paiC
to the Roundup, the people of Pen.
dleton and the Pendleton spirit IL
the following editorial in the Boise
Idaho, Statesman of July 81, 1916:
"Pendleton has fewer than 1000 jim
habitants. but in that small number
has developed a community spirit
that deserves a tribute. Six years
ago the little Oregon town held her
first 'Round-Up. a kind Of frontier or
buckaroo show that has since been
widely initiated, The attendance has
grown from 10000 to $4,000. That
ii is a good show Is attested by many
visitors and is evident from It's grow
ing popularity.
But the most striking character
istic Of Pendleton in its annual fes-
tival is its community spirit and CO.
operation. one paid official is at
the head Of the Roundup, and all the
rest of the work, whether pleasant
or unpleasant, dignified or menal, is
rendered by the people themselves.
busy a time as the people have
through the year, but this does not
prevent the business and professional
men from joining the women and
youngsters to do by their own efforts
the vast amount Of personal work re-
quired in the big celebration. a
bank president, for example, acts as
usher in the grandstand, and the
manager of the department store
shuts up shop and distributes pro.
grams. They put themselves eagerly
in the work, with the result that un-
der the trained direction of the man
at the head the big event is run Oft
with a smoothness, efficiency and
economy of operation that accounts
for its repeated success. once every
year practically everybody in Pendle-
ton places himself freely at the SER
vice of the community
In a small town the hotels could
not begin to take care OF the visiting
crowds, and if their accommodation
Of visitors were left to eXtempore
commercial enterprise the discomforts
and extortion would so detract from
the visitors enjoyment that perma-
nent success for the Roundup
would be impossible. If it were TO be
fixed event il was necessary that the
visitors be comfortable and Hospitality
looked after Therefore it has be-
come the universal custom for the
townspeople to put all their available
rooms in their houses at the visitors
disposal. The city provides a great
number of cots, which it lets out at
nominal rates to the householders,
and throughout the city the rooms
thus equipped are at the disposal OF
guests at the uniform change of 81
for single cot or 81 for double
one, There is no taking advantage
of the rush by raising prices and the
guest settles directly with the CEN
tral bureau. having no business rela-
t ons with his immediate host
For the evenings diversion of the
visitors. Happy Canyon" as they
call it, is provided in the heart OF
the city. This is a miniature old-tme |
frontier street, with its "Stagger Inn,
"Spenders' Bank and Red Dog Sa
loon and Gambling PAVILION. At
the latter one may plunge recklessly i
at faro or roulette, but the only mon
ey that goes there is the imitation
money sold for the purpose at some
such price as 500 of Happy Can
yon money" for a dollar Here the |
faro dealer is likely to be a bank /
cashier and the roulette wheel is
spun by the man who passes the
plate on sundays.
The whole atmosphere is one OF
The commercial element
is subordinated ana any attempt 10 .
exploit the tourist, to work the event
for what there is in it for the people
of the town, would be frowned on.
Under this kind of efficient man.
agement carried on by voluntary
under a single trained expert
and in an atmosphere of welcome
hospitality, the Roundup has not
only created for Pendleton a warm
place in the hearts of her visitors,
but has become so financially profit
able that from its proceeds they have
laid out a beautiful city park, pub T
lie natatorium and all manner of i'm
provements, Everything connected
with it is treated as a community as
set. and all the profits go to the COM
"A city that can within few years
build up such an institution as this