The Alaska daily empire., 1917-07-21
M. J. O'CONN0R IS GIVEN DINNER
 BY FRIENDS
Sad|y-Happy Occasion On the Island Experienced By Forty of the
 Business Men

DOUGLAS, July 21-"Two cala- mites have overtaken Douglas Is land this year. The first was the subsistence of the Treadwell mine the second was the decision of M J. O'Connor to leave the Island"
 The above utterance from General Manager P. R. Bradley of the Tread well company, clearly and succintly expressed the predominant feeling which existed here last night when something like forty business men the majority old timers, were seated at richly-laden table in the banquet room of Labor Union Hall, the Oc- casion being a farewell and surprise to Mr. M. J. O'Connor, for nineteen years active business man and ack- nowledged leading citizen and ''livest one" of the Island. It was what might properly be termed sadly happy occasion. The fact that the guest of honor is soon to leave, with his family, for Seattle, made it sad, but the fact that it afforded an opportunity for doing honor to one so richly deserving of honor, made it happy hour.
 The menu was a culinary triumph of the skill of l.. s. Ferris and was a most elaborate one.
 E. J. White presided as toastmaster and at the conclusion of the ban quet addressed the guest of honor briefly, paying tribute to him as 8 man who had ever and always de voted his untiring energy to the best interests of his town and com munity and, as evidence of the con fidence reposed in him by his fel- low citizens, referring to the fact that during his nineteen years resi- dence in Douglas. he had served az mayor fully half of that period. Presented with Cane.
 In his capacity as chairman, MT. White, in behalf of those present and several others who were absent on account of being out of town. presented MT. O'Connor with what is doubtless the richest and finest article in the line of a walking stick" ever designed in the north. | A toast to Our Guest" was drunk after which MT. O'Connor replied. Ordinarily it comes easy to M. J. to make a speech but last night he completely 'flabbergasted." the thought of making a farewell talk to his old friends being almost too much for him. However, he ac quilted himself creditably and strengthened the ties that bind. Other speakers were Messrs. P. R. Bradley, John Reck. of Juneau. and vice president of the First Terri tOrial Bank of Douglas during all the time Mir. O'Connor was it's president Hon. Monte Benson, member of the late Territorial Legislature, United States Commissioner John Henson, and P. H. Fox, the latter paying a warm tribute to MT O'Connor for his interest in the town in the early days before the arrival of many of it's present residents. After the banquet adjournment was taken to the big hall where music was continued interspersed with story and step dancing, the latter being indulged in mostly by the younger men present. Julius Jensen, William Stnbbins, Henry Erie and others. Music was furnished through out the evening by MacIntyre's or. chestra.
 The cane presented to Mir. o Con. nor was made and designed at the Arts and Crafts Shop in Juneau. by Albert Berry especially for the oc. casfon. Made entirely of Alaskan p, oducts the handle is of pre- glacial fossil ivory mounted in Alaskan g1'd.
 Three broad bands of tho precious metal edged with L..sgeta e.eirc;e h. the center one being about 1h Inches broad. on which the mono. gram "M. J. O'C" is worked out in nuggets.
 (L the reverse side of the band is engraved the following inscrip.ls. ]. st4s --a%t rs-4+