The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1917-06-22
A GRAND SUCCESS.

The people Of Wauconda, while mum
erically few succeeded in staging on,
Of the most successful celebrations
last Thursday. that has ever taker
place in that large territory, on the
east border of Okanogan county for
merly embraced in the Colville reser
walton. The occasion was the dedica
tion Of a large. new, grange hall, tina,
has just been completed. Flag day
June IA, was selected as the date fol
the dedication, and, so far as weather
conditions were concerned. more
|propitious day could not have been
chosen. Somehow and for some reason
possibly because there was no other
public observance Of the day in the
country north of Wenatchee, people
from all the surrounding country de-
cided to flock to Wauconda, and that
Out-of-the way spot saw such a gath
ering as will never be duplicated again
in that particular place. The popula-
ton of Republic, Oroville, Nelson, To-
nasket and other towns was drawn up
on. while the settlers of the hills and
valleys far and near turned out. OF
course newspaper publicity was In a
large measure responsible for the
drawing out of so large a crowd.
Early Thursday morning flock OF
autos, crowded to carrying capacity.
took flight from Oroville, headed for
WaucOnda, and took the roundabout
route through Nelson, Bridesville
Rock Creek, Midway and Toroda. 1t
was like circumnavigating the state to
reach the objective point, and the trip
required travelling distance of IS
miles to get there. There was much
pleasure in the trip gliding over the
elegant roads in British Columbia, but
the Joy WAS jolted out of one when the
roads on this side of the line were
struck, in the main, SO rough, dusty
and uncared for as to give one a pain
in the head as we'll as in the hip
pockets. After what seemed like an
endless run from Toroda the excurs-
ionists filtered into Wauconda, al
though the going was SO hard on cars
that some of them did not trail in until
late in the evening.
Wauconda can hardly be classed as
a hamlet, and has grown little since
the days, years ago. when the Loomis-
Republic stage changed horses at that
place on that nightmare Of a stage run
between the old mining camp and the
railroad Yet, parked around the three
or four buildings constituting the vii
lage were mass Of cars of all manner
and description. There were at least
$50 Of these cars, and those modern
means Of travel were augmented by
scores of horse drawn vehicles. There
were men and women, girls and boys
in holiday attire standing and sitting
around or moving about, and Judging
from their general department they
were having good time, or imagined
that they were, which is about the
same thing, although the narrow space
for circulation, the limited shade, the
heat and dust were not conduc i've to
wild mirth.
When we arrived Attorney Bennett.
of Republic, was trying to address a
hall full of talking, moving and eating
people, for that feature Of the pro-
gram did not interfere with the steady
raid on the commissary department.
Along one side of the hall the ladies
were serving dinner. There was a
wealth of toothsome provender, and
the accommodating walters looked ex-
hausted from the exertion of minister
ing to the famished multitude. And
amidst this din and distraction the
orator of the day poured forth his i'm
passioned utterance. No doubt the
speach was an able one, as Mr.. Bennett
has the reputation of being a fluent
talker, but owing to the buzz and bus
tie few were able to hear. Which
would indicate that people go to cele-
brations of this kind for something
more strenuous than talk. During the
day number of sports took place
providing entertainment for the crowd
and great interest centered in the ball
game, mentioned elsewhere in this is
sue.
The return trip was made over the
old stage road via Tonasket. There
may be worse roads in the state than
the stretch between Wauconda and the
river. but if there are. the Lord forbid
that we are ever called upon to
travel over them. Considering the
number of cars that travelled that road
Thursday it is a miracle that serious
accidents did not occur. Several minor
accidents are reported, fortunately the
occupants of the cars escaping with
out much injury.
The people of Wauconda are to be
congratulated upon being able tc
build the large and we'll finished hall
that now graces the place, and espec'
Tally upon the entertainment provided
for the vast crowd that was present
upon the occasion of the dedication. Al
la conservative estimate the Grove
numbered 1000 Every event passed Of
smoothly and pleasantly, and there
was not an unpleasant feature to maj
the happy event. The dance in the
evening was very largely attended, ant
the receipts from the various sources
must have been quite large in the ag
gregate.
Last week Miss June Hume, of Wall;
Walla, daughter of T. c. Hume, fore