The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1920-09-09
s. BENSON GETS
GENERAL OVATION
MONDAY CELEBRATION BIG SUCCESS
Prominent Men Stage Feast of ElOQuence
Following Big Basket Picnic
at the City Park

and Mosier people Monday can only bt
described by likening them to a chile
that is celebrating Christmas morning
with all the dreams of previous weeks
realized. But the Joyous populace ol
Monday was able to go the happy
child one better and pour out their
thanks unstintedly to their Santa
Claus, Simon Benson. chairman of the
State Highway Commission, who as
| Representative N. j. Sinnott, as one
of the speakers of the celebration,
staged to commemorate completion of
paving of the Columbia River Highway
/ from Portland to Hood River and the
cutting a new grade from here to Mo
sier. declared, received such an ovation
as has never been granted to private
or public citizen of Oregon before.
No larger audience ever attended a
| Hood River county celebration, opened
with basket picnic on Chautauqua
park. an oak embowered plot within
the city limits. Politics and factional
isms were forgotten in the democratic
gathering. where residents of all sec
tions spread their cloths and covered
them with bounteous feasts. Members
of a Canteen committee passed from
group to group with pitchers of steam
ing coffee. Boy Scouts followed with
jugs of cream and heaping bowls of
sugar. The breeZes carried the fra
grant steam of coffee afar from a full
rolling kitchen brought up from Van
cOuver Barracks by Edward w. Van
Horn, commander of the local Post of
the American Legion. The outfit was
loaned through the courtesy of Col.
Poore. of the First Infantry Regiment.
Such a feast Of eloquence as has
never been surpassed before in Oregon
followed Immediately after the lunch
con at the open air theatre, set in a
natural amphitheatre and with giant
naples for canopy. The picnic
grounds we're crowded with an estimat-
ed $500. and despite the fact that
aisles we're crowded and boardings were
pried loose. more than thousand
crowded the outside Of the auditorium
were unable to get Accommodations.
While Mr.. Benson was designated
guest of honor. having won the lasting
gratitude of Hood River citizens for
donating private funds in constructing
trial mile of road around Shell Rock
mountain and again paying $ll. 900 for
laying mile of pavin5 between Cas-
cade Locks and the Multnomah line,
the meeting was staged in honor of
some score of other prominent Oregon
and Northwestern good roads advocates
who associated themselves with Mr..
Benson in Fastening the completion of
the great scenic highway, and ovations
and fluctuations were general.
An invocation was pronounced by
Bishop Robert l.. Paddock, of the east
ern Oregon diocese of the Episcoptal
church. Rev. w. II. Boldly represented
Hood River county in an expression of
what he termed a general and spontan-
eous feeling of gratitude and chacter-
lied as more enduring than shafts Of
marble or bronze. AS Mr.. Benson
arose to respond five little girls pre-
sented him with baskets of flowers.
Mr.. Benson complimented Hood River
people in their pioneer work of voting
a first state highway bond issue of
$75, 900 in 1914, declaring that the
while not large, provided an
impetus badly needed at a crucial time
in the history of the Highway project.
He asserted that no one will know how
long the completion of the Columbia
River Highway to Hood River might
have been delayed had not this bond
issue not carried. And then Mr.. Ben
son turned the celebration into an ap-
peal for future highway development.
He said:
"Our state highway program is far
from complete. We must complete our
to Idaho on the East, from
The Dalles to the California line ard
.he Pacific Highway from the northern
10 the southern boundaries of the state. |
Ne must provide for better access to |
Crater Lake, Mount Hood and other |
icenic attractions. We must protect |
gees and scenic beauties along these |
highways and secure and provide more |
parking places and other public con-
'eniences. Our governor has made ap |
,ropriate recommendations and hope |
'ur legislature will adopt laws that
AIRY out his suggestions. F"
Mr.. Sinnott. who has won national
iote for his touch of the poet in con-
,ressional addresses outdid himself |
Monday. He declared that the value
4 Northwestern mountain scenery was
rought to him last winter when he
card Frank Branch Riley deliver a
lowing description to an immense
Washington audience.
Samuel Hill, Washington good roads
but who nevertheless was a
arge contributing factor in steering
peal public sentiment in early days
mixed with that of Mr.. Benson
he following names of Oregon citi-
ems: Julius Meier, Samuel C. Lam
aster, Rufus G. Holman. Oswald West,
len w. OlcOtt, Edgar B. Piper, c. S.
aeEeon tho Iafa Tohn CarroII ID |
'eon. Amos Benson. Mr.. Hill created
o small sensation when he had Mr..
oddly, as chairman Of the meeting.
cad letter received by the good roads
dvocate year ago from Governor
Tart, of Washington, who was then
citing governor. The message was one
T cOngrstulation on the permanent
Of Washington highways. {
Ihich he declared has been emphasized
fter ride over the Columbia River
Highway, the construction of which he
ltimated was flimsy.
1--WE have a man like that trying to
4 governor again, scried Mr. Hill, |
but want you people 10 know that
e don't need him.
Judge Fred w. Wilson expressed the
y Of Mosier on being freed from iso-
ItiOn by the Highway and also ex-
ressed the qualification OF The Dalles
nd other points further TO the East, !
no in their anticipation vision. he said. !
touch Of the heavenly Joy as was evil /
snced here. Judge Wilson asked that c
le pioneers who blszed the ox-wavs I
ID made possible the work Of Mr.. a
ensOn and bis associates be not for I
5tten. and regretted the inability Of I
J.. Smith, pioneer and grand old 4
an Of Hood River, who lies al, to be v
'esent. He also paid a glowing trib- v
e to John II. Craaiebaugh, pioneer
litor Of Hood River. Who declared that o