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About La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959 | View Entire Issue (July 13, 1934)
Page Ten 56-POUND RAIL FIRST USED FOR U. P. LINE HERE GRANDE RONDE VALLEY IS GREAT LIVESTOCK CENTER LA GRANDE'S U. P. STATION J. K. Fitzgerald Re members Interesting ' Facts Abut Days of '84 Although not actually employed on the lirtt railroad which came to La Grande, J. K. Fitzgerald had a part In the building of the road. His father, Paddy Fitz gerald, who was a section boss for many years, was the contrac tor fojj the laying of the road be- i twccn a short distance west of Hot Lake at the Gekeler place, and a far as Oro Dell. The younger Mr. Fitzgerald, Who for Die last several years has been the owner of a barber shop here alter retiring from railroad ing, was employed by his father, laying truck or what is now known as "section hand." Interesting among the facts which Air. Fitzgerald remembers .In connection with that first road Is that the steel used on that first track .was 66 pound, while today 110 pound steel is used on the ordinary railroad tracks. He also atats that except for numer ous reconstruction Jobs, the fill ing in with train loads of gravel, etc., the original track still re mains on wlilch that first train pulled into La Grande 60 years ftge. In later years Mr. Fitzgerald was employed as fireman and brakenmn on this line, but his railroading experience began when working for his father, both in Nebraska, from where the family came tq Oregon, and then on the present line of the Union Pacific through the Grande Ronde valley. "Of course," Mj. Fitzgerald states, "La Orande was entirely up on the hill when the railroad was started, and during the time when the road was being built, a hotel, several saloons and finally Mr. Roetch's brewery sprang up. on Jefferson avenue." The hotel was located on the approximate location of the present O'Connell Rooms, and was used to accom modate the men who were work ing on tbe road. '"Old Town" was still the business district of La Orunde. BAROUCHE TO BE FEATURED IN PARADE Baker Intends to send an un usually large crowd of people to La Grande for the Semi -Centennial U. P. celebration, it was an nounced today by J. B. McLaugh lin, general manager of the com mittee. While there he arranged for the appearance of an old barouche in the parotic hero July 20. the same barouche that was In the Baker Mining jubilee parade. Also a Baker nunintr display Is to be shown in one or the La Grande i show windows during the celebra- 1 tion. "Bilker is planning to enter two j or three floats In our parade, al- ! so." McLaughlin said. IVmlleton Knthuslastle Jim McLaughlin and A. V. Nel- j son were In attendance at the monthly membership meeting of the Per. die ton chamber of com- j merce the other day. Pendleton is, cnthusif.ttlc about the La Orande celebration, they reported tipon ; their return, and said the Round up association hai promised any thing they have that might aid to the success of the Jubilee here. : Mayor Jack Allen, of Pendleton. Is amonp the most enthusiastic worker? for the success of the U. P. ceUbrntion In the Pendleton country- GIVES RULES FOR FRIDAY MORN PARADE Rules and Judging standards for floats in the Friday morning par ade of the Semi-centennial cele bration were announced today by the parade committee. Floats must be a decorated float or car. No cars with only signs on them will be permitted. Judging is to be made on tlu basis of 100 points, distributed as ' follows: Uniqueness of idea. 50 points: harmony of color and bal ance, 2-3 points: perfection of de tail. 10 points, and elaborateness, 15 points. All floats must be registered at the. chamber of commerce not la ter than TuesdirV, July 17. No one will be adnfttted torfhe parade tin iest registered. Positions will be assigned to all those registering. ill:: -J'frfev. tiLtkii ill 1 la (inmde's In Ion Purine stutum, erected only n few years usu, ts one of the most beautiful and complete buildings of If kind between liolse and Tori land. Ttie above picture tins . token shortly fitter It was completed before the growth of creepers' lent addition:) beauty to the building. COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES The graduating exercises of the La Grande public school will be held at Steward's opera house Fri- day evening. May 28. Graduates ' are Miss Lulu M. Hansen, Miss i Pannie WcWhirter, Miss Ruth E. j Chenault, Miss Susie L. Deal, Miss I Katherine Weller and Miss Bessie A. Collision. La Grandt Chron ilclc, May 17, 1893. FAIR TO BE HELD The second annual fair of the ?y r"mrT3WfMM - d Grande Ronde Valley Agricultur al society will open Joue week from next Monday. La Grande Gazette, Sept. 23, 1892. FKEIGUT TRAIN WRECKED Freight train No. 21, west bound, was wrecked at North Powder last Tuesday night. Ten cars were thrown into the ditch, and the track was torn up for about 100 yards. La Grande Ga zette, Oct. 21, 1892. Gay Swains of the '80s and '90s would have come to our store for adornment Unfortunately for us we were not in business here quite that early. Had we been, we are confident we would have had the finest assortment of grey stripe or check trousers, bright cravats, high choke collars, top pers and derbies and other dress requisites of the day. Just as Now We offer to the men and young men of this generation the latest in style and custom that, judging from our growing trade, appears to appeal most pleasingly to their tastes as well as satisfying to their pocketbooks. HART, SCHAFFNER & MARX and MICHAELS STERN SUITS GRAYCO SHIRTS - FLORSHE1M SHOES - STETSON HATS Complete Line of WORK CLOTHES The Gfrande Ronde Valley is especially adapted to many types of livestock raising, particularly cattle, both beef and dairy, swine and sheep. Horses, mules, etc., are raised in smaller quantities, of course, largely as the farmer needs them for Ills own uses. In cattle, Union county boasts of some of the finest herds In the state, with purebreds predomin ating. .This is to a large extent due to the Influence of the East ern Oregon Livestock show held annually at Union In June, and the largest show of its kind in the northwest outside of the Pa cific International Livestock ex position at Portland. As a dairy county, wltn an abundance of hay and fine pas turage, Union and Wallowa coun- ties together rank as the leading dairy section east of the Cascades. ; In this county alone there are ap- j proximately 7500 dairy cows, j which supply an abundance of milk for shipment to nearby mar- ! ket centers. In all, Including dairy cows .there are 25.000 head of cattle in Union county, most of which are raised for beef pur poses, and h bring a fine Income to their owners. The last check revealed nearly 12,000 head of swine bn Union county farms, and a total of more than 20,000 head of sheep, which in the summer graze on : the mountainous areas surround- I Ing the valley. The county also is Important as a chicken and egg producing district, with 40, 000 chickens sold alive or dressed annually, and around half a mil lion dozen eggs produced each year for both home and metro politan consumption. FRIDAY MORN PARADE WILL BE BIG (Continued from Page Nine) features, four American Legion drum and bugle corps, the famous Ogden band, soldiers, Indians, etc., all are included in the plans for the parade, which are now as suming definite shape. Thla parade, the committee said, should not be confused with the pioneer parade to be staged on the day previous July 19. Capt. Walter A. Bean, of the 186th Infantry, has been appoint ed parade marshal and also is di vision chief of the section Includ ing patriotic organizations. The second division railroad and fra ternal floats, la headed by T. B. Salmon; the third division, guest and commercial floats, by Homer V. Leffel, and the fourth division, Indians and miscellaneous, by A. K. Parker. Capt Bean and his di vision chiefs will have full super vision over the procession.
