La Grande evening observer., July 13, 1934, Image 18

LA GRANDE EVENING OBSERVER, LA GRANDE, OREGON
RECALLS FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION HERE IN 1884
Page Twelve
E. L. Eckly, Pioneer
Newspaper Man, Re
members First Train
"It waa a gala event In the Old
Town of La Grande the day In
mid-June." said E. L. EckJey, pio
neer newspaper man and pub
lis her of La Grande, In telling
the story or the arrival or the
first railroad tram in La Grande,
"when a steam locomotive round
ed the curve at Oro Dell and la
boriously pushed ahead a dozen
or so flat carB laden with ties,
rails, Bp ikes and fishplates for a
rnllrond Into the Grand Ronde
valley. There was no formal
celebration for the arrival or the
rolls, and thcro could not have
been any, by reason of the fact
that heuvy rains for a couple or
weeks or more had enrorced a
suspension or track-laying Just
west or tho place known as
Stump Town and afterwards as
Perry. But tho skies cleared, the
track camo on, and on the Fourth
or July, 1884, we had a big cele
bration in honor or the arrival
of the first passenger train Into
L Grande. The train could hard
lj be called a passenger train
either, It was a mixed train a pas
senger coach or two, the rest or
the cars being freights or flats.
"After the lapse of half a cen
tury," Eckley narrated, "thcro are
still quite a number of events,
which took place on that meinor
ablo day. thut stand out In my
recollection.
"What was the style of dress?
Well, a lot different from what
la now worn by both men and
women. The generation of today
would probably describe the styles
of that day as being 'unique.' At
that particular celebration, I was
dressed as most of the young men
of the times, my attire Including
a hard-boiled hat, a seersucker
coat and Buckingham and Hecht
boots. Oh yes, and I wore whisk
era. "Or course, there was a grand
parade. The town band, of
which I was a member led the
parade and furnished music for
the day's activities. Other mem
bers of that organization wero J.
W. Gray, leader, and D. S. Kln
sey, both playing tenor cornets;
Ed Beldlemau and Frank Palm
er, altos; Will Kiuscy, bass drum;
Bog Sheets, tuba and I played a
tenor key trombone.
"I was editing tho Union Coun
ty Record, a weekly newspaper. In
La Grande, at that time. As was
customary, I had my business
represented In the parade. John
E. Jeff cry, who was my printer,
tended a foot-power job press
which was mounted on a heavy
"dead X" wagon. He printed
handbills and threw them out
among tho spectators as he passed
along.
"Sometime about noon, the pa
rade marched to the arbor which
had been built on the hill near
where the courthouse now stands.
Thero was a program. Gen. J. H.
Stevans read the Declaration of
Independence. Gen. George B.
Currey, rather of George Currey,
was orator of the day. Just as
ho had progressed In his speech
about as far as the Bunker Hill
monument, the train whistled and
away went the crowd for the
train. The oration was cut off
right at the 'monument' that was
the last of it It was never fin
ished. "The crowd went down to the
tracks." continued the narrator.
"The dominant idea of all of them
was to have a ride on the rail
road and when the flat cars were
unlouded, the people piled on and
with dangling legs rode to Oro
Dell and then walked home,
"The conversation on that regal
excursion took various turns.
Some spoke of the railroad as a
potential monopoly but all agreed
that It was a great thing. A few
pessimists expressed regret for the
future of the freight hauling In
dustry as the business of trans
porting goods by team from 'the
landing,' Umatilla, was, a source
of revenue for many. One of
them hitched his teams to plows
and harvested and eventually ac
quired 14,000 acres of cheap wheat
land near Cove and years later
was known as the 'wheat king."
Ho was A. B. Conley. He figured
that he could produce wheat with
horse power at an average or 23
cents per bushel.
"While very many or the rail
road, greeters or 50 years ago had
never before seen a railroad, there
was one prominent exception.
They were Robert and Hannah
Palmer, parents lof Mrs Lydla
Grandy and Mrs. Emma Harding,
of La Grande, and or Charles
Palmer, of Baker. These two peo
ple had been on the first excur
sion run by the Baltimore and
Ohio on a stretch of 16 miles
built out qf Philadelphia and this
was the first railroad excursion
ever run in the United States.
It is all verified by records kept
under glass In the Smithsonian
Institute In Washington, D. C,
and these records wero Inspected
by a granddaughter, Mrs. Sher
wood Williams a few years ago.
"I do not know what sort of
Impression or reaction may have
been experienced over the arrival
of the railroad after many delays
and disappointments," concluded
Eckley In his reminiscence.
SAGE OF MEDICAL SPRINGS
IMS FAST HORSES
D. A. McAllister is the pro
prietor of a fine horse breeding
establishment three miles east of
La Grande. Many of the colts
from his stables llave brought
fancy prices, and several have
gone below the 3:20 record. La
Grande Gazette, Dec. 26, 1890.
At Your Grocers,
Specify
in
Blue Mountain
Dairy Products
BUTTER
ICE CREAM
COTTAGE CHEESE
Made from selected cream of the fine
dairies of the Grande Ronde Valley. Most
modern creamery equipment makes sanitary
conditions perfect with every bit of sweet
ness and purity retained In the finished
products.
and they cost no more
than ordinary brand.
BLUE MOUNTAIN
CREAMERY .
MM Modern riant in Easlrrn Oregon
jj'' " " '
LA GRANDE
BEFORE THE
RAILS CAME
Hon. Dunham Wright, known throughout the northwest as
the sage of Medical Springs, anil one of the earliest pioneers
in Union county, Is pictured above. Mr. Wright not only
has watched thin section grow Into its present development,
but had an (Important part In the upbuilding of the county.
TOUGH OS TUB BABIES
The milk wagon from W. G.
Hunter's dairy ranch bock of
town broke down Monday morn
ing, and was not able to deliver
about 750 pounds of milk for the
creamery's first day's run. La
Grande Chronicle, May 17, 1893.
How did La Grande appear be
fore the coming of the railroad?
Perhaps D. H. Stearns, then
writing for the Evening Telegram
of Portland, describes it as well
us possible in a booklet put out
in the year 1882.
"It nestles In a nook In the
mountains, sheltered on the north
and west, while It stands on a
plateau overlooking much of the
valley," Stearns wrote. "The Blue
Mountain university is the most
prominent building in the town.
The Masonic hall and Odd Fel
lows' temple are both fine build
Ings, and the churches are fair.
It has a good hotel, the Blue
Mountain House."
Speaking of livery stables, he
said: "I round R. W. Deal, of the
Fashion Stables, the best man
to deal with on the whole
The four principal stores at La
Grando eve the best kept in the
county. The stocks are larger and
finer than any other, if we ex
cept one at Island City, and one
at fjnion. Suodgross St Miner
may be named as the leading and
largest business concern in the
county. L. Baer has as largo a
business house. ... A, Somer is
the third of th4 heaviest business
men in tho county, and the old
est merchant."
At that time La Grande was
tho chief town between Pendleton
and Baker City, Steams wrote. In
his story 13 mentioned W. A. '
Worstell, the postmaster (Mr.
Worstell Is well known In this
city today).
"sTearns was a bit prophetic, but
more than half right, when he
expressed the opinion then that
"greater changes' have occurred
than the unity or all three, La
Grande, Oro Dell and Island City,
In one prosperous city."
Geographically, an interesting
situation existed then. "The
Grande Ronde river forks at Oro
Dell and makes an island six
miles in length by an average of
a mile in width. Island City Is
built about midway of the Island
and takes name therefrom;."
BUYS LIVKRY BARN (
The livery barn so long known
as the "Mahaffey" stable has
been -purchased by John Baker
and was a few weeks ago removed
to a new sfte on Fifth street.'
La Grande Oizette, Dec. 26, 1890.
Today, as
in the
Yesterdays
Milady's Chief
Concern is for
Style and Quality
in Her Attire.
AND WE of today, here at the Cinderella Shop, are
busily engaged in keeping step with modes of the
moment, in order that milady of La Grande may have
for her selection in dress, the most up-to-the-minute
creations as they meet the fancies and approval of
her sisters in the style centers of the world.
STYLE with QUALITY, at REASONABLE PRICE
are the paramount requisites of merchandise pre
sented at our shop.
CINDERELLA SHOP
1113 Adams Ave. La Grande