A National Road-Builder
"Gentlemen, a toast to Sam Hill!"
There was a moment's confusion as a hundred representative citizens of the state of Oregon arose to their feet to respond. Then some one with a gift of song started "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow," and Sam Hill's eyes twinkled and his jolly face lit up with genuine happiness. The "Testimonial Dinner" was a "Sam Hill" banquet arranged by business men who wished to present the "Father of good roads in America" with a loving-cup as an earnest that his labor to create a definite and productive sentiment favorable to better built highways had not been unnoticed and unappreciated.
Tucked away somewhere in Mr. Hill's belongings, the ink still wet upon the paper, was a copy of Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 13, of the Twenty-Seventh Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon, which tenders a vote of thanks to a private citizen of Oregon, namely Samuel Hill, "For a pleasant and profitable time . . . as his guests and for the royal manner in which they had been entertained" et cetera, and which winds up with "a testimonial of the appreciation of this Legislative Assembly of the unselfish work that is being done by Mr. Hill in the cause of good roads."
Sam Hill had a right to smile indulgently and to feel a bit gratified, for seldom does a man in the public eye receive a unanimous vote of approval for his good works. The banqueters bestowed upon him the title "Oregon's Friend." It might well have been broadened to "The Nation's Friend."
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 13 is a reminder of the unique entertainment of a state's assembly by a man with an unselfish interest to exploit. It perpetuates a lesson to lawmakers in road-building. The Oregon legislature was in session in February last. At the fall election the people, confused by a multiplicity of good-roads measures, defeated all of them. The state was sadly in need of legislation that would permit the levying of necessary taxes for highway improvement. The people, after the election, realized their mistake and hoped for favorable legislative action. The good—roads enthusiasts were downcast. But not so Samuel Hill, chief exponent of good roads. Never for one moment after the decisive defeat of the good-roads measures at the fall election did he lay down. He merely shrugged his shoulders and remarked "that they were confused." There was much wrangling over proposed measures in the legislative body. Mr. Hill feared that the outcome would be but another set-back to the cause. He determined to impress every lawmaker with the advantages of honestly built highways. He invited the entire assembly to be his guests for one day.
Eighty-eight gathered at the office of the Home Telephone Company in Portland, and from there took train for Maryhill, across the Columbia and up state in Washington to Klickitat county. The train was chartered by Mr. Hill. His favorite chef was given carte blanche to fill the buffet car, and the chef asked for no further orders. He took the instructions literally. The guests included state senators, representatives, prominent citizens of Oregon and Washington, and newspaper men. Governor Ernest Lister of Washington was present in person and Governor West of Oregon was represented by George F. Rodgers of Salem. Along the route Mr. Hill pointed out what
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