(An undated news article
from the Colusa Sun)
THE PIONEER BANQUET
"About a month ago, Will S. Green,
editor of the Colusa Sun, hit upon the idea of giving a private
banquet at his residence, on Admission Day, to the pioneers of
Colusa county of 1852.
Invitations were accordingly sent out to all those who had been
residents of the county in
that year, and the result was the assembling of guests from all
over the state last Wednesday,
to partake of the hospitality of Mr. Green and to talk over old
times together. About forty
sat down at the table about four o'clock Wednesday afternoon.
At the right hand of Mr.
Green, in the post of honor, sat old Grandma McIntosh, who has
lived to see numerous
great grand-children, and who was one of the first settlers in
this section of the state. Next to
her sat General Bidwell. Among the guests were L. H. McIntosh,
Mrs. Geo. F. Jones, and
Mrs. A. M. Barnard of Chico, and W. C. Hendricks of Oroville;
Judge Hultz of Yolo, and
other prominent pioneers from various counties were also present.
A magnificent banquet
was spread before the guests, who spent two hours and a half
in disposing of it, and in
speech making. After dinner several hours more were passed in
personal reminincences, and
in recalling scenes and incidents in the early history of the
county and state. Will S. Green
delivered the address of welcome, and spoke very feelingly of
the occasion, on which so
many were gathered together who would probably never neet again.
He spoke of the early
times and of the trials they had all had to endure as pioneers,
and traced with pride the
improvements that had taken place under their eyes in the growth
and development of the
county and State. General Bidwell also delivered an eloquent
address, which is said to have
outdone any former effort of his. The speeches had to be cut
short, and all did not have an
opportunity to express themselves. The occasion, on the whole,
was an enjoyable and yet a
solemn one, and will long be remembered by those who were present.
There was a
short-hand reporter present to take down all the remarks, so
that much interesting
information, and many valuable reminiscences will thus be preserved
for the future historian
of the State. The host and his guests were serenaded during the
evening by the Colusa Band,
and it was not until late at night that this memorable assemblage
dispersed, never to meet
again on this side of the tomb." |
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