THE MONTH'S RODEO
A ROUND-UP OF STRAYS WORTH CORRALING
Pendleton's Annual Round-up
Over in the wheat country of eastern Oregon about the only shelter that picnickers can find is made by scraggly cottonwoods along the banks of an occasional stream or by trees in an orchard made possible by irrigation. The rolling country does not lend itself to arboreal vegetation but is perfectly content to spend its fertility in record-breaking grain yields. There is no romance in cottonwoods and apple trees. Lovers and workers hanker for leafy maples, spreading elms, droopy peppers or sighing eucalypti.
What has that to do with a picture of cow punchers and Indians! Just this:
The people of Pendleton had a great desire for a playground, a city park. The desire got coupled up with the ambition of some of the enterprising young men of the town for real live sport, something that would put Pendleton on the map. The result of the union of these ambitions was the Pendleton Round-up, which proved so successful the year of its inception that a long start was made toward the cherished park. The promoters were moved wholly by an altruistic, communistic motive, hence the round-up cleaned up a neat sum. Success! The second year saw Pendletonians rampant with enthusiasm. A beautiful park site was purchased, an amphitheater seating ten thousand erected and the whole population practised the slogan "Let 'er Buck!" until the Blue mountains reverberated the echo. The third year the amphitheater was enlarged, Pendleton entertained for three days an average of thirty thousand visitors, and surprised railroads could not meet the emergency.
The fourth year's celebration ended September 13th last and the banks of Pendleton are bulging with coin left in the town by at least fifty thousand772
