Volume 036-2 - April 1982 (8 pages)

WV “he was given his board and room in the bunk house (in return for) taking care of the automobiles of the university. Among them was a Hudson Sedan, used by the University Trustees, one of them was Herbert Hoover (who was). a graduate from Stanford.” Hoover had been appointed trustee in August 1912. Covey graduated in 1920. As already mentioned, Earl Covey was appointed chairman of the Fourth of July celebrations and, as he wrote: ‘the Committee could not seem to get off the ground.” One of the troubles, perhaps the major one, was the choice of the orator. Harry Poole, an employee of the P.G.&E. suggested asking Hoover for this function. Consequently, a letter, dated June 7, 1935, was sent, inviting Hoover “to be with us at this time and visit the scenes of your former years.” The letter continued: “It would give us a great deal of pleasure if we could prevail upon you to say a few words at the exercise on the morning of the 4th.” Apparently, the letter took some time reaching Hoover or he needed some time to think about it; at any rate, on June 18, Edith Scott, secretary of the Committee wrote Hoover a letter, reminding him of the request. This letter was answered by Hoover with a telegram to Covey, dated June 285: “It would be a great pleasure to attend the Grass Valley celebration, but confidentially, I do not wish to make an extended address and have no time to prepare such an address, and if it were announced I was todo so, (it) would lead to embarrassment for both the committee and myself. It would therefore be necessary for you to have another speaker for the principal address and to announce that I would speak informally for a few moments. If this can be done, I will be glad to come and would speak for ten to twelve minutes.” . Hence there was no solution to the speaker problem. The same day,. Earl Covey answered by telegram as follows: “Your kind acceptance to appear here on July 4th program received. Judge Tuttle will make the address of the day. Fred Nobs will probably write you as he is anticipating your visit with great pleasure.” Covey continues his memoir as follows: ‘When the Committee found out that President Hoover was coming, everyone wanted to get on the bandwagon. Pressure was hot on me to have Judge Tuttle introduce Mr._ Hoover and the many friends of Judge George L. Jones insisted that he be the one. Tempers ran high, parade entries threatened to withdraw if their man was not the one. I spent quite a few nights trying to figure out how it could be done. Finally I solved the problem by having Judge George L. Jones billed as the principal speaker and Judge Raglan Tuttle introduce the president.”’ The Hon. George L. Jones was ason of Dr. W.C. Jones, a famous Grass 14 Valley physician. The Jones hospital, founded by his son John was named for him. George Jones did not follow the family calling of physician; he became a lawyer. He was Judge of the Superior Court of Nevada County from 1908 until 1925 (see him on NCHS Bull., April 1952). Of him it was written that “he has long been a staunch supporter of the platforms of the Democratic Party.” This was perhaps one reason why Judge Tuttle was originally preferred to deliver the Fourth of July oration in the presence of Herbert Hoover. Raglan Tuttle was the present Judge of the Superior Court of Nevada County. He came from a family of lawyers from Auburn. The reader will remember that he was one of the organizers of the 1932 Colfax pilgrimage. Both Judges were graduates from Hastings Law College in San Francisco (1897 and 1907 respectively). Hoover had let the Committee know that he did not want to inconvenience them with organizing a reception committee or a motor cycle escort upon his arrival in Grass Valley. On July 3rd, he drove from Palo Alto to Grass Valley, accompanied by Mrs. Hoover and Mr. and Mrs. Ben Allen. Benjamin Shannon Allen was born at Ophir Hill, near Grass Valley on August 19, 1882. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history at Stanford in 1907. Obviously, Hoover did not know him from his university days; he probably met him in connection with the Belgian Relief Commission, which Hoover had been asked to organize in the fall of 1914. Allen was one of the origianl committee of seven which started this gigiantic enterprise. After his graduation, he became involved in newspaper work, was for example foreign correspondent for the Associated Press in several European cities and later war correspondent during World War I. When, after the United States had entered World War I, Hoover was appointed by President Wilson to administer the entire food supply for the American people, its Army and the Allies, Allen was one of his assistants. He lived in Palo Alto and thus was probably a friend of the Hoover family. ~{_ While in Grass Valley, Hoover was ‘ the guest of Fred Nobs at Empire House (now called the Bourn Mansion). Nobs was a graduate in mining engineering from Stanford who had come to Grass -~Valley in 1916. He was manager of the Empire Mine from 1929 until 1939. The news that Hoover was to visit ‘Grass Valley on the Fourth of July spread all over the country. The news crews of the Paramount, the Universal and the Pathe’ picture companies were to be present. And thousands of spectators were anticipated. It was obvious that the Veteran’s Memorial Building was not able to hold the crowd and therefore it was decided to move ° the patriotic exercises to Memorial a Park. A special stand was constructed for the principal participants. The parade was opened by Grand Marshall Dr. Carl P. Jones with an equestrian group, consisting of some (Ate, comely young ladies. Dr. Jones was the brother of Judge Jones. This group was" followed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Nevada City Post. When the parade passed the Bret Harte Inn, an automobile slipped in. This car carried former President Hoover, Earl Covey, as program chairman Hoover's host of the day, Fred Nobs and Ben Allen, with Dr. Jack Rector of Nevada City in the drivers seat. Hoover had apparently reconsidered his decision not to participate in the parade. Behind this car followed the Grass Valley Concert Band and the rest of the parade. At Memorial Park, former Superior Judge George L. Jones presented the Fourth of July oration. His theme was the American Constitution and the Supreme Court as interpreter of the Constitution. He told the attendants that reverence for the Constitution and for the high courts which are called upon to interpret its provisions were among the highest tenets of citizenship. Hereafter, Judge Tuttle presented the former president, whereafter Hoover gave his address. This was essentially in two parts of which the first was more personal and related to his earlier days in Nevada County. The second part was more in line with the occasion and focussed on personal liberty and the threads thereupon. In the first part of his speech, Hoover said the following: “] get a particular pleasure out of returning to Grass Valley and Nevada City. The first time I was here was when, after leaving school I came here looking for a mining job. These two camps have prospered greatly since the day I left that job to go to Australia. That at least proves that my labors at that time did not produce all the gold in the camp. Anyway, at that time I knew some parts of this community from the bottom up at least from the 2,000 foot level up. I knew a blessed lady whose boarding house cooking was the best of it s kind in the world. I knew the road from Nevada City, for I walked it in the mud to save stage fare. I learned here the bitter despair that comes to men from ceaseless hunting for a job only to be turned away time after time. But I finally got onto the night shift. The first job was pushing a car. The sweat and grime of that job were good for the soul as well as the body. It was here that I was instructed by kindly Cousin Jacks in the differences between a gad and a moil, and how to pound the drill instead of my fist. Also I learned from them how to warm up the bottom of an iron wheel barrow with three stub candles so that it would be more comfortable sleeping during fn midnight lunch hour. It was here also Na that I knew a prospector who, with Mark Twain, held that it was wise to tell

WV “he was given his board and room in the bunk house (in return for) taking care of the automobiles of the university. Among them was a Hudson Sedan, used by the University Trustees, one of them was Herbert Hoover (who was). a graduate from Stanford.” Hoover had been appointed trustee in August 1912. Covey graduated in 1920. As already mentioned, Earl Covey was appointed chairman of the Fourth of July celebrations and, as he wrote: ‘the Committee could not seem to get off the ground.” One of the troubles, perhaps the major one, was the choice of the orator. Harry Poole, an employee of the P.G.&E. suggested asking Hoover for this function. Consequently, a letter, dated June 7, 1935, was sent, inviting Hoover “to be with us at this time and visit the scenes of your former years.” The letter continued: “It would give us a great deal of pleasure if we could prevail upon you to say a few words at the exercise on the morning of the 4th.” Apparently, the letter took some time reaching Hoover or he needed some time to think about it; at any rate, on June 18, Edith Scott, secretary of the Committee wrote Hoover a letter, reminding him of the request. This letter was answered by Hoover with a telegram to Covey, dated June 285: “It would be a great pleasure to attend the Grass Valley celebration, but confidentially, I do not wish to make an extended address and have no time to prepare such an address, and if it were announced I was todo so, (it) would lead to embarrassment for both the committee and myself. It would therefore be necessary for you to have another speaker for the principal address and to announce that I would speak informally for a few moments. If this can be done, I will be glad to come and would speak for ten to twelve minutes.” . Hence there was no solution to the speaker problem. The same day,. Earl Covey answered by telegram as follows: “Your kind acceptance to appear here on July 4th program received. Judge Tuttle will make the address of the day. Fred Nobs will probably write you as he is anticipating your visit with great pleasure.” Covey continues his memoir as follows: ‘When the Committee found out that President Hoover was coming, everyone wanted to get on the bandwagon. Pressure was hot on me to have Judge Tuttle introduce Mr._ Hoover and the many friends of Judge George L. Jones insisted that he be the one. Tempers ran high, parade entries threatened to withdraw if their man was not the one. I spent quite a few nights trying to figure out how it could be done. Finally I solved the problem by having Judge George L. Jones billed as the principal speaker and Judge Raglan Tuttle introduce the president.”’ The Hon. George L. Jones was ason of Dr. W.C. Jones, a famous Grass 14 Valley physician. The Jones hospital, founded by his son John was named for him. George Jones did not follow the family calling of physician; he became a lawyer. He was Judge of the Superior Court of Nevada County from 1908 until 1925 (see him on NCHS Bull., April 1952). Of him it was written that “he has long been a staunch supporter of the platforms of the Democratic Party.” This was perhaps one reason why Judge Tuttle was originally preferred to deliver the Fourth of July oration in the presence of Herbert Hoover. Raglan Tuttle was the present Judge of the Superior Court of Nevada County. He came from a family of lawyers from Auburn. The reader will remember that he was one of the organizers of the 1932 Colfax pilgrimage. Both Judges were graduates from Hastings Law College in San Francisco (1897 and 1907 respectively). Hoover had let the Committee know that he did not want to inconvenience them with organizing a reception committee or a motor cycle escort upon his arrival in Grass Valley. On July 3rd, he drove from Palo Alto to Grass Valley, accompanied by Mrs. Hoover and Mr. and Mrs. Ben Allen. Benjamin Shannon Allen was born at Ophir Hill, near Grass Valley on August 19, 1882. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history at Stanford in 1907. Obviously, Hoover did not know him from his university days; he probably met him in connection with the Belgian

Relief Commission, which Hoover had been asked to organize in the fall of 1914. Allen was one of the origianl committee of seven which started this gigiantic enterprise. After his graduation, he became involved in newspaper work, was for example foreign correspondent for the Associated Press in several European cities and later war correspondent during World War I. When, after the United States had entered World War I, Hoover was appointed by President Wilson to administer the entire food supply for the American people, its Army and the Allies, Allen was one of his assistants. He lived in Palo Alto and thus was probably a friend of the Hoover family. ~{_ While in Grass Valley, Hoover was ‘ the guest of Fred Nobs at Empire House (now called the Bourn Mansion). Nobs was a graduate in mining engineering from Stanford who had come to Grass -~Valley in 1916. He was manager of the Empire Mine from 1929 until 1939. The news that Hoover was to visit ‘Grass Valley on the Fourth of July spread all over the country. The news crews of the Paramount, the Universal and the Pathe’ picture companies were to be present. And thousands of spectators were anticipated. It was obvious that the Veteran’s Memorial Building was not able to hold the crowd and therefore it was decided to move ° the patriotic exercises to Memorial a Park. A special stand was constructed for the principal participants. The parade was opened by Grand Marshall Dr. Carl P. Jones with an equestrian group, consisting of some (Ate, comely young ladies. Dr. Jones was the brother of Judge Jones. This group was" followed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Nevada City Post. When the parade passed the Bret Harte Inn, an automobile slipped in. This car carried former President Hoover, Earl Covey, as program chairman Hoover's host of the day, Fred Nobs and Ben Allen, with Dr. Jack Rector of Nevada City in the drivers seat. Hoover had apparently reconsidered his decision not to participate in the parade. Behind this car followed the Grass Valley Concert Band and the rest of the parade. At Memorial Park, former Superior Judge George L. Jones presented the Fourth of July oration. His theme was the American Constitution and the Supreme Court as interpreter of the Constitution. He told the attendants that reverence for the Constitution and for the high courts which are called upon to interpret its provisions were among the highest tenets of citizenship. Hereafter, Judge Tuttle presented the former president, whereafter Hoover gave his address. This was essentially in two parts of which the first was more personal and related to his earlier days in Nevada County. The second part was more in line with the occasion and focussed on personal liberty and the threads thereupon. In the first part of his speech, Hoover said the following: “] get a particular pleasure out of returning to Grass Valley and Nevada City. The first time I was here was when, after leaving school I came here looking for a mining job. These two camps have prospered greatly since the day I left that job to go to Australia. That at least proves that my labors at that time did not produce all the gold in the camp. Anyway, at that time I knew some parts of this community from the bottom up at least from the 2,000 foot level up. I knew a blessed lady whose boarding house cooking was the best of it s kind in the world. I knew the road from Nevada City, for I walked it in the mud to save stage fare. I learned here the bitter despair that comes to men from ceaseless hunting for a job only to be turned away time after time. But I finally got onto the night shift. The first job was pushing a car. The sweat and grime of that job were good for the soul as well as the body. It was here that I was instructed by kindly Cousin Jacks in the differences between a gad and a moil, and how to pound the drill instead of my fist. Also I learned from them how to warm up the bottom of an iron wheel barrow with three stub candles so that it would be more comfortable sleeping during fn midnight lunch hour. It was here also Na that I knew a prospector who, with Mark Twain, held that it was wise to tell