The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-01-27

To the private enterprise of St. Anthony and
the county of Hennepin belongs the credit
we should say honor and glory-ofconstructlng
the first bridge that has ever carried living
being across the Great River of the North
American Continent. Three years ago, when
the Legislature of Minnesota held its session In
Goodrich's Building, at the lower end OF THIRD
Street, st. Paul, the town of st. Anthony was
represented by VIM. L. Larned in the Council
and by DR.. J. Fl. Murphy and S. W. Farnhan
in the House. The District on tho opposite
side of the Mississippi, of which the county o.
Hennspin is now a part, was represented III
the Council by Martin Mcleod, and in the
House by B. H. Randall and Jas. Nc. Boal The
charter for the construction of this now com
pleted magnificent suspension bridge was in
troduced and passed at that session, at the sug
gestion and through the active excrtions o
those six members, backed by the influence
one who has ever been leader in all enter
prisss of improvement in Minnesota, Franklin
Steele, Esq.
The project was ridiculed and burlesqued a.
the time, by certain members of the Leglsia
ture, among whom we are sorry to state was
one who now, again finding himself rcpresen
tatiye of st. Paul, is pursuing the same course
toward an immensely more stupendous enter
prise, in which the vital interests OF has oDn
constituents are at stake.
But no matter! The charter was granted
and the Bridge is built. 1t is structure that
mechanically considered, has no superior IL
the world; and is destined to stand as mon
ument to Minnesota enterprise until the foun
-dations of the eternal rocks beneath which Its
fastenings are planted are upheaved by the fl
nal commissions at the close of all earthly
things.
Tuesday, Jan. 23d. was set as the day ofcel
brating the consummation of this great enter
prise. The Legislature adjourned to attend
the ovation, and the several daily papers of st
Paul complimented the day by suspending theil
usual publications. At an early hour, all thu
private and livery winter vehicles of st. Pau
were abroad in the streets of our city; and by
noon more than two hundred of our citizens
including some forty Or fifty ofour public spir
tied ladies, were on their way to the scene O
festivity, although the thermometer was rang
ing the whole while below zero.
At one o'clock procession of sleighs over
q mile in length, filled with ladies and gentle
men, formed w4h its head in front of the st
Charles House, displaying northwardly. A
banner was carried in the front sleigh, which
was preceded by band of music-Dr. j. I'll
Murphy and T. E. B. Nash acting as Marshals
The beauty and intellect of the Territory was
there in that procession; and more grand
and exciting scene we have never before wit
messed. We were rejoiced to see st. Paul SO
prominently and numerously represented on
the occasion. 49,.
Under salute of cannon, stationed on Mich
olett Island, the procession moved down Main
street and across the Bridge. The iron nerves
of the substantial creation withstOod firmly the
tread of an hundred spirited steeds, and not q
muscle of the framework tremblcd beneath
tho burthen. The procession passed through
the principal streets of Minneapolis, and then
returned to the St. Charles HOnse, in st. An
thony to the ... ..... .. .....
Dinner The hour ofdinner was set for three
o'clock, and perhaps there was then and there
assembled over three hundred appetites pre-
pared to devour anything from moderately
palatable beef steak to one of the pine logs in
Mr.. Steele's mill pond. But they had not the
opportunity. Dinner was late, and when the
company was seated the dinner wasn't there
except in an imaginary sense as displayed upon
the "bills of fare" What little the company
were fortunate in getting hold ofwas cold and
badly served; and upon the whole, SO far as
procuring anything to eat was concerned, the
affair was total failure. Mr.. Olds, in respond
ing to the first regular toast, spoke of the in
justice Of the committee in calling him out at
that moment, when, after feasting, it might be
presumed he would be allowed to coil himself
up like the boa constructor, and rest dormant
during the remainder of the day Unless he
Jared better than the rest of the company, we
are inclined to think our friend Odds felt dis
posed to draw largely upon his Imagination on
the occasion. But in palliaton of the bad din
ner, or rather no dinner at all, it is perhaps
our duty to state that the Landlord of the st.
Charles has been in very ill health for several
weeks, and in all probability his assistants are
not yet sufficiently acquainted with the s.wintcr
fashions" in Minnesota, so far as the wants of
the inner man are concerned. The extortinp
price charged for the pretended dinner-one
dollar and fifty cents-makes the affair appear
much more stability, -s~.,,r
However, We all got through, and the after
part of the proceedings-the toasts and speech
es-went off in grand and enthusiastic STYLE
The several gentlemen detailed to respond to
the regular toasts acquitted themselves with
marked taste and ability, and the company
separated about eight O'Clock, with nothing
but the promptings of hungerto induce them to
regret their attendance upon the pleasures and
festivities Of the day. so l5s 10 a,gs
We subjoin the regular toasts read and 70.
sponded to on the occasion: -,ltqT
l. The President ofthe United State. a.
Responded to by NJ. L. Odds, Esq. ~ ID.
2. The judiciary of the United STATES
Their danger arises from the great ayeight of
legislation. The scales of Justice are proner.
~ balanced by this wise branch OF the three
great powers existing in our Republic. ii, an
Responded to briefly by J. II. Trader, ESQ.,.
in place Of Judge Sherburne, who was not pres
emf .. .l ..t,
5. The Congress Of the United States. -.
Responded to by Coy. German.