The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-01-25
AG,eat Day for Minnesota.
OPENING OF the Wire Suspension Bridge
Across the Mississippi.


I 1t was great day for Minnesota, and a
signal and impressive mark of the spirj' of
progress which actuates her people, when
on the Twenty-Third Of January in t. .e good
year 1855, the citizens of Saint Anthony
and Minneapolis in company wit h those of
St. Paul and other places, inaug urated the
completion of bond by which the Father
of Waters is, for the first time since its wa
waters rolled from its source, in Itasca lake,
to the mighty Atlantic, spanned by as beau
tiful structure as any that have been made
in the United States, with all the aids that
abundant capital could render. Since the
days when fernando de Soto first beheld
its turbid waters, in the genial south, and
Nicollet looked upon the Falls of Saint
Anthony far in the North West, there has
been no event so singular in its character,
or so characteristic of an onward and prac-
tical spirit as that which was honored on
Tuesday last; and the brightest feature which
belongs to it, is that it is the result of in
dividual enterprise, and the wise expenditure
of local capital No surer evidence of the
solid progress of our Territory could be
given than this which portion of its citi
zens has rendered. Saint Anthony and
Minneapolis have reason greatly obe proud
of what has been accomplished, and the ell
egant structure which spans the Father of
Waters" will ever remain a monument of
the liberality forecast and enterprise of their
citizens.
We were present at the Celebration, and
enjoyed it eenly-albeit the weather was
somewhat too cold for outdoor ceremonies
The day was blessing in its brightness and
its beauty, and feeling of exultation per-
vaded ALL
All that lberality or experience could
suggest, was done by the Committee Of Ar
engagements to make the day pass off pleas
antly, and those who participated in the
ceremonies, will long remember them and
the festivities which followed, with pleasure
At an early hour st. Anthony was alive
with people, Gay equipages came dashing
in one after another, and before the hour
appointed for the procession to form, there
was notable assemblage at the st. Charles,
composed of the elite of St. Anthony, Min
neapolis, Saint Paul, and other places. All
were in high spirits, and although the Frost
KING had exercised very depressing in
Auence on the thermometer, and caused
people generally to believe it was very cold,
yet still the turnout was magnificent. -
We counted 81 sleighs and cutters in the
line, and many others were dashing back
and forth as if impatient of the slow pace
of the main body during the march over
the route. There were music and banners,
the mounted marshals. with gay scarfs,
rode along in the fulness of authority, and
when the first sleigh arrived at the Bridge
at signal from one of them, cannon thun-
dored forth the announcement of the inau-
guration of the bridge, the gates of which
were then thrown wide open. The process
sion passed over in due order, and after a
march through Minneapolis, returned to the
St. Charles Hotel, where dinner, after the
usual practice of naming one hour, and
meaning one or two hours later-was served
up. The bill of fare is representation Of
western profusion in its hospitality and while
we have good reason to believe that every
article mentioned was on the table or at
hand, we are not sure that the appctites of
some of the guests did not remain in
statu o,with the exception of being some
what increased in keenness by forced alb
stinence. There was abundance of every
thing, but not few of those seated at the
tables were in the position of Tantalus, a
very noted individual of the olden time, who
always had plenty to eat and drink before
his eyes, but by some strange dobler7e was
prevented from getting either.
The ceremonies of the table were intro
r duced by
i WI. Parsons, Esq, the Chairman Of
f the OCCASION who spoke as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
1t has been with no little diffidence and much
lack of confidence in my humble abilities to
discharge faithfully and we'll the duties of the
: position to which the partiality of the Com
mittee has called me, that have consented to
act as your Chairman on this occasion.
The consciousness that We are all friends to.
gether, met to celebrate an event which makes