The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-06-13

Tim ores no HAR MlNGT0N
GRAND CELEBRATIoNi

GRAND CELEBRATION
Yesterday The frat passenger train on n
/ Des Moines Railroad ran through to Ears
ington. The stockholders Of this city, nm
as many other citizens and strangers o
could be accommodated, were invited 20 8
up. and participate in the celebration whic'
had been arranged by the good people OF on
neighboring town on the occasion o. thel
connection with us BY rail. The oars wer
full, and a company left the depot abou
half pas. ten, in the best Of spirits, arriving
without accident, at Pennington between !:
and O'Clock.
AtFarmington, We found a great crowd a.
sembled in formal array, with banner'
streaming and cannon roaring, apd the ap
proach Of the cars was signaled With shouts
OF welcome. At the depot the delegation
| from Keokuk was received by Mr.. A. J
IIouxhton, Mayor Of Pennington, on behalf
Of the ci,irens. His remarks were pertinent
and though they were brief, We can only pre-.
sent slight sketch. The day, he said, wal
truly proud day for Keokak, but it was
day no less proud and fraught With NO lcsl
importance to Harrington, to the country
about it, and to the entire Des Moines Val.
lev. What has crowded our streets to-day
and what 10 the occasion Of this great en-.
thusiasm? Gentlemen Of Ksokuk, it is ow.
ing to your indomitable energy and persis'
tent labors. It's to you that We are indebted
for the success Of this noble enterprise which
has so firm hold upon the feelings and the
interests Of the people. Nineteen years age
landed on the banks Of yonder stream.--
Only the forest and the Indian were here
Now We are bound in iron bonds with the
Mississippi, and those bonds trust will tru'
ly indicate the strength Of our mutual
friendship and the community Of interest
between Keokuk and Pennington. The Di-
rectory Of this road are entitled to all praise.
In times Of great pecuniary embarrassment,
they threw themselves into the breach,
pledging their property, their all, and nobly
accomplished their task. would not bcin-
vidious, but Gen. Reid, Mr.. Leighton, MIR.
Eaton, Mr.. Roberts, Holmes, Black, and
McIntosh, haso been accustomed frequently
to meet, and cordially testify to their un-
firing zeal. Gentlemen, you have projected
q great enterprise. II runs through the
Eden OF tho West. Your efforts have been
crowned with eminent success, and again We
thank you, and invite you to pnrtake Of u
cola,ion which we have provided.
Mr.. Leighton responded on behalf of the
Ksokuk delegation, but unfortunately we
were drawn away and did not hear him.
The procession then formed 10 tho follow.
ing order, under the control Of Mr.. Swaaey ;
/. Music.
.. Chsplains.
3. Excursionists.
4. Members Of the City Council.
S. State, County and City Of6cers.
6. Ladies.
I. Gentlemen and citizens.
The procession proceeded to a beautiful
grove back of the town, where tables load
cd with no abundance for all had been spread
There were 1900 feet Of table front, and q
computation from that basis, indicated that
there were at the tables and on the grounds
no, less than 5000 people. They had come
from far and near, all the adjoining towns
having sent in their delegations, and the ru.
raj population seemed to have assembled en-
mdsse.
After the dinner was over, Col. Swazey,
after compli,nenting the people Of Kookuk,
BY saying that he had sufficient evidence that
what they undertook to do, they did, called
out d W. kilbourne, ESQ.
Mr.. kilbo0rne said that in 1887 he landed
on the shores Of the Des Mones Then Ke-
okuk was nothing, or worse, for il was call
ed nest OF pirates. Bat had been redeem-
ed. II had acquired population. II had,
almost unaidcd, achieved u great enterprise,
and acquired name and u position 10 the
land But what contrast between then and
now. All this great valley was nothing then.
la 1888 the first land sale was held. X took
all the money 10 the region, and there was
many and many farmer who had not TWEEN.
ty-6ve cents in the world 10 pay postage up
on letter. Now, it was populous, and Gull
tivated. and rich, and We felt great pride,
and We had right to feel great pride In our
noble State. Go to New England, and in al
most every town you will end more or less
Of the best and most active OF the citixeps
preparing to come and make their abode with
Us. The progress was astonishing. Wag-
ons and stages werc old fogy things now
steamboats, were almost 80; and our pros.
poets were indeed dattering and grand.
Mr.. Leighton was then called up. He said
the undertaking, in the outset, required no
little hope and energy, and involved no lit
tie anxiety. But il had been taken no y,eo.
rously. II had been 90 far put in running
order. keokuk had another road 10 progress.
up the river. And while these roads had
been under way,-swo years only ,-the city
had trebled its population and quadrupled
its business and its resources. The spirit ia
which her railroad enterprises has been Ia
ken up, had manifested itself in other de-.
partments, and had told upon the progress OF
the city. II others would prosper, they must
exhibit the same energy, the same liberality /;
it was the liberal soul that waxed fat. We
have iabored. We have rcaped our reward.
And We have come up hare this bright June
morning T.. rejoice with you in the success OF
our undertaking. We have gres: hopes Of
our city. We talk much about II. But Won
will excuse us. II is because Of our high and
confident hopes in its destiny. You ask for
our assurance. Look mt this valley. / be-
lieve il is the 6nest on the face of the earth.
l have Travelled great portion Of the globe.
and 4 have never seen its equal. Take a
line and fasten one end At Fort Des Moines
stretch the other down TO keokuk and swing
il around toward the North. 1t will strike
not single town on the river. Freights car
be carried from 81. Louis up the river and
over our road to Fort Des Moines 10 cheap Al
they can be carried to any pom. on the rive.
nbove, and then inland carriage is to be nd :
! ded from those points. Keokuk 10 and must
be the the cheapest point Of distribution for
this vaiiey,-the manufacturing aud trading
mart for II and Southern Iowa. Tier situs.
ton at the foot Of the rapids has 6Aed the
Tact. IL there not assurance enough in these
facts OF the future greatness Of keokuk p
These are among our sources Of confidence,