The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1866-09-13


sponded.to this toast, but not being able to
be preseht, khe following letter from him
was readsa \. ! } t Il
l. 49, OrI1ca Or 4uE MINNESOTA Valley r.. M !"
$50 ~2.=F% g. PAUL, Sep. II. 1854 J
I 0Ex. TaoxAs.-alcknoss In my family, and tho
pressure az official duties connected with the road
under my charge combine to prevent my presence with
your ,townsnsn. greatly regret my Inability to
share with you the pleasure occaaoncd by tho CONE
pleton Of work long desired and Of such immonse
value to your prosperous city, and tho surrounding
country. , ~.
I wished to join You IL thauks to those who havo
labore for ycars under the most adverse condition of
things for the completion Of your road. !
The influence Of works Of this character upon a
country reaches far beyond tho material benefits con-
forred They arc tho eivzers of tho age, and people
will be- and In all history have been great, and wise
aud goo precisely in proportion to their means Of in
terc0urse with each othcr aud noighboring pooplos
Congratulating your city aud tho country upon this
in their history with thanks for your invita-
ton to Join your celebration. u
am your obt. Servant. Il. +. DRAKE
s. Smith ESQ and others, Com.
ssh: The s.. Fn.! and 1t.ciac Il. X. ctmpany:- Tho
proud conquest achieved by tho master minds and u
tirlng energies Of ts officers we'll merits tho best
Wishes and l.eartiost cooperaton-not only Of the
people of the Upper Mississippi, but Of tho whole
State; may its course DO still westward where the
star ofemptre takes its way until tho waters Of the
Pacific shnl prescnt insurmountable barrier to ts
further progress.
Hon. E. Rice not being present, repeated
calls were made for F. R. Delano, Assis-
tant Superintendent. He said there were
five prominent railroad men who deserved
honor at the hands of the people Of this State
-E;,Rice, Col. DeGraff, E. F. Drake, E. B.
Litchfeld, and Selah Chamberlain. The
land grants were given in 1856; then fol-
lowed the dark days Of 1857, when the f.
nanpiAl clouds enveloped!the <prejectors of.
these roads, hut they stood firm by the
interests of Minnesota. selab Chamher.
lain struck the first spade in the ground
for railroad in Minnesota f. F. Dr.l.
laid the 6rstrail;:: land MR. Litehaeld, q.
stranger to the State, Pit his funds into
this line. On the very day when he made
tho deposits ~ pledge for itsronstruction,
the1ndm Massacre bee&n, butswhils the
Indians have nov been driven to the far
frontier, the tack has progressed steadily
until il has finally reached this place.. He
closed With some humorous remarks.
IL g. Rsy An6 Rsp6ee Det Bss1-1hs &1esl Pre-.
Aeat ana 0@eers Of The Pioneer RAilrosA n Ninas-
0ota-1ay their labogs continue until Tie Grand
.ehs@s OF our continent BY 1'ilis oonsam
Hon. Geo. L. Becker in responding said
hs had come forevarned to respond to this
toast, but that he had not expected to meet
so cordial q welcome at the hands Of the
people of st. Cloud. We have, not only
been filled with, gratitude, but With choice
viands as well. Hereafter let St: Cloud be
the synonym for warm-hearted hospitality.
The occasion which We now celebrate is q
joyful one. It is one Of the victories
which peace brings. The officers of the
road. who have had to meet, to struggle
with and to overcome the difficulties, join
with the people of St. Cloud in rejoicing
with an exceeding great Joy. These off,
GERS stand before you to-day with their
pledges redeemed and their work completed.
He referred to the assistance rendered by
Hon. H. NJ. Rice, and his brother, E. Rice,
but nothing practical could have been &C.
complished had it not been for the financial
aid and the nerve of Mr.. E. B. Litchfeld,
one of the guests Of to-day, who redeemed
the enterprise which must otherwise have
been failure. To the people Of St. Cloud
this event is one of great interest. Stretch.
. ing out toward the Pacific you have one o.
the richest tracts of country in the world
yet to be settled. To the north and eas
are the immense pineries Of the Misslssip
pi, and tho great mineral wealth of Lake
Superior. The day Of small things is owe,
with you; you must be up and awake Il
secure the great commerce that can be Oh
tanned for your city. In conclusion, Mr.
Becker offered the following sentiment
81. C7oud-Stuated at the entrance of one of til
richest valleys in tho MISUNDERSTANDING our cite
Of those most favored by Providence her progress
and advancement will be CONNIE nsurato with her Lib
erslisy and hospitality.
Loud and persistent calls brought Mr.
Litoh6nld a. 41r--- 4l---.--:- III a''---
he said, know what he had done that h,
should be called before the people. H.
thought four years ago that if he ever 60
to St. Cloud he could have rest, and he wa.
now here solely to witness, and not t,
speak. When here four years ago, he sale
that he would never come to st. Cloud AGAR
until could come by rail. The Indian out
RACES began simultaneously with his efforts
his friends thought him wild in persistine
in the work; and while adverse circum
stances have prevented the completion o.
road as soon as was anticipated, yet work
and negotiations had been going on, and
notwithstanding, too, that the cost Of al
material had doubled and trebled. Mr.
LitchfeId paid a high tribute to the enter.
prise and progress Of st. Cloud, and said
that any aid or assistance lie could extend
toward the speedy construction of bridge
across the river to connect the railroad
and the town, you'd cheerfully be render
ed. The country to the west is ready to
pour into this granary-your town-its
surplus products to be transported to the
great markets; and to the east is coun-
try which will furnish an abundance for
export. For tile past three years st. Cloud
had been uppermost in his mind, day and
night, and he would now do all he could to
further the interests Of the town. ('*Three
cheers for Litch6eld" we're given with a
willy Lay aside oil differences Of opinion,
he asked, and aid the road at oil times
When it was commenced wheat was selling
here at forty cents per bushel: it now COM
mands $l.20. The country is benefited
ten-fold by the line, and its. managers ask
the aid and sympathy, Of the: people. Mr..
Litchfeld took his seat in the midst Of loud
cheers.
10th. E,,g;neerso Of the Work--1hcir skill has been
| fully endorsed by their labors.
The following letter from Col. Vim.
ECrooks, was read in response: =;
orncr ST. PA11 4 PACIFIC RAILROAD CoxpAxY,)
| WINoNA DIVISION
ST. PAUL, Sep. 18th, 1866. }
Nessers Smith, Kerr, Curry,
| and others, Committee.
axS11Exss.-I have this moment received your note