The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-11-27


The way was easy, but the means
Had first to feel the tbrob of gold.
And when, with Midas touch. this, too,
Had yielded up the right of way,
The songs of trowel and of plane
Rang out their changes day by day.
And stone by stone, the structure grew,
Its lofty walls extending wide,
Until, at lest, complete, it stands
An altar to SEDALIA'S PRIDE.
An altar to her pride, and one
Which honors the uudaupted skill
That, bravely planning, sought results,
And found them by ambitious will.
And, as the curtain upward rolls,
And tresd We on the stage of years,
Let memory, a ray OF light,
Look back from mid its joys and fears
And viewing here this grand array
Of women fair, and pure, and free,
Aud men whose gallantry is like
The knights of olden chivalry,
Bring tribute TO this "opening night"
Where he, the conquering hero stood;
And taking up the victors cry,
Shout praises to the name of WOOD.
J. West Goodwin then appeared upon
the stage and read the following letter oil
regrets from Gov. Crittenden:
GOVERNOR CRrr1ENDEN's Letter,
STATE OF MISSOURI, !
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
CITY OF JEFFERSON, Nov. 18th, 1888.
J. West Goodwin, Esq, Sedalia, No.:
DEAR SIR am in receipt of your letter
of this date. inviting me, in behalf of the
citizens of Sedslia and H. w. Wood, to at
tend the opening of the new opera house,
on tomorrow Tuesday, night. 1 deeply
regret that business engagement, of public
importance, will prevent my acceptance of
your kind invitation. admire the pluck,
public spirit and enterprise of the Sedalia
people, aud / rejoice at such new evidences
of the prosperity of your wonderful young
city. Sedalia deserves success, and will
surely achieve it. Please accept my sim
cere thanks for your courtesy, and convey
to those whom you represent in the invita-
ton my most earnest wishes for the success
OF this new enterprise. If it is worthy OF
Sedalia nothing more can be said in its
praise. Very truly your friend,
THOs. I. CRITTENDEN.
Mr.. Goodwin, after paying tribute to
Sedalla's enterprise and passing a high
compliment upon DIR. II. W. Wood, to
whom the people of the Queen City owe 80
much for their elegant new opera house,
introduced Mr.. Cobb the architect of the
building, who spoke in substance as fol-
lows:
Mr.. CoBB's ADDRESS.
Ladies and Gentlemen of Sedalia
On or about the beginning of May last
received communication from q citizen of
your place, DR.. Wood, informing me he
had an attack of the opera house contagiou,
and had been creditably informed that i
was success in the treatment Of such cases.
| Immediately referred to my prescription
case, notes, books, etc., and found Sedalia
was in Pettis county, central Missouri,
city of wonderful growth, laid out on the
broad space of her beautiful plains by Gen.
Geo. r. Smith in 1859, and first christened
Sedville.in commemoration of his love for
his youngest daughter Sarah, who had
been pet named "Sed." In 1860 another
division be. ng added to the then flourish
ing village, it was re-christened Sedalia,
because the name sSed" could be easily
united to the more euphonious termination
ALA, like Vandalia, Centralia, etc. L
found by directory of Missouri, published
this year, that in 1879 you had reached a
of 11,714, and in 1883 Il, 1872
Applause.l Gathering these facts came
forward On my arrival / found the
Doctor all ready far advanced in the work
Of excavating, and fully Infused with the
idea of pushing to early completion, this,
his project, the result being as you now see
il. Out of that confused mass of material
and crude original thought has grown into
symmetry of proportions, this permanent
place for public amusements, which we
think will compare favorably with the best
in your state. And now it remains with
your amusement loving people to say which
Of these words, success or failure, shall be
written iu its future history. /, for one,
believe in prosperity, and wish from the
bottom of my heart DIR. Wood the success
he so truly deserves. [AppIause.] Almost
as stranger, he began the purchase and
Of property on Ohio street.
And now. at great outlay, he has still
shown his confidence by contributing this
investment Cities are built by
degrees. Your first permanent foothold
gained when the iron rails and electric
bands of the Missouri Pacific reached your
village outlines. Then came another,
another, and still another railroad, together
With work shops. repair shops, round
houses, department headquarters etc. Who
can tell but what from the erection of this
building will begin . new era Of architect.
IRE in your city, the paving of streets, . |
hotel, a court house. or . city hall. A
,ity railway complete, and sewerage sys-
lem. If 20, rs . conspicuous pioneer !
IN these events should stand prominently |
It the head and front, the name Of DR.. I
q. w. Wood. Amusement enterprises, - |