The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-09-15
DRIVING THE GOLDEN SPIKE,

DRIVING THE GOLDEN SPIKE,
Speeches by President Willard, Vim
NJ. Evarts. Elk President billings,
and Others,
At about 6l5 p. m, on the sth inst, the
ceremonies of driving the last spike on the
Northern Pacific Railroad, connecting st.
Paul and Duluth at the eastern terminus
with Porila I'd, the western terminus, were
held at plac called Gold Spike, tity.fiye
miles west OF Helena, Montana The &C.
cason was regarded as remarkable one,
and as presagingn prosperous iqtCre. All
present were impressed Ut what they beheid
Instead of :he wilderness of the Rocky
mountains, they behsld mann
moth pavilion capable OF seat
ihg more than thousand reop'e,
over which fl Iatsa the nstioual c)lors OF
American Germ IN ar British nations. Ia
front, reaching to the roadDed was "a ex-
tensive promenade, skrted by q platform
with com lortabl. seats. To the right was
u band stand and on ii were atrd the
Fifth infantry band. who were To enter'ain
them, and who came all the way from Fort
keogh. But even stronger than this ev.
dence of civilization were the scores OF We
hcles and the hundreds Of hardy noun
talneers gathered To welcome Henry Viii
lard. As soonsas the last the guest, ar
rived and his party, the ceremonies were
opened by President Wharf, who divided
the attention of the enthusiastic multitude
sith Gen. arent, seated on the p a,iorm
Mr.. Willard sp1Ae tor haf
an hour giving brief
history of the Northern Pacific rail-
poad from its 'ncipsncy To its completion,
and making honorable mention OF all who
had been Instrumental in building this great
trancontinental tnrGu shtare. He conc uded
his remarks amid tremendous applause, and
then introduced The Ho VIM NJ Evarls,
the orator of the occasion. Mr.. Evarts
paid a glowing tribute to the founders of
the great work, He said: "in ali the lons
route from st. Paul, to Portland and Puget
Sound the work has spoken and
will speak tb. praises of its conception,
its projection, its completion, in more inI-
prcSsiye tones, and with a jusler EN- phasIs,
than words can express" His address vas
long and eloquent, and was well received
ana heartily applauded. Mr.. Evars was
followed bv Secretary Teller, who spoke of
the great e.ergy and capital required to
complete the various transcontinental ilnee
and the prospective benefits to the nation
this enterprise OF the Northern Pacific along
whose line OF road there would be in few
Yeas 8 0C0, 900 people, could not e cal led 10.
ca. ia its character J. was more than nation
al. l concerned the welfare OF other p,ople.
1t now remains for the managers TO iGs ify
in the future the wistom or the government
in what il has done and that wi 4 he if the
policy announced by President Willard is
carried out. Secretary Teller was follow ed
by ex-President Billings, Gen. Grant, Sir
James Harmon, Won Esendesker. DR. Knss
of the Berlin IN versity, the governors OF
Wisconsin, NJ Minnesota, Dakota, Montana,
Oregon aud Washington territory.
At the conclusion three cheers were Civ
en-. The ioreign guests were thea given
seats on the platform by the railway, pho
tos were taken of them, Willard and family
and the m .st distinguished Americans. Al.
ter tha, horse that bad helped to buill
the road from Its inception was brought
upon the platform Tnen there was wit
messed most extraordinary spectacle
Tree hundred men vita brawuy arms
quickly laid thereon and drove the spikes on
the Thousand feet oi uncum pleted rack ex-
Cept the last spike. Daring the progress of
the work, which was witnessed hy the for.
eignefs with apraZement, tpc band payei
and the people SHOUTED. When nearly
completed u cannon salute was fret by
the detachment ot the fifth in antry present.
The last spike was finally driven hoI!e by
II
agent OF The road, who drove the fitst spike
on the opening Of the road, and this spike
was the same one first driven by Kim. The
end was reached as the su'l was setting
behind the mountains. The enthusi-
asm of the people. variOusly estimated at
from 3 600 to 5 600, was indtscrihable. The
high rcvey Iteration, the mingled sounds Of
cannon aad shouts OF men. Thus was
brought toa happy conclusion n very re-
markable event in Am ricsn history. The
trains were reformed and guests departed.
the English aud apart OF the Americans,
including George NJ. Pullman and Vice
President Haines, to the east, the rest west
ward TO Puget sound.
At s.. Paul Private George Cady, of the
Emmet battery, with brass field piece,
was on hand al Smith park by o'clock,
his gun charged with five pound blank
cartridge. AT a later hour an electric wire
was inserted into the vent, and this wire
connected whh dynamo machine in the
telegraph office of the North rn Pacific rail
road. An unbrOken circuit was completed
between Golden Spike, sixty miles vest OF
Helena, Montana, an New York, d
to'al distance OF 2 59j miles. TIE wire was
cut AT the scene Of the d,y's eativities,
1915 miles west Of ST. Paul. One eni of
he wire was alike to the silver sledge
hammer the other TO the golden spike and
when the first blow was struck, circuit
would be completed and the blow
"ucked'' instantaneously in Portland, St.
Paul, Chicago, Boston, Buffalo, aud New
York.
1t was expected that the las. spike would
be driven between the hours Of 10 and IL a.
M, but the watchers AZ the instrument in
the Northern Pacific Offices in 81. Paul,
and at the cannon in Snith Park stood at
their posts until 6:lS p. H.. railway ii ne,
when TIE first tick was
heard on the instrument which
was switched into onnection with the can.
non. Ia less than two cJnds! Boom. went
the g"D in Smith park, iDyfully pealei the
bells, and shril and .ieep blew the wins.
ties in the city Of st. Paul. The last spike
Was driven. The Northern Pacific rrilrosd,
conceived nineteen years ago, was CON-
pleted. The great work had collie to suc-
cesslul completion.