The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-11-07
The Old Men Dream Dreams of
"Ye Ancient Days" and
The Young Men See Visions of the
City that is to Be.
The Speeches and Poem i'm Full,
Together with a Complete
Account of the Great.
est Day i'm Our
History.

est Day i'm Our
History.
Yes, we are growing old; the great
Century-wheel has completed one
revolution and before we had time to
catch our breath it was describing a
segment of great circle No 2. Last
Wednesday Morgantown was in the
first century of its existence; to-day
it is in the second. 1t was eminent
ly fitting and proper that the great
change should have recognition com
mensurate with it's Importance.
On the 10Th of October, 1885, the
little cluster of rude cabins set up
by the Deckers, the Morgans and
their followers was recognized as a
town, by the State of Virginia. On
the 29th of October, 1885, another
cluster of houses, still not large and
still not rising to the pretensions of
city, was decked with flags and
bunting and evergreens and cunning
devices, in commemoration of that
other 10Th of October one hundred
years ago. The two dates differ
only in one figure, yet what a differ
ence! 1885 saw the American Re-
public in it's infancy; 1885 sees it
the browning glory of the earth.
1885 saw in this country population
of only a few hundred thousand; 49,
S5 sees population of nearly fifty
five millions. In 1885, and for two
thirds of century afterward, there
was no West Virginia. Then the
Monongahela, "the river of the fall
ing-in banks" flowed among no well
cultivated farms, no thriving towns,
no busy hives of men; there was very
little to break the echo of the Indi-
ans warwhoop and the great world
seemed very far away" The foun-
ders of the town and their children
long ago crossed over to that city as
old as the Ancient of Days Himself,
but their descendants were here last
Thursday and Joined in the festivi-
ties with hearty earnestness which
later corners could but feebly real
ize. rs
In spite of the rain and the chill
penetrating atmosphere, the celebra-
ton was marked success in every
way. The country poured in upon
us until there was scarcely turning
room in the town. Fairmont, Graf
ton, Uniontown, Mt. Morris, King
wood and other neighboring towns
sent in their delegations, and old cit
liens from the length and breadth of
the land came home, like the prodi-
gal son, to help us eat the fatted calf
From Virginia, the mother of states,
and from Nebraska, one of the
latest born, they came and were
more than welcome. Letters and
kilograms of congratulation were re-
ceived from every direction, and
even from the far away Pacific slope
the land of the sunset seattle
lightning's fash brought tokens of
affectionate remembrance
The New DOMINION may be allow
ed a pardonable pride in the fact
that it was the first to remind the
people, more than year ago, of the
important day coming and to urge
forward every possible preparation.
The event has fully justified our pre-
dictions in spite of many untoward
circumstances.
One fact we rejoice in more than any
other: The centennial has brought
the town and county nearer together
than ever before. The people all
over the county felt that it was their
day and their celebration. and the
town and county were one. May
this fellow feeling last until the next
centennial
THE CROWD.
Notwithstanding the lowering
clouds and the intermittent rain, the
crowd came. They came from every
point of the compass. They came
from every neighboring town and
county and from many different
States. They came from every hill
and valley of Monongalia county.
They came who had not looked upon
their native town for twenty or thir-
ty years. The old man whose head
had whitened and whose face had
wrinkled with wasting years and
whose every trace of boyhood had
departed; whose family and relatives
and even his acquaintance had quite
all "passed over the river" came
back to look upon the streets and
stand in the shadow of the houses
that were familiar to his boyhood,
and perchance to trace in the counte-
nances of the children about him
some features that would recall the
memory Of the friends of other years.
They came who, leaving us as boys,
had grown into stalwart men, and
who returned as children to fond
mother to receive her embrace. Our
neighbors and friends Of adjoining
towns came in to renew old acquain-
tanship, Monongalians whose faces
are seen less frequently every year