Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-08-19
PROCTOR KN0Tl'S DULUTH
THE WlTTIssT SPEECH EYER Ut
TERED.

full Appreciation of tho Citizens.
Proctor Knott is in Duluth and Is the
guest Of the city. While in Congress he
made humorous speech against pro-
posed land grant, in which he ridicnled
Duluth In his own inimitable way. The
speech established Mr.. Knotts position
as the wit of the House, but it made
Duluth famous. His sarcastic prophecy
has been literally fulfilled and he is en-
loving the hospitality of the city which
ne sought to destroy with laugh He
and his party we're given ride on the
lake and reception. A despatch TO the
New York World says;
"The spalding House parlors were
filed to OVERLOOKING this evening with
the elite Of Duluth, The occasion being
public reception to MIR Knott. After
the reception came grand banquet. At
which Mr.. Knott was welcomed with
several speeches by the mayor and
others. Mr. Knott delivered himself
thus. being frequently greeted with ap.
plause
"a little less than twenty years ago,
by one Of those singular accidents which
so frequently influence the dsstinies OF
men, my humble name became indlssolu
bly, associ lted with that Of your splendid
city. From that day TO this | have
rarely, If ever, been introduced TO
stranger who did not Immediately mako
a pleasant allusion to Duluth; and 1t Is
not too much TO say that its most enthu
siastic inhabitant has not watched its
amazing progress with profounder per-
sonal interest or marked its marvellous
propensity with 8 more exultant pleasure
than have myself. 1t has seemed to
me. therefore, in spite Of myself, that
the interest Of this stalwart young city,
lst bursting like an infant giant from
its swaddling clothes. were in certain
sense peculiarly my own that, however
little might merit such q magnificent
mausoleum, fate had determined that in
the future fortunes Of Duluth ! was to
have my own enduring monument. Is
10 strange, then that / have listened
with rapt attention to every story | have
heard Of her wonderful development :
that | have devoured with esger interest
every thing have seen in print
concerning her matnhless prosperity,
aud noted with emotions of intense
pride and pleasure every step in her
great triumphal proeress2 Ia 1871 the
eager question was Where is DULUTH
Ten years ago the official census Of the
United states told Us that It was a little
town IN Minnesota of less than four
thousand inhabitants To day the glad
voices Of 90, 600 intelligent, enterprising,
prosperous and happy people, amid the
busy din of machinery and the rush and
roar of commerce, respond: Duluth,
Duluth is here Applausel Twenty
years ago it was suggested that it was
precisely $40 miles from Liverpool, but
If necessary Duluth might be moved
| back ten miles, 50 as TO make the dis
lance an even 1000, but il there is any
moving back to DO done now Liverpool
| will have TO do IT, for Duluth Is here to
stay. Applausel Yes, she Is here, and
| here sne will remain as long IS the
| bright waters OF wonder inland sea-
above whose limpid waves she rose like
a matchless goddess, shall remain to
bear the vast and varied treasures 81
her boundless commerce to the people 81
other lands-aye, as long as her throne
Of eternal granite shall remain fixed to
the sure aad hrm-set earth,
The speech 10 which Governor Knot
directed attention was delivered in th
House of representatives January 81
| 1871, the House having under considera
ton the Joint resolution extending tn
time to construct a railroad from ~
Croix river to lake to the west end 0
Lake Superior and to Bayfield,. In th
course of his remarks Mr. Knott said
Hence. as have said, sir, was ut
terly at loss to determine where tn
terminous Of this great and indispensabI
road should be until accidentally over
heard some gentlemen the other dc
mention the name OF Duluth Gres
laughter Duluth The word fell upo
! my ear with a peculiar and indescribsDl
charm, like the gentle murmur Of loV
fountain stealing forth in the midst o
roses, or the soft, sweet accents OF q
angels whisper in tho bright joyou
dreams Of innocence. Duluth Tws
the name for which my soul had pante
) for years as the heart. pantet
for the water brooks. Roal
Of laughter But where wi
Duluthg Never ia all my Unite
reading had my vision been gladdened
seeing the celestial word in prin
/ Laughter And felt a profounder hl
initiation in my ignorance that its dulcs
; syilables had never before ravished n
delighted ear. Roars Of laughter
was certain the draughtsman of this bi
Z had never heard Of it, or it wsuld hay
: been designated as one Of the termini
this road. / asked my friends about
but they knew notAing Of it, rushs
to the library and examined all the maj
| could find Laughter discovers
in one Of them a delicate, hair-like lin
4 diverging from the Mississippi near
= place marked Prescott, which 1 suppo
4 was intended to represent the River 5
J Croix, but could nowhere find pulut
Nevertheless | was confident
I, existed somewhere, and that its di
Z covery would constitute the crownir
q glory Of the present century, ii not
d all modern times Laughter kne
il was bound to exist ia tine very natu
! Of things that the symmetry and pc
lection of our planetary system won
be- incomplete without it-frenewi
O. laughter that the elements OF materi
10 nature would have long since resolv
y themselves back into original chaos
= there had been such 3 hiatus in create
i as would have resulted from leaving o
. Duluth. Roars Of laughter In FAC
b sir, was overwhelmed by the convict
e. that Duluth not only existed som
As where, but that, whatever il ws
1t was a great and glorious plac
as was convinced that the create
n calamity that ever befell t
benighted nations OF the sneie
Is world was in their having passed aw
L. without knowledge OF the actual ext.
be ence Of Duluth that their tabled A
lantis, never seen save by the hallov
vision Of inspired poesy. was in ia
but another name for Duluth; that I
~ golden orchard Of Hesperides was but
poetiosl synonym for the beer gardens