Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-05-13
A TTE OR STEEL
Which More Firmly Binds the
East and West Together.
Opening Of the Great Memphis
Cantllever Bridge.

with the dedication of the bridge across
the Mississippi and the city is crowded
as it has never been before. The exer.
cises of the day opened with a parade,
the first division being composed Of Wis
itng and home military companies, &C.
oret societies and friendly and benevo-
lent associations, the members of the
German maifest, the fire department,
displays of local Industries, and the at
tachee Of the municipal departments
and distinguished visitors bringing up
the rear.
The procession moved through the
principal streets of the city and halted
at the bridge, and while Governor
Buchanan, of Tennessee, and Governor
Eagle, Of Arkansas, clasped hands in
the center Of the bridge, President Lucas
b. Clapp, OF the taxing district Of Mem
phis, placed his hands upon their heads
and declared the union of the great
west and the great east, the cannon
doomed from the river, and the great
multitude on shore made the air culver
with cheers for southern energy and
enterprise.
Thursday night there was a grand il
Illuminated trades display,
The length Of the bridge and its ap-
prOaches from Arkansas to Tennessee is
three miles. 1t is in five spans, is built
on the Cantilever principle, 5000 tons of
steel have been used in It's construction,
and its cost has been over $3 100000.
The crowd Of visitors which thronged
the city and congregated about the
great bridge to witness the ceremonies
was estimated at 80, 900
The city never before presented such
"a gala appearance. The decoration of
business houses was never so elaborate,
and the star-spangled banner floats from
every oornice and window of the down
town buildings
Secretary Tllins, Senators Voorhees,,
tives John Allen, Storer and Others
arrived Wednesday night.
Senator Voorhees, was orator of the
day. He began his Grafton with the
statement tlat 1.-THE brilliant and inn
posing demonstration, i'll which the peo-
DIE of Tennessee and surrounding states
are here engaged, marks an event of
national interest and enduring i'm
portance,@
He reviewed the wonderful progress
of human achievements in the Missis-
sippi valley. and compared the erection
of the bridge for the purpose Of com
Ineroe, 10 the structures erected
by CAESAR for the purpose of war.
The bridge, he said, constituted "a
massive link Of fraternity Of association,
OF Interchange of affections, as well as
of commodities between the people of
the states; an indissoluble tie wrought
here in the heart of the south, by which
the inhabitants of the seaboards on the
east and the west are made nearer
neighbors than ever before; band of
brotherhood and of union, shortening
the distance and Frightening the inter-
course which now prevails between the
peaceful homes of kindred common
Wealths.'
Rapidly reviewing the historical
eVenta of vital importance to the Missis-
sippi valley, Senator Voorhees, compared
Napoleon and Jefferson, the one accom-
plishing great ends by warlike means
"to perish miserable, chained to rock,
In the desolate ocean, the other accom-
plishing ends as great without shedding
u drop of blood and dying peacefully,
full Of years and full of an imperish-
able glory" The policy of the admin
istration in 1909, he said, was the her
aid, the fororunner of the annexation of
Texas and of all the gigantic and glo-
rioue results which followed.
Tracing IN fancy the turbulent times
that would have en@led if any part of
the present territory Of the United
States had remained under the domin-
non of Spain or other foreign country,
Senator Voorhees, reCurred to Jefferson
i'll the following glowing sentences:
"Let the honOrs of history be paid to
whom they belong; let giant statue of
Thomas Jefferson stand at the west end
OF the Memphis bridge, his face to the
Getting sun. let him look out as it were
upon the domain he secured for his
oountrymen and that which followed in
the line of his policy, There will rise
up before him an abode for future gen
eTations moro numerous than the inhab-
tants of all Europe combined; and it will
there remain monument to his wisdom
and craftsmanship; as eternal rs the
mountains thattow up from its plains. >,
The orator then began on the most
important and the most impressive por-
resurrection of the south He warmly
eulogiaed the southern people who had,
he said, "Oaused the calamities and
blessing of peace They had risen
superior TO "the most unjust and in
furious system of national legislation
that ever cursed IA people, not except
ing English laws for Ireland; and that
conception i'll it's day called reconstruc-
ton, with all its proclamations, military
orders and edicts Of unconstitutional
usurpations, has totally persisted, leav-
ing only its memory dospiscd alike
throughout the north rs it is through
ont the south.
He spoke not of the new south; 1t WAS
the old south that was moving in con-
nection with the revolution that had
taken place; the old blood and brain
power of the south, transmitted from
generation to generation, Were now
aroused and working out the
problem of her splendid destiny.
The old south was young again;
she had renewed her mighty youth
and henoeforth she would tower in her
pride of place, regardless Of the mausing
oSsls that might hawk at and seek to
destroy her.
THE march of empire is here, con-
tinued the orator. the empire of Chris
tan civilization, agricultural wealth,
Of diversified labor, Of human well be-
ing, repose and happiness. The genera
tions of the future viii behold this
march of empire next towards the
Isthmus of Darien, winning its way
and scattering the blessings Of liberty,
paace and Justice, as it moves on. Al
ready. in fact, American empire is far
ON its way in that direction. The ac-
QUESTION of the republic Of Texas was
astride towards Central America, the