St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-05
MULLEN oUTwIrrED.
The People Of Fairmont Gel
brated With His Cannon.


brated With His Cannon,
A short time ago the people of Fair
mont secured from the state cannon to
be used at the q. A. r. encampment
held there three weeks ago, with the
understanding that they could retain
the cannon until the Fourth of July,
unless the state was unable otherwise
to furnish Lake Crystal with a cannon,
which had been promised them for that
occasion. The cannon remained after
the encampment until the 1st of July.
when the adjutant general of the state
sent an order to have it returned at
once to st. Paul. On going to the place
where the cannon had been locked up
for safe keeping it was found that it
had been taken away, and no one
seemed to know where it was. This
the adlutant and on Saturday morning
detachment of soldiers from st. Paul
arrived and at once began the search.
All day they secured every part OF the
village and surrounding country, look
ing into barns. .haystacks and empty
houses, but without avail. They tele-
graphed the adjutant the result of their
efforts. and about 9 o'clock last Satur-
day night the adjutant telegraphed
Capt. ShankS. of Company d, of Fair
mont, to call out the company and find
the cannon and when found not to per-
init it to be shot on the nights of the
Sd or 4th of July. Sunday morning
early the company reported for duty,
and with fixed bayOnets joined
in the search. The good people
Of the village went to church
as usual. some of them. however,
with knowing smile, as much
us to say II guess the cannon will be
fired all right" The militia returned
to their armory at night. only to tell
their CAPTAIN that their efforts were in
vain. But that gallant officer was not
so easily discouraged. He Informed bis
company that strieter search must he
made and the cannon must be found;
that they must look well to the east part
OF the village, as the cannon lad been
traced toward the fair grounds, when
all at once the track disappeared and il
seemed to have taken; wings. Detach-
ments were sent Ou5zW with positive in
structiOnS not to return without the
gun. Capt. Shauks was at his post at
the armOry, and at intervals militiamen
could be seen reporting the movements
of the dlfferent-squads. The hour hand
of the clock had just passed IL and the
Fourth was Ushered in by heavy firing
III ouS C"oO pdII Vi the Vu'dSe. Ino
militia was prompt in action and at
double quick they went in the direction
Of the noise. AT the fair grounds
they found a couple of men firing
anvils. The march was again taken up
for the armory to report, when within a
few blocks of where their captain sat,
another, louder, deeper and heavier
sound was heard. This was surely the
cannon speaking. Lieut.. Brown or
dered ''about face' and started for the
noise. After a miles march and a
weary. search they came upon man
vino was exploding dynamite. He had
not seen the cannon. At this juncture
a heavy. roaring. echoing sound was
heard across thes lake west of the vii
lage. That double report could not
he mistaken. 1t was the cannon. The
militia was fully two miles away and
out OF wind. but not discouraged. They
marched to the armory, where their
captain lined them up ready for the
start. Unable, for want of breath,
to count off, they held up
their fingers, one two, three, four.
The captain gave the order to charge
for the gun. 1t was long march over
the bridge and around the lake. The
cannon was booming away; the national
salute of twenty-one guns had been
fired on the Fourth. and those having
the cannon in charge were giving Il few
extra shots for luck when the militia
crossed the bridge. The cannon ceased
firing, and when the militia came upon
it, it was as silent as the grave. The
cannon had done its duty, the honor of
the nation had beeu preserved. Twenty
one guns had been fired. The good
people went to their homes, while
sentinel was left to keep vigil over the
tWO-wheeler.