The Russellville Democrat., 1892-05-19
THE MEMPHIS BRIDGE.
Formally Opened For Traffic at High
 Noon With Imposing Ceremonies.
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS
Of People Witness the Opening of the Great Steel Structure-Most
 Successful Test.

MEMPHIS, May 12.-At high noon to-day, with impressive cere- monies, the great steel bridge across the Mississippi river at this point, was formally declared open for traf- fic.
 All yesterday, last night and this morning railroads and steamboats have been emptying people into Memphis and the crowd, of visitors which to-day thronged the city and congregated about the great bridge to witness the ceremonies estimated at 30,000. 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 cornice ard window of the down town buildings.
 DISTINGUISHED VISITORS,
 in person, eminent statesmen, sena- tors, congressman, governors, su- preme court judges, and prominent railroad officials crowd the hotels, and are here celebrating the greatest event in the history of Memphis.
 The wholesale business houses of the city have made the day holi- day, and the freight depart ments of all the railroads are closed for business, excepting for delivery of perishable freight.
 The man-of-war Concord, gaily bedecked with stars and stripes, and the Union Jack from stem to stern, raised anchor and steamed slowly down stream toward the bridge amid tremendous din of whistles from the shipping at the levee. Allriver craft had been handsomely decorated, ex- cepting perhaps the mammoth trans fer boats, whose vocation will soon be known as thing of the past. The weather was delightful.
 THE FESTIVITIES OF THE DAY
 began with the imposing street pageant, which started from down. town at 10 O clock. A detachment of mounted police cleared the way, and the procession which followed was most imposing, visiting and city militia acting as escort to the distin- guished guests of the day in car riages, who led the way. Following these were the fire department of Memphis with engines and carts gaily decorated and floats illus trative of products and manufactures of the Mississippi Valley and many other beautiful and striking feat ures. The whole was literally in terspersed with bands of music. The procession was about two hours passing and after traversing the business portion of the city proceeded to the bridge, arriving shortly before 2 o'clock.
 AT THE BRIDGE.
 Mr. George w. Morrison, of Chi cago, chief engineer of the great structure, began the ceremonies by motioning to the engineer seated within the engine and in a minute a procession of eighteen pom derous locomotives, amid tremendous cheering, started on to the bridge as a supreme test. The bridge which is opened foi traffic, was built by the Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad Company, who will at once commence using it, the first regular train to cross over being the Kansas City fast express, ar irving at 5 o'clock tonight. The bridge is located on the exact spot where Ferdinand De Soto crossed the Mississippi in l541 and in exca- vating for the shore pier on the Tennessee side some Spanish hal berds, supposed to have been used by him, were found.