Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-16

PROPOSED BOARD OF TRADE BUILDING.
 foreign birth. In 1873 tho number had grown to 5000, and the increase has been practically constant ever since. al- belt there havc been occasional rcac- tionary lapscs following pcrioG over booming. When tho cornerstone of tho new Board of Trade building was laid the other day, tho town had for years passed the experimental period, as is evidenced by the fact that the contracts for the structure call for the expenditure of $35O, 900.
 It is not so very long ago that tho claims of those who foretold great fu- ture for Duluth were laughed to scorn by those who had not properly considered them. Tho most famous piece of fun poking in connection with Duluth was the speech delivered in January, 1871, by Hon. J. Proctor Knott of kentucky, then a member of the house of represent atives at Washington. The occasion of its making was resolution for tho ex- tension of the time allowed for tho com pletion of railroad to the young city, | and tho address was such a masterpiece | ill its way as to attract the attention of tho entire civilized world. It was dur ing this speech that MT. Knott dubbed Duluth ''The Zenith City of the Un- saltcd Seas His words embodied tho ! most eXtravagant but sarcastic prophc- cies as to the future of the town, but | they made Duluth famous and actually helped its progress amazingly. They also established knott's reputation as | the wit of the house.
 It has been often stated that the speech was really written by that agile penned promoter, P. Douan, with the intention of assisting the Duluthian boom, and it has been pointed out in support of tho story that Knott never after delivered a similar speech. Those who know him best say that thcro Is very little probability that Donan was the author of his address, and those who arc familiar with Donan's stylo agree with them. Mir. Knott's speech was not bcsprinklcd with such profusion of polysyllabic gems as Donan's produc- tions always show, and ill manner and phraseOlogr 1t was similar to many aft CT dinner addresses that have been de- livered by tho KCntuckian. Tho reason he has never delivered another similar public speech is believed by his friends to lie in tho fact that he realized that he had made tine mistake of his life in allowing the comic muse to dominate him when on the floor of the house.
 Duluth's indignation because of this attack was intense at first, but it van ished as soon as it was seen that the Cf- feet was good and not bad In 1890 the Kentuckian was made tho guest of the city. Apublic reception was held in the 1aUf1rrhn n-,1 ir, ff,. th,r,, - grand banquet, at which hc was the chief speaker. He then embraced tn, opportunity to take everything back, utmost enthusiasm.
 The Duluth board of trade was organ ized in 1881 by nine business men. 4 handsome building was put up ill lsS: at q cost of Sll5, 900, including site. II February this structure Was destroyed by fire, and the site, which cost $lO, 900 il So5, would now sell readily for SSO, GOO. There arc not many towns ill tn, United States in which real estate val uas of 1894 arc so much higher thal were the values of lSS5. The member ship of the Duluth board of trade at tn
 present time Is IS5. Last year the whoa receipts aggregated 32, 9IO. 900 bushels the flour receipts, 6. 970, GOO barrels
 2,0sS. 900 of which wcrc ground in tn
 local mills The wheat shipments fo
 1898 were 33. TOO, 900 bushels and tn
 flour shipments 6. 9O2. GOO barrels
 The harbor of Duluth is now visite,
 by scagoing vessels that make then wa
 thither through the St Lawrcnce. tn
 great lakes and the Welland canal
 was at Duluth that the first whalcbac
 boats, the carrying craft of the flu
 ture" were first built