Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-10-26


handkerchief to the Grounds. Where
the Exercises Take Place at the Audi
forum.
Omaha, Oct. .-Notwithstandin
the intensely disagreeable weather
through eastern Iowa and further east
last night, Tri-City day, set apart in
honor of the cities of Rock Island and
Moline, ILL.,. and Davenport, Iowa,
was made memorable in the histoi Y
of the Trans-Mississippi exposition.
There were immense crowds in the
city for this special occasion, numer-
Gus specials being run on many of the
great trunk lines from the east.
ROusing Reception at the Depot.
The special on the Rock Island
bringing the main portion of the tri-
city delegation got in at 1915. 1t
was met at the depot by an immense
number of people headed by Mayor
Moore and President Wattles with a
reception as it landed. The visitors
were then escorted to the exposition
grounds, where the auditorium was
IuTHSu over 10 JHeIn.
Here Hon. S. F. Smith, of Daven-
port, presided, and program was
carried out which embraced music by
the Tri-City and Omaha bands, ad-
dresses of welcome by Mayor Moore
and President Wattles and responses
by the mayors of the three cities,
Hon. T. j. Medill, Jr., Rock Islands
executive, speaking as follows:
Mr.. Mayor and Mr.. President: In
behalf of the people of the city of
Rock Island, 1 desire to express sim
cere thanks for the kind welcome
you have extended to us. We fully
appreciate the honor you have done
us in causing this day to be set aside
and designated as ''Tri-City Day"
We feel that we have been amply re-
paid for the long journey we have
made, and will return to our homes
bearing testimony to the fact of our
kind and courteous treatment, and
loud in our praise of your exposition.
AS has been before stated, our tri-
cities of Davenport, Rock Island and
Moline, with an aggregate population
ton of $4,000, are situated in clus-
ter upon the banks of the great Faith
er of Waters, Davenport to the north,
Moline to the east and Rock Island in
the center. There do we live in peace
and dwell in harmony. Where scarce
ly more than half century ago could
be heard the shrill shrek or the soft
tread of the stealthy savage, can now
be heard the tramp of thousands upon
thousands of our busy citizens and
the buzz and hum of human indus
try.
We come from country rich in
natural resources and history, inhab-
tied by thrifty and enterprising peo-
pie; community which nature has
favored with a lavish hand. We have
laid aside our cares for one. day, and
in company with our neighbors to
visit our great sister city of the west
Surely we have been convinced of the
truth of the adage that Westward
the course of empire takes its way
Here are we delighted with this
magnificent work of man. Springing
up, as we might say, within day,
you have surprised the world. You
have collected together in this mag
nificent exposition the product of art
and OF science; you have given to the
people an education that cannot be
overestimated, and have conferred on
mankind lasting benefit.
We have again been impressed with
the magnitude of the resources of our
wonderful country when we reflect
that it has carried on a war in the in
terests of humanity and at the same
time cultivated the arts of peace, as
has been so demonstrated by your
great exposition.
We certainly ought to feel proud
that we are citizens of so great a
country, a nation that can carry on
war and direct the attention of its
people to the cultivation of peace at
the same time.
Gentlemen, 1 again express the
thanks of our people for your kind
ness and congratulate you that your
exposition has proved SO great sue
cess.