The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1898-08-03
OUR NEW CAPITOL.
The Corner Stone is Laid With Very
Impressive Ceremonies.
senator Davis Delivers Mastery Ora
tion. Alexander Ramsey, Our First
Territorial Governor, Places
the Stone in Position.

Never again will the present genera
Is ton OF the commonwealth of Minnesot
|. nave an opportunity of viewing such
d scene as that of July II, at St. Paul, il
q connection with the dedication of tn
! corner stone of the new state capitol
The granite and marble pile which will
:. be reared above the stone which was Sc
IN place by the first governor of Mime
Q sofa is built for future generations, no
I Tor the present wholly 1t is built tc
6 stand for centuries, and within its wall
: during all of that time the peoples rep
resentative of the North Star state will
$ meet and do the peoples bidding. If a
I some time in the far distant future the
crumbling walls shall fall aside and re.
veal that block of granite which was
yesterday dedicated there will be found
! that which shall tell of the past; tell
to people yet unborn what Minnesota
was IN its early days, for it is but a
youngster IN the Union now
There was that connected with the
exercises which had seldom fallen to the
lot OF another state on a similar occa-
sion. There was the first governor of
Minnesota, the present governor, and
as Archbishop Ireland said, the next
governor, upon the platform. In addi-
ton there was man known as far al
most as the American flag is known,
Senator Cushman K. Davis. 1t was he
who delivered the Grafton of the day,
a more scholarly address than which
was never heard in Minnesota.
When he had finished his address and
had taken his seat at the side of Cover
nor Ramsey a veteran of the Civil war
stood up, and in voice that could be
heard by every man. woman and child
upon the platform, proposed three
cheers for the senior senator from Min
nesota. In an instant the audience was
on its feet and three mighty cheers went
up, an eloquent tribute to man who
had but finished most eloquent ora
| ton.
Senator Davis, however, but shared
the honors with Ex-Governor Ramsey.
Every time the name of the pioneer ex-
ecutlve was mentioned there was ap-
plause, and every time plain Alexander
Ramsey bowed his head modestly in
recognition. When he was presented
by Judge Flandrau with a silver trowel
with which to perform the duties as
signed him, and arose to his feet to re-
ceive the memento, the applause was
deafening. And again, when with the
trowel he smoothed the mortar which
was to lay for ages between the upper
and lower portion of the corner stone,
there was cheer which would have
done credit to the entire population of
Minnesota at the time when Alexander
Ramsey first set foot upon its soil It
was a proud moment for the territorial
governor, as but a few moments before
it had been for the senior senator; but
above all it was an occasion of which
the entire state of Minnesota might we'll
feel proud.
1t was indeed big day for Minneso-
ia, but a bigger day for St. Paul Its
citizens approaching the honor which
had been bestowed upon them by the
erection in their midst of such an edi-
fee, did their duty WE'LL Only an Incl
dent of the day, the most impressive,
though was the laying Of the corner
stone.
The city was en- fete. From the ris-
ing of the mornings sun until the lights
went out in the homes Old Glory waved |
from every pinnacle. 1t was in celebra-
ton not only of the fact that Minnesota
was about to rear a magnificent new |
capitol, but because Minnesota is one
of the United States, and as such is
greater in this year of our Lord 1898, |
than it has ever been before.
Bands of music were everywhere.
They came by interurban cars from
Minneapolis, and on trains from other
points. They played but national airs,
and they inspired in the hearts of all a
patriotism that has been worked much
more than overtime of late. Every
where the streets were crowded. Only
once did St. Paul present such an ap-
pearance That was when the veterans
of the Civil war were there two years
ago.
1t was another such occasion, but it
was not crowded into one day, and it
was merrier for that. Nature had been
kind, and although the sun was hot in
deed, the breezes which took the folds
out of the flags famed the brows of the
thousands and kept them fairly comfort
able
Shortly after noon all eyes were
turned towards Rice Park This was
the point from which the big parade
was to start, and for blocks around the
different bodies were busy preparing for
heir places in the line of march. When
all were deadly to fall in, the signal was
given and the start was made. From
Rice street the column proceeded on
Fifth street to ST. Peter street, to Sixth,
% Sibley, to Seventh, to Wabasha, to
he capitol.
The head of the parade consisted of a
platoon of mounted police, followed by
Chief Marshal ]. J. McCardy, his chief
If staff and his aides, the former Lieut.
Mortimer Bigelow, U. S. A. The aides
we're NJ N. Goss, Albert Scheffer, L.
:. Newport, J. w. Bishop, c. R. Smith, {
VI. B. Flower. Then came the feature {
If the parade, the Fifteenth Minnesota Z
'olunteers, headed by the combined
Oanz- Seibert- Stein band. 1t was an in
piring sight indeed, and Col. Shandrew =
vas pardonably proud of the cheers
With which his soldier boys were greet [
d. On they marched like veterans,
heers springing up all along the line of !,
march, only to die as they were taken =