The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-03-16


ana we will not submit to it," And it was to
rescue to the Union this town that brought on
the war. (Renewed laughter)
Inc armies Of the Union were first directed
against the capital of the Confederacy at Rich
mond, Va, but some obstructions thrown in
the way OF that army at Bull Run, and they were
persuaded to return to Washington. Another
great army was then marshaed under the com
mand OF Gen. Grant, who landed at Pittsburg
Landing, on the Tennessee river, and began his
operations against Tupelo. Uaughter.)
Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston and myself met
zen: Grants army at Shiloh Qaughter), and for
most 0f the first day had a real good time
WIN WIN them, and but for Gen. Johnston being
kiiled and me being scattered on the evening Of
,hat day there is no knowing what might have
happened or how the history OF this country
might have been changed. (Great laughter)
ounlce II to say l retired on Ccrnth, and when
we were there, sorcly pressed President Davis
deted Gen. Beauregard fall back to Tupelo,
ai ana ,nere make great and desperate stand for
Gems. Grant and Halleck were so much impressed
with the dogged determination of the Confederate
army TO defend Tupelo to the death of the last
Fan ; mat they turned away in other directions.
lLaughter.) Later, Cen Sturgs started from
memphis with well-equpped army, with view
ot capturing Tupelo and breaking the backbone
OF the Confederacy. But on the road down there,
When he had gotten within few miles OF Tupe'
10, Gen. Forrest, that great cavalry commander,
appreclating what the loss Of Tupelo would mean
10 the Coniederacy, met sturgis at Briee's Cross
fuads, took from him ali of his artillery and
wagons, sent him back to Memphis without an
organized company and with the remnant of his
army, in about one-fourth OF the time that had
been consumed by forced marches in going down.
But Mr.. Lincoln seemed never TO have lost
slght Of the importance Of Tupolo to the Union,
ana ne marshaled another army under that able
commander, Gen. A. j. Smith, and started them
70 capture Tupelo. Gen. stephen D. Lee and Cen
Forrest, with their commands, sent to in
tercept him, but in maneuyering for positions
, Ten smith got between Forrest and Lee and
Iupelo and succeeded in capturing the town; and
| in an effort to disodge him from there the des
perate and bloody battle of Harrisburg, which is
| IN the suburbs of Tupelo, was fought, in which
| nobody had any decided advantage, but Gen.
Smith evacuated the town and went back to
| Memphis. But the very fact that Tupeo had
fallen seems to have broken the spirit Of the Con-
iederates, and we never did much good after that
! (Creat laughter.)
/ You will find, Mr.. Chairman in the Congress.
siona library book, the title Of which is ''ru-
| pelo. Ii was written by Northern Presby.
| terlan preacher and school teacher who happened
| TO be down in that section when the began.
! remember him very well. This book treats OF
| his trials and tribulatons about Tupeo, where
I he was arrested, imprisoned and would have been
shot but for his timely escape from prison; and,
as | remember the substance as he puts it, OF his
otense was a suspicion that he entertained secret
doubts as to the divine origin and right Of At
| riean slavery.
Points Famous Product.
After the close Of the war. when we had re-
| turned TO peaceful avocations, OF our
brightest and most iar-sighted young men. having
in mind the great future as we'll as the great past
Of this town, settled in Tupelo, and aferward be-
came member OF this body, and is now about
l terminating great career of sixteen years here.
( What this nation and this house owes to Tupclo
for tLis contribution ! leave for Others to say
/ My modesty forbds my speaking of it, (Laugh-
| teri Some fifteen years ago Kansas City and
Memphis, appreciating the fact that IL they ever
| hoped 10 do sny good as cities they must have
direct connection with Tupelo, built railroad
from Kansas City, through Memphis to Tupeo.
| Birmingham realizing that with all of its mar.
velous resources they could never be developed
and properly distributed without direct railroad
connection with Tupelo, saw to it that the road
was built from birmingham to Tupelo.
Mr.. Chairman, during the discussion on the
river and harbor bill in this house recently
heard so many statistics as to the tonnage OF the
various cities that were seeking appropriations in
that bill that it stimulated me to inquire into
the tonnage Of Tupelo, and find that during last
year there were about 100000 tons Of freight
passed through Tupelo. 1t only the other day
you saw in great headlines in all Of our news.
papers that the Southern Railroad had purchased
the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, running from st.
Louis to Mobile, through Tupelo.
The president of the Southern road was in
Washington few days later, and met him for
him ! gathered the reason for this purchase II
was that the Southern system had already about
1900 miles Of railroad which had cost them hun
dreds of millions of dollars they found this
great system. after all this expenditure, practical
ly useless to them because they had no direct
connection or terminal facilities at Tupelo. They
therefore spent many millions more for 900 mile;
of railroad that would take them into Tupeld
and give them good terminal facilities there
(Great laughter.)
Many of you gentlemen have never been to Tu
peo. / hope of you entertain any idea o.
dying without going there. should hate to have
it said of any member OF this Congress-for al
of whom have such kindly feeling-that they
did not aspire to visit Tupelo before they died
Laughter.) | extend you all an invitation tC
come, and promise you royal welcome; CONT
with me to College Hill some evening and see on,
Of our Tupelo sunsets. uanghter)
Retains Her Original Moon.
Come and see one OF our Southern, silvery, Tu
, pelo moons l think it is the only place in th'
South where we have the same beautiful noon
} we had before the war. CLaughter) l hav'
) often been asked about the size Of Tupeo. con
fess have not been able to get the exact figures
from the last census. The tabulnting machines
do not TO have been able to work it ou
! yet; but can say, Mr.. Chairman, that by suf
hciently extending the corporate limits Of ou
town accommodate a population large
than the city Of London. (Laughter,) The truti
is that lands about Tupelo have been so valu
able for agricultural purposes that we have no
yielded them up for building city as rapidly a
we should have done. 0aughter.)
| can say, Mr.. Chairman, that while there ar
: larger places than Tupelo, do not think ther
is any other place Just exactly like it,.
7 Tupelo is very nearly, II not exactly, in tn
center OF the world. The horizon seems ABOUT tn
same distance in every direction. Naughter)
The sun, when doing business regular schedule
US a hot time in the old town. It is a grea
place for the investment of capital, where it will
, be welcomed and protected Come early gentle
D men, and avoid the rush.
This Mr. Chairman, is proposition to es
l tablish there fish hatchery. We have the idea
l place for fish hatchery. Why, sir, fish vii
4 travel overland for miles to get in the water w
E have at Tupelo. Thousands and millions OF un
e born fish are clamorng to this Congress toda!
: for an opportunity to be hatched at the Tupel
I hatchery. cloud laughter.)
= Now, Mr.. Chairman, only wish to say in con
e clusion that il there is member here who wishe
to have his name in future generations connected
with that of Judas Iscariot and Benedict Arnold
n he wishes to have himself and his rosterit!
pointed at with scorn; II he desires to be de
. spised by men and Stunned by wotien. Yet hin
: vote against this amendment and he viii secur
all this infamous notoriety. loud laughter ant
I applause.)
: The State received a check for S24S,
+ 125.O1 as it's share of the back tax oil
lection--nearly one-fourth the cosi .
!. the new capitol