The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-03-16
VOLUME XLVI.
MISSISSIPPI MATTERS.
NOTES OF PAST AND CURRENT EVENTS
By ]. L. POWER.
NOTES OF PAST AND CURRENT EVENT
e'aATAAeAsAAAeA'esa A'esae;a.eM
IoHN ALIENS FAREWELL.
Hs Got Twenty Thousand for the
Tupelo Fish Hatchery.
By J. L. POWER,

we have relegated to the rear some
worry good matter for this week in order
tbat our readers may enjoy the pleasure
of reading the farewell speech of Hon.
John Allen. He got $4,000 for the Iu-
nelo fish hatchery. The wonder is that he
was so modest, for after such appeal he
could have captured quite that sum from
a Congress that appreciated his talents
and enjoyed his humor. A Washington
CORRESPONDENT thus introduces his speech:
The silk hat and red necktie OF Con-
gressman John Allen will soon be missed
at the national capital. His official life
closes on the Sd OF next March, and he
will either retire to private life or some
thing better. The present indications are
that he will be entertaining people around
St. Louis during the great exposition TO
he held there, because he has the good
fortune to be highly recommended to the
President as a suitable gentleman for a
member of the exposition commission.
Mr.. Allen retircs from public life not
vithou- a few laurels twined on those
parts Of his head where the hair has con
sented to grow. His latest achievement
Is the passage by the House of bill to
establish fish hatchery at Tupelo, Miss,
his home. Mr.. Allen begged the Commit
toe TO report this bill. He pleaded with
them with eloquence so fervid that the
doorkeeper of the committee room woke
I'm. In the course of his speech he said
that he wished this fish hatchery at his
home so that he could see practical
exemplifcation of the old saw that "a
sucker is born every minute" He got
the bill through the House this week
With a characteristic speech that drew
the entire membership to the hall.
Drowsy Congressman in the rooms threw
away their cigars and came out. The
cloak galleries filled and everybody
laughed for twenty solid minutes.
Mr. Allen said:
Mr.. Aliens Funny Farewell.
Mr. Chairman, l do not deem II necessary 10
take up twenty minutes time OF TINS committee
To mass this amendment in, but as this fish hatch.
ery is to be established at Tupelo, and | find
among some people in the country-even some
newspaper men, who are supposed 10 inpAf' IN,
formation TO Others, and some gentlemen VINO VINO
have been elected to Congress, and VINO ten me
that they have not only been to school, but gone
through college-so much ignorance about Iupelo,
that think | ought, in justice to them, not 10
ject. tLaughter)
II I were willing TO avail myself Of all the ira
ditions and many well authenticated but not an
soluely historical suspicious, | might invest this
subject with much more historical and romantic
interest But propose to coniine my remarks 70
we'll authenticated facts, ignoring such tradl-
tions, believed by many OF our people to be true,
as that when Christopher Columbus had MS IN
tervew with Ferdinand and Isabella in spain'
that in his efforts to persuade them to back hhl
in his expedition that led to the discovery oi
America, he assured them that an all'wlse Ste, ).
ator creating a world like this, was bound 10
have made somewhere near its center such place
as Tupelo. Qaughter.)
The first authentic account we have OF the sec
ton of country rySthat will one day be included III
the corporate limits of Tupelo is that the great
Indian chief Chicksa, from whom this great and
warlike tribe, the Chiokasaw Indians, took Its
name was west OF the great Mississippi river,
and that he with his followers, followed a pole
guided and supported by invisible hands, across
the Mississippi river to the vicinity OF rupeio
There, we are informed, the pole stopped, stood
upright, planted in the ground, and there th'
Chickasaw Indians made their home. No people
Mr.. Chairman, were ever directed by wise Prov
idenee to fairer land Twas in the rolling
woodland just north OF one OF the most beautiful
prairies on which the eye Of man or beast ever
rested. The country abounded with all sorts o.
game; the streams were full OF fishes, and on tl'
continent there was no more entieing place ioi
this poetic race of the forest. Here the Chlcka
saws grew to be, as they are to this time one o.
the greatest and most powerful Of the lndiar
tribes.
History of Tupelo.
In 1913 the knightly Ponce de Leon landed upor
the coast OF Florida, and perverted history has il
that he started out to look for the fountain o
youth and imitless gold fields, when in truth ant
IN fact he really started TO look for Tupelo
(Laughter) You are all familiar with the disas
ter that overlook his expedition Later, in l5iO
the great and adventurous discoverer, Hernand'
Desoto landed his expedition the coast o
Florida and finally succeeded in reaching and dis
covering, for the first time by white man, Tu
pelo. Uaughter.) Here he stopped in the mids
OF the Chickasaws until attacked by them ant
uINen west to what is now the city of Memphis
where he discovered the great Mississippi river.
Inc Chickasaws were then left in peaceaDi
possession, so far as the white man was con
Serned, Of this beautiful section for nearly tw
hundred years, when, in 11S6, Bienville, with HI
expedition, came up from Florida, and DArta
gGette from the Illinois attempted to meet an
TAKE from the Chickasaws what is now Tupelo
DArtaguiette got there before Bienville, AM
was defeated by the Chickasaws. He and alrnos
all Of his expedition perished at their hands
Bienvlle arrived later, was also defeated AM
ariven back with great loss to his expedition
hni, sna now in laying out and grading avenues an
oouieVards for Tupeo, the bones spurs, weapons
epauiets ETC., Of the slain Of these ill-fated eS
I.N luens are plowed up. Qaughter)
ms IS something of the early history OF tn
pace about which we find so much ignorance
ny colleague, Gen. Catchings, told me not man
apays ago that some newspaper man had aske
Iii nm II there really was such place as Tupelo
DO not assert that all Of these historical event
20 70 which have referred took place immediatel
u. IN the town of Tupelo, but they were in tina
hy and were on territory that we expect I
w nase Incorporated into that city some day. I
come come down to later period, those Of you VIII
now anything of the history of your country wi
,tehemoer the contentious and contest that laste
sor many years between the French, English an
SSpahsh governments for the ownership Of tn
sss,isssippi Territory. / am informed by thos
ti.ianar with the real designs OF those great nj
th uons at that time that the real motive OF all
, mem was the ownership OF Tupelo. Great laugh
;.nl FINALLY, the United States, appreciating tn
Importance thlP3o Of the position, took advantage
iaughter) 'pN
All Eyes on Tupelo.
e,n aoout the year lsis 1t became matter Of gres
w.. t.'srn s TO the great Northwest to secure maj
co'. CO.. ior their products, they gave aid and Ell
siiigement ~ to the building Of the northern en-
c;,v wnat rs now the Mobile Ohio Railroad. Th
rrsa. VI Mobile, on the guilt recognizing also n
Ssi uuVaEtages Of direct connection with II
o' ~. helped along this enterprise, and the roa
quilt from Mobile to Tupelo Q.aughter.)
e'''Aag HsA' on very well until about ls6