Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-26
Those Of A. B. Cu1nmins Will Occur on
January IT,
THE STORY OF ANSEL BRIGGS INDUCTION
Was Held at Ten O'clock in the Morning. December Third
l8e4-Ceremony Was Simple, the Next
One Few Weeks Hence
Will Be.

Hon. A. B. Cummins, who will take
the oath of office as governor of Iowa
on the afternoon of Thursday, Janua-
ry 16, is the second Des Moines man
to assume the duties Of chief execu-
tive of the state. Hon. Frank D.Jack-
son was the first. Mr. Cummins, like
Mr.. Jackson, is one of the youngest
men who ever sat in the gubernatori-
al chair in Iowa. He is a forceful
speaker and man of magnetic per-
sonality, and considering these quail
ties his inaugural address will doubt
less prove more than interesting.
Considering the native modesty
which is a characteristic of the gov
ernor-elect, it is safe to assume that,
although the inaugural ceremonies
this year will be attended by the nsu-
al distinctive features, there will be
no attempt at ostentation or display
of any kind. Governor-elect Cummins
will take the oath of Office in all prob
ability between 2 and 3 o'clock p. m,
of the day of the Inauguration. Justice
Ladd, who succeeds Judge Given as
chief justice on the supreme bench,
the first of January, will administer
the oath of Office.
There are citizens of Des Moines,
says the Capital, among whom are
Major Hoyt Sherman, Hon. Charles
Aldrich, Hon. Isaac Brandt, eX-Gover,
nor B. T.. Cue, P. M. Casady and few
others who remember as far back as
the date upon which Ansel Briggs, the
first governor of Iowa, took the oath
of Office administered by Chief JUS
tice Mason in the old state house in
Iowa City, which is now one of the
buildings of the state university.
That Inauguration was held at 10
o'clock a. M, December 3, 1916. The
ceremony was simple and there were
few persons present, for that was in
the days when there were no railroads
in Iowa and overland travelling in the
winter months was next to impossi
BILE. So far as has been ascertained
there is no one residing in Des
Moines Who attended this ceremony
Mr.. Cassidy visited Governor Briggs
in his apartments ir the state house
at Iowa City afterwards, and was
present at the inauguration Of Steph
en- Hampstead, Governor Briggs sue
cessor, which took place four years
later.
Those who remember Governor
Hampstead recall that he was man
of fine presence, with just touch OF
the snowy in his dress. He was g
Yale graduate and polished in his
speech and manner to the last degree
He was fastidious in his dress, the
distinguishing features of which were
pair OF gold nose glasses and omni
present gold-headed cane. At his in
augural decided attempt at display
was made, in sharp contrast with the
simplicity which characterized the Ger
emory four years before.
Governor James W. Grimes was the
third and last governor to pc inaug
iurated at Iowa City. This was il
1854. Governor Ralph P. Lowe tool
the oath of office in the old state
house-then the new state house-il
this city January IA, 1858, Judge Ga
leb Baldwin figured as chief justice
This was made the occasion for gener
al rejoicing. The celebration was al
most purely local, however, for there
We're still no railroads to bring the
people in from the rural districts. 1
was ten degrees below zero and th,
air 49, clear and bracing.
tits &. d that every man, woman ant
child in the town turned out to. these
ceremonies, which took place at II a
m, and were followed by a citizens