The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-17
MINES GREAT DAY
Anniversary Of Date Which Marked
an Epoch in History Of the
City.
Presence in Minneapolis Of A. G.
Thomas Recalls Celebration
Upon Completion Of N. P.

Thomas Recalls Celebration
Upon Completion Of N. P.
7 What was the grandest day in the his
tory Of Minneapolis?
Few will give the same answer,
And yet, at the time, 1t was said and
printed that 1.-THE young father and mother
OF to-day will take their grandchildren on
their knees, years and years to come, and
tell them how grand day it was
This day of days was almost exactly
twenty years ago, 1t was Monday, Sept.
8, 1888.
And the occasion that made the day
so glorious-how many school children can
answer correctly?-was the festival to
mark the completion of the Northern Pa
cific railroad.
The great day was suggested recently
by the presence in Minneapolis Of Addl-
son G. Thomas, superintendent of the
central division and of the leased wire
system of the Associated Press, who has
just returned from Montana It was his
tlfst visit to the mountain state since he
overcame extraordinary difficulties in re-
porting the Northern Pacific celebration.
Henry Willard. then at the head Of
Northern Pacific interests, was wearing
the crown of a Wall street reputation.
Ills opinion was quoted with equal defer
ence upon the subject of crops, finance.
medlaeVal art and the proper way to
bring up children. The J. P. Morgan Of
his time, he organized the Northern Pa
ciHc celebration with the foresight of a
Barnum He invited distinguished guests
from Germany-Northern Pacific securities
were bought and sold at Frankfort; dis
tlngu1Shed guests from England, where
Americans" were already on the market;
distinguished guests from the financial
and political centers Of the. eastern states
chester A. Arthur, president of the United
States, General u. S. Grant, former Sec
| rotary OF State William M. Evarts Carl
Schurz, Professor James Brice and halt
dozen less noted members of the Brit
ish parliament; Sir William G. Gurdon OF
her majesty's treasury; H. H. Hibbs, gov
ernor Of the Bank Of England; Rt. Hon
Sir Arthur EIobhouse Earl Dalhousie, the
Earl and Countess of Onslow, Lord Car.
| rington and Lord Justice Bowers were
! among those present" when the foul
| Willard special trains arrived at Minneap
oils. Most of the celebrities continued tt
dine extensively upon the same special!
| during the journey westward to Golt
] Creek, Mont, where was driven the t'gold
en- spike" that connected the two ends
of the new road. The four specials, will
/ incidental expenditure, cost $3.50, 900; 25, OO
i
from Montana by the Associated Press
If all Europe and America, as well a
Minneapolis, did not grasp the meaning
] Of that golden spike, Mr.. Willard, at least
was absolved from criticism.
/ Chartered Locomotive.
In order to get his associated pres
report upon the first available wire MI
! Thomas chartered a locomotive at Col
Creek and crossed the Rocky mountain
to Helena at full speed over new trac
and down prodigious grades. The hi
tunnels thru the mountains had not We
been constructed. Mr. Thomas and tn
fireman stood constantly upon the step
of the engine ready to jump, if they wer
3 lucky, from certain death to serious in
jury. The engine arrived safely a
Helena. But the hack that had been or
dered in advance by wire to convey MI
Thomas from the railway station to tn
! telegraph office was overturned in q run
| away accident. Mr.. Thomas had hi
i ankle sprained. 'Still, said he yester
day, IT got my big story on the wire
Row Between the Twins.
This grandest of grand days in Mime
+ apolis might possibly have been grandel
If the youthful twins had not been 'mad,
ferociously mad, at each other. First
because st. Paul had dared to issue a di
i rectory containing almost as many name
as those in the Minneapolis directory
had been bold enough to insist that tn
capital held 100000 persons Even Pata
1 gonia realized that this was going to
4 far. Truth and civilization flew to tn
rescue, and The Minneapolis Evenin
Journal-four pages and a supplement-
demonstrated to the satisfaction
science that st. Paul had $4,000 resident
and that Minneapolis had the 100000.
Second, this city had been Outrage
ously insulted'' by it's rival, ''ignominious
ly betrayed by a friend. Leading Mir
neapolitans, including some republican,
had gone to St. Paul to propose joir
celebration on the part Of the twins, ha
been coldly received, and had subsequent
ly decided that Minneapolis should "g
it alone DR.. A. A. Ames, then til
democratic mayor, in whose absence til
committee had acted, returned home an
published virulent letters favoring S
Paul and the joint celebration and attack
ing the independent celebration.
Mime Received Henry.
Nevertheless, Minneapolis did ego
alone,'' did receive Henry Willard and til
President of the United States and Ger
eral Grant and the lords, ladies and stoc
jobbers, did station the collective notable
! upon raised and cushioned seats and
: grand stand occupying the entire dis
, lance in front of the Nicollet house, BIZ
!, tween Nicollet and Hennepin avenue
: and did compel the notables to admin
a large part of "the most wonderful il
: dustrial parade Of modern times Ger
. eral Grant,. says history, "sat in silel
wonder The procession included tt
Second regiment, N. G.. S. M, and n,
merous floats and banners. One tra1
sparency'' cried aloud, "To Every Golde
!. Spiker, Shake; another announce
: Minneapolis Midway Between CHR
: and England, via the N. PHI; a thil
!. sang gleefully:
This is the day we long have sought
), And mourned because we found it not.
And now that the great work is done
. We thank the builders every one.
!; $4,000 Spectators.
There were $4,000 spectators son Il
: Streets" not counting those upon Il
!. roofs and telegraph poles An accura
7 observer Colonel Plat B. Walker-d