Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1903-08-26
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES
ATTEND THE CORNER STONE LAYING
Many Old Residents Who Witnessed the
Laying of the Corner Stone of the
Old Building Joined the Crowd
Who Listened TO the Ad.
dress of Hon. Sid.
Foster

keep the people away from the cere-
monies incident to the laying of the
corner stone of the new Winnesheik
county court house on Saturday
morning Although there was not
sufficient time to properly advertise
it. and the weather looked exceeding
ly inclement, there was nevertheless a
very good crowd in attendance, and
the exercises were everything that
could be expected.
The Decorah City Band appeared
upon the streets about half past ten
O'Clock, and after rendering few Sc
lections in front of the Winnesheik
Hotel, escorted the carriage contain
ing Mayor F. W. Daubney. Chairman
M. J. Nicholson, Rev. DR.. Willett
and the Hon. Sidney A. Foster to the
court house grounds and the stand
which had been erected at the north
east corner of the new structure. On
this platform sat the Board of Supervi-
sors and score or more of the old re-
idents of the county who were present
at the laying of the corner stone of the
old building almost half a century
ago. The scene which presented it.
self was an impressive and inspiring
one. With the gray hairs which had
been here for fifty years and more
were mingled men and women in
their prime, and children, all with
one common purpose, to aid in laying
the corner stone of the building
which in the future will record the
history of material progress and
evolution in Winnesheik county. and
to review with the speaker some of
the scenes and touching incidents. as
we'll as the great development of the
country, which had occurred since
the old building was erected.
AS soon as the crowd had assembled
and order restored the big derrick
swung the corner stone into place and
it was soon set by the skillful manip-
ulation of the workmen. 1t contains
the name of the county, the year, and
the names of the Board of Supervisors,
the architects and the contractors.
Within it were deposited copies of
the city papers, money, maps, flags,
souvenir books, gavels made from the
old court house wood. and many other
articles that might prove of interest in
future years, when 1t shall be opened.
After the setting of the stone Rev.
DR.. M. Willett offered fervent
prayer. and Mayor f. W. Daubney,
representing the city of Decorah, in
few remarks noted the magnificence
of the structure being erected, the
progressiveness and unanimity of pur-
pose of the people of the city and
county, and complimented the Board
of Supervisors upon the work done by
them. Chairman M. j. Nicholson of
the Board of Supervisors then in a
brief, we'll chosen speech noted the
progress of the county in the past fifty
years. the prosperity of its people,
and the history of the movement for a
new court honse and its subseq quent
be inning.
The speaker of the hour, Hon. Sid
ney A. Foster, of Des Moines, was
then introduced. We wish that every
person in Winnesheik county might
have heard him. 1t has been the good
fortune of Decorah TO have here many
of the nations very best speakers, but
from many different persons we heard
the expression, 1t was the best pub
lie address ever delivered in the
city" Mr. Foster has wide reputa-
tion as an outdoor speaker, and on
this occasion delivered an address that
appealed to his hearers such as few if
any others have done. He referred
eloqCently to the history of Iowa as
state and her marvellous development,
and to the early history of Winnesheik
county, reciting many of the touching
incidents connected with The history
of the past, the old Indian trails, the
stage coach lines through the county.
the mastering and drilling of soldiers,
Winnesheik county boys, on the court
house square, and how they went to
battle for their country, some of
whom never came home, others who
returned with the scars of battle upon
them and who were met and haya
been cared for through all these years
by courageous, loving wives. How
there had never been a death sentence
pronounced in the old building, and
how it has tended upward in it's
course of educating, enlightening and
administering justice to the people of
the county. And later how it had
outgrown its usefulness and is now
being supplanted by structure, not