The Cairo bulletin., 1904-02-10

senhled yesterday al the X. NJ. !
C. hall.
One hundred and some odd del'
gatss were present representing tn
indefatigible. earnest, hard-workin
and intelligent county officials from al
parts of The great Prairie State.
President Henry II Stassen 0
Joliet, member of the Board of Super
vlsors of Hill county. mounted u,
rostrum and with tap Of the gave
upon table, called the meeting /,
order at precisely 1856 O'clock
Rev. ]. A. Searriit, pastor of the
First NJ. F.. church. as prelude te
the opening of the Convention. de
livered an Invocation, all standing
with reverently bowed heads during
Its delivery
On account Of the absence Of Sec
Rotary A. L. Hendee Of Lake county
who will arrive in the city today, Mr.,
A. w. Hartley of Menard county,
was selected to act as temporary sec
Rotary
Following this Mr. John 4 Miller
Chairman Of the Bard Of County
Commissioners Of Alexander, de
llpered the address Of welcome to the
Convention as follows:
Mr.. Milier's Address.
Mr.. President and County Super.
yisurs, Clerks and COMMISSIONERS:
In the name of Alexander county,
| bid you welcome. Alexander county
Is about as far south in this state as
you can possibly Get, right here in
Cairo yon are the jumping on place.
When Charles Dickens made his tour
through America in the iifties and
when he came up the Mississippi river,
the father Of streams he made about
three minutes OF tilsi locality. he
wrote We came Ia sight Of thai
detestable morass, called Cairo. We
landed alongside Of fiat baal which
answered for saloon, hotel and
hpllae Of refuge during high water
and general overflow. A place with
ont a single quality, III earth, air OF
water 10 commend Il. such place Is
Cairo"
! hope before yoli gentlemen return
to your homes. you will be convinced,
that this present Cairo is not the Cairo
or Dickens. To-day we are able to
show you better place There are
no more ilatboais. as saloons or no
tells. In place Of m0rass. we can
show You good hard streets; in place
OF flatboat hotel. We can show you
such as the Halliday, the Illinois
Uncle Joe'a. the Planters and others
All good and substantial bindings, the
best schools and the finest churches
iii the state and library. a gift OF one
of our citizens. not given 20 us by q
stranger.
We have also built good. hard
roads into our county within the last
few years.
| wish Charles Dickens could now
reappear and acknowledge American
push In the Egypt Of Illinois
County Supervisors. Clerks and
Commissioners, we are glad YOU arc
with us. We shall aim TO make these
few days you stay with Us, the most
enjoyable Of your life thank you.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen Of tn
Convention:
Mayor Claude Winter thereapon fol
lowed in his n5ial Characteristic
breezy style, saying exactly what n
thought In his address Of welcome T
The delegates:
Mayors Welcome.
Mr. President and Gentlemen OF tn
Convention
When ihc local committee waite
upon me with the request that sa
d few words or welcome ON behalf {
Cairo, protested that such action 0
ny part was entirely unnecessar
That any convention composed
such distinguished and intsll.gsi
looking gentlemen as see before IN
ID always welcome IN any city OF q
state or any other state: however.
am greatly honored by receiving Il
commission TO extend 10 you mo
eiicere greeting and most hear
welcome.
would tell VOL something abo
The greatness Of this city. but the
ii 80 much d It and ita good poiii
are SO Numerous that do not fe
Justified in goin into that question
the short tine allotted 20 NE
re pride ourselves on being
great railroad and comereIal cente
a having achieved our present en-