The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-11-21
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The "Zenith City" Started the Road Fame and Gorv
Through the Humorous and Brilliant Speech
Delivered by j. Proctor Knott.

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understand why it was that some of
our ablest statesmen and most distin-
guishcd patriots should entertain such
dark forcbOdings of the untold ca!am-
tiles that were to befal our country
unless we should take immediate pos
session of that desirable island. But
see now that they are laboring untae;.
will need guano to manure the public
lands of the st. Croix. Great Laugh.
ter) Now. sir, repeat, had hcen
satisfied for years that if there was
any portion of the habitablc glade alb
solutely in suffering condition for
want Of a railroad. it was the tecming
pine barrens of the ST. Crox. G.augh-
ter.) At what particular point on that
noble stream such road should h.
commenced I knew was immaterial
and so it seems to have been consid-
cred by the draughtsman of this bill
j. might be up at the spring or down
at the foot-log, or the watcr-ratr or
the flsh-dam. or anywhere along the
bank. no matter where. Gaughtcr)
But in what direction it should run
or where it should terminate, were All
ways. in my mind. questions of the
most painful perplcxity. could con-
ceive of no place on Gods green
earth" in such straitened circum-
stances for railroad facilities as to b.
likely to desire or willing to accept
such a connection. Gaughter) /
know that neither Bayfield, nor SUI
perior City would have 1t, for they
both Indignantly spurned the muntti-
cence of the government when coupled
with such ignomnous conditions, anu
let this very same land grant die on
their hands years and years ago. rath-
or than submit to the degradation of
direct communication. by railroad, with
the piney woods of the ST. Croix; an.
know that what the onterprisin,- in
refused to take would have fcw charms
for others. whatever their necessities
OF their crpidity might be. CLaugh-
teri Hence, as have said, sir, l was
utterly at a loss to determine wher,,
the terminus Of this great am! mills
pensahle road should be, until ] acct
a. toll ~
the other day. mention the name of
Duluth" (Great laughter.) "Dul,ih.'
The word fell upon my ear with pccu-
liar and Understandable charm like the
gentle murmur Of low fountain,
stealing forth in the midst Of roses or
the soft sweet accents of an angels
whisper i'm the bright, joyous lrenm of
sleeping innocence. Duluth! Twas
the name for which my soul had pant
water brooks. (Renewed laughtrr)
But. where was Duluth? Never, in IN
limited reading, had my vision bcrl
gladdened by seeing the celestial word
in print. Iaughter). And ] felt
profound humiliation in my ignorance
that it's dulcet syllablcs had never hr-
fore ravished my delighted ear. Rcars
OF ]aughter). was cr:'tain tho
draughtsman Of this bill had nevrr
heard of it, or il would have been des-
ignated as one Of the tormini of this
road. asked my friends about it, but
they knew nothing Of 1t. rushed to
my library and examined all the maps
could find. LaEghter) ] discov-
cred in one Of them a delicate hair-l like
line, diverging from the Mississippi at
posed was intended to represent tho
river, st. Croix, but I could nowhere
find Duluth! Nevertheless, ! was con
fident that IL existed somewhere, an1
THAT it's discovery would constitute
the browning glory OF the present cer-
fury, il not of all modern times.
Gaughter.) ! knew it was bound to
exist in the very nature Of things: that
the symmetry and perfection oc our
planetary system would be incomplete [
without it. (Renewed laughtcr.) That
the clements of material nature would
have long since resolved themselves
back into original chaos If there had
I,cen such a hiatus in creation as
would have resulted from leaving out
Duluth. (Roars of laughter) In fact.
sir, l was overwhelmed with the con-
yiction that Duluth not only existed
somewhere, but that, wherever It was.
it was great and glorious place. 1
was convinced that the greatest ca
lamity that ever bcfell the bcnighted
nations of the ancient world was in
their having passed away without i
knowledge Of the actual existence Of
Duluth: that their tabled Atlantis,