The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1908-08-25

store and residence windows, on
sidewalks and lawns. Music and ora
tory were prominent in the days at
fractions.
From Seattle, WASH, on the west
to Cohassett. Mass, on the east, men
and women who half century ago
heard tho first wordy battle OF the
two giants of American history on
the slavery question were present
to help celebrate.
The program, which began at 1O:30
o'clock with band concert. was in
three parts. The first consisted of
the presentation OF the twenty-five
ton bowlder, containing bronze tab
let to mark the site of the original
debate. The second was an Industrial
floral and automobile parade, and
the third consisted of music and ora
tory. followed by a display of fire.
works.
Meet on Historic Ground.
Washington park, which covers a
block square, was the scene OF the
principal exercises of the day. This
is where the famous debate took
place.
An invocation by the Rev. NJ. A.
Quirk, pastor of st. Patrick's Roman
Catholic church of Ottawa, opened
the proceedings. He implored bless
ings upon "those gathered here for a
great and holy purpose, to honor the
memory of great heroes of the past
who labored with voice and pen for
Gods honor and for the uplifting of
men,"
A quartet sang "My Country, 'Tis
Of Thee" in which the thousands as
sembled united.
Mrs. B. F. Lincoln, regent of the
Illinois chapter of the D. A. R, of
Ottawa, which organizalio erected
the memorial, then made the presen-
tation address Her appearance was
the signal for the unwilling of the
bronze tablet on the bowlder by the
pulling of two strings by little girls
dressed in white.
Address Of Mrs. Lincoln.
Mrs. Lincoln gave the history of
the memorial. "It is the privilege
of the 1llionis chapter to mark to-
day the site of the first Lincoln de-
bate" she said. Il do not say spot
for according to the testimony of
many who were present here fifty
years ago, the spot was a sort of
movable feast AS we could procure
only one bowlder and one tablet we
place it to mark the site.
1--WE believed this United States
of ours to be the grandest republic
in the world, Illinois the grandest
state in the republic, Ottawa the
grandest little city in the county and
here we present in tho name OF
Illiny chapter, Daughters of the
American Revolution, to the sacred
care and custody of that little city
the grandest bowlder in the state of
Illinois to mark the site OF one OF the
grandest statesmen who ever met in
debate"
Mayor Accepts the Bowlder.
An outburst of enthusiasm greeted
the address in which both the old and
young took part. Some of the aged
men who had heard the famous de-
bate waved their canes and cheered
When the applause subsidized Mayor
James F. Farrell of Ottawa, on behalf
of the city and county authorities ac-
cepted the bowlder and pledged the
honor of the city to keep it and to
continue to observe the anniversary
of the great debate. Mayor Farrell
in his address said that the celebra-
tion was an epoch making event and
that it was a reunion of Americas
best citizens who had heard the best
speeches made by the best orators of
their times.
John N. Shuler, who is the oldest
continuous resident of Ottawa, and
group of old settlers were visibly
moved when, after the speech of ac-
ceptance by Mayor Farrell the quar-