The Cairo bulletin., 1912-02-24

In Mr.. John NJ. Landson's valu.
able history OF Cairo, recently pub
lished, mention is made of a numheE
OF persons who have been prominent
In their time who, have visited Cairo
or the site of this city, before it's Or
ganization. Besides those named
by Mr.. Landsden, or those mentioned
in other historical writings, or in
the columns of old Cairo newspapers
there were, undoubtedly, a large
number, equally prominent, who
have visited this spot. but whose
presence is not recorded, or.aife ra
corded, can not be found upon casual
investigation. f '"
In the files Of old Cairo newspa-
pers we find that a number of dis
tinguished men have honored Cairo
with their presence, men who
have been prominent in statesman
ship, in letters, or otherwise. AS
the oldest Cairo paper, the Delta,
f9urished in 1889, we begin with
that period. The first visitor of dis
tinction we find noted in the Delta
ia. President Zachary Taylor. The
paper stated that President-elect
Taylor was passengeT on the steam
or, Tennessee, which arrived at the
Cairo wharf about a. m, on Febru-
airy 9Th. 1S49. owing to the early
hour, but few of the Cairo people
turned out to meet the President
elect. However. the town cannon
was brought out and a salute was
fired in his honor. General Taylor
lad been elected President in Novem-
Der, lS4S. to succeed President
James X Polk, bis competitor for
that office having been Lewis Cass,
of Michigan, President Taylor was
inaugugated within month follow
ing his visit to Cairo. He died
after having served sixteen months
Of his presidential term. On Febru-
AIRY Sth, 1S49, only two days after
the visit Of President Taylor, United
States Senutor, James Shields, of
Illinois, stopped oye- in Cairo, en-
route to louisville, Kentucky. The
Cairo Weekly Delta informs us thar
the entire population turned out to
meet the Senator, and gave him half
2 dozen salutes from the cannon.
General Shields was born in Ireland,
In 1910, came TO America in 1896,
served In the Mexican War and was.
hrevetted Maior-General for bravery
lie represented three States in the
senate Of the United States, viz; ILL
n9is, Minnesota, and Missouri He
served in the civil wa until 1863,
when he resigned his commission
Rev, Theobald Mathew, the great
Irish Apostle of Temperance, was In
Cairo on April 49,, 1851, as noted In
the Cairo Weekly Sun, of that period
The editor did not state that the dis
tinguished visitor lectured in Cairo.
Father Matehw had phenomenal sue
cess in his temperance crusade IN
Great Britain. In the city of Cork
he gave the pledge to 100000 per-
sons, and in Galway to $4,000 IN
Limerick, the people from the sur
rounding country gathered in such
numbers that famine would have
ensued but for the liberaIity Of the
citizens of that city n.
His reception among the English
was scarcely less enthusiastic, es-
pecially in Liverpool, Manchester
and London. Upon his arrival In
New York, he was formally received
| by the mayor and citizens and was
entertained as guest of the city. Both
houses of congress adopted resoiu
tions giving him the privilege of Til
hopr Father. Mathew returned i'll
ireland in the Fall of 1851, a few
months after his visit to Cairo. ,
On Thursday, March II, 1852! &C