The elements were not the most favorable for Corner Stone Day in
Kirksville. The rain the night previous and the lowering clouds of
that day, doubtless kept many away, but the cooled air and cloudy sky
made it all the more pleasant for the thousands who attended.
The city was elaborately decorated, with American and Cuban flags,
bunting, mottoes, etc.
People began coming in early in vehicles and on horseback.
The First train in, was from Milan bringing 256, the second from
Quincy, bringing 261, 137 of which came from Brashear. The third, from
Glenwood Junct. bringing 200 and the fourth, a special from Moberly
bringing upwards of 500.
Besides many came in the day before and during the night, so that
it seems safe to estimate the number present, including our own
citizenship, at 15000. It was a great big crowd sure enough, such as
Kirksville can draw.
The parade under chief marshal Butler, was the largest every seen
in the city and was in the following order. Kirksville cornet band,
Masonic order, County officials, City officials, Knights of Pythias, Odd
Fellows, Lincoln Legion of Honor, G.A.R. Posts, Woodman order, American
School of Osteopathy, Columbian School of Osteopathy, State Normal
School, Adair county volunteers, Old Settlers – other citizens, Macon
Brass band.
The parade halted at the grand stand where the address of welcome
was delivered by Mayor Dockery.
After music by the band, the laying of the corner stone occurred
with Masonic rites. This beautiful service was performed by D.D.G.M.
Andrew Fisher, Acting Grand Master, of La Belle; S.G.W., G.M. McGuire;
J.G.W. Richard C. Norton; G. Tr. Thos. Baum, G. Sec. Richard M. Ringo,
G.S.D. Nat M. Shelton, G.J.D. J. Marion Long, G.
Ty___ Thos. J Craig, G.S.B. Jas. G.
Bell, G. Pursuivant, J.T. Hannah, The oration was by C.H. Briggs
S.G.W. Grand Lodge of Missouri.
The shape and finish of the corner stone is the handiwork of Chas.
H. Lee, this city. On the south face it bears the inscription, “Laid by
A. Fisher, D.D.G. A.F. and A.M., May 2, A.L. 1898.”
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New Court House
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The Corner Stone Laid Monday With Impressive Ceremonies
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Monday the laying of the corner stone of Adair County’s new court
house was celebrated. At an early hour people began to arrive from the
country and excursion trains were loaded with people. The last train to
arrive was from Moberly, Bucklin and Macon, and had on board 500
persons. By 10 o’clock the city was crowded but the different
committees had done their work with such care that the great crowd was
easily handled. All the towns on the Wabash from Moberly to Glenwood,
and on the Port Arthur from LaBelle to Milan furnished large visiting
delegations. It had been arranged with hotels, restaurants and eating
halls to furnish dinner at 11 o’clock so all could be ready for the
parade at 12.
THE PARADE
Formed on High street at 12 o’clock under the direction of Col. H.A.
Butler, chief marshal, in the following order:
Kirksville Cornet band, Knight Templars, Masonic Lodges, Odd
Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Woodmen, Lincoln Legion of Honor, G.A.R.,
American school of Osteopathy, Columbian school of Osteopathy, Medicine
and Surgery; State Normal school, Adair county volunteers.
The parade moved promptly at 12 o’clock west on McPherson to
Franklin, south to Jefferson to Harrison, east to Franklin, south to
grand stand on Washington.
AT THE GRAND STAND
Mayor Dockery delivered the address of welcome, and Rev. Briggs of
Fayette, pronounced the invocation.
Andrew Fisher, of LaBelle, Grand Deputy, assisted by G.M. McGuire,
Dr. Nortin and Rev. Briggs then laid the corner stone with Masonic
rites. After music Rev. C.H. Briggs delivered the oration of the day.
The toast, “Adair County, Its Past, Its Present and Its Future,”
was eloquently responded to by Hon. S.M. Pickler. We regret that we
have space for only a couple of short extracts from his address.
In referring to patrotism [sic] in Adair county, he said:
“The county has been baptized in blood. An Indian fight had
occured [sic] in 1829 northeast of Nineveh near Noah Motter’s farm
between a band of 60 or 70 Indians led by Big Neck and a company of
whites from Randolph county joined by five or six men from the Cabins.
Three white men were killed and the same number of Indians and the
whites retreated, some of them without firing a gun. An Indian fort was
built in Polk township in 1932 consisting of a block house, surrounded
by a palisade. It was located on what is know known as the Moses
Furnish farm and named Fort Matison. Another fort was built on the site
of the King Collet farm where the cabins were located in 1828.
The battle of Kirksville on August 6th, 1862, was a fierce one for
the number engaged; about 150 were killed and 400 wounded. In the
Centralia massacre over half a hundred Adair county men in one company,
Capt. Smith’s, gave up their lives without a murmur. A thousand gray
haired veterans of the late war now residents of the county are living
witnesses of the patriotism of our people. And more recently Capt. J.R.
Musick’s clarion voice has been repeatedly raised in behalf of war and
Lieutenants Reiger and Carothers have told Adair county boys what a
glorious thing it is to fight for liberty and Cuban independence. A
full company of 100 men has been organized and their services tendered
to the president. And as they bid adieu to friends and kindred and
start on the journey to the sunny south, preparatory to invading the gem
of the Antilles, we can hear in imagination their battle chant something
like this:
Remember the Maine when the big guns rear,
And the cannons belch on a hostile shore.
Remember the dead in the sunken ship,
And pass the cry from lip to lip.
Forget the shriek of shot and shell,
Forget for an hour that war is hell;
For over yonder, beneath the bay
Two hundred sailors lie to-day.
It’s odds on our good war ships |
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Against the guns of Spain;
It’s two to one we win the forts,
In memory of the Maine.
And Sampson and his sailors
Will yet place high in pride,
Old Glory’s folds above the spot,
Where the Maine’s brave sailors died.
Com. Dewey and his gallant fleet,
Fought the shops and forts of Spain,
And he knocked them into smithereens
In memory of the Maine.
He gave them a grave in the salt, salt sea,
While the guns with their sullen roar,
Made a funeral dirge for Spain’s lost fleet,
And Dons five hundred or more.
Referring
to the future of Adair county, he said: “No one could portray it. Could
we draw aside the veil of the ‘is to be,’ and take a peep no doubt the
view would be one of dazzling splendor and magnificence. Very likely
the counties of Schuyler, Sullivan, Macon and Knox would all show
annexation to Adair in order to give our people room in which to spread
themselves. Brashear would be within the corporate limits of a Greater
Kirksville, as also would be Millard, Sublette, Novinger, Camp Collett
and the surrounding country. The pleasure yachts and beautiful gondolas
repassing swan like on the placid waters of a reconstructed Chariton and
a beautiful Salt River, would glide responsive to the gentle Zephyrs
ladened with the perfume of rare exotics, fruits and flowers. The
bountiful fields with their ripening harvests and the grassy picturesque
landscape with its herds and flocks of fat, sleek kine will outrival the
land of the Pharoahs in its palmiest days. But language fails, prophecy
is at fault and speculation drifts on an unknown sea in attempting to
depict our county’s future development.
O Adair, proud, bright Adair
With a future so bright and so fair!
We hail thee, most favored land!
Thy rapid growth, they progress grand!
With schools and churches strong,
With right supplanting wrong,
With enterprise for man’s best good,
And pure exalted womanhood.
Within they confess noble deeds
From noble hearts—the good succeeds,
And on and up the race we run,
And virtue wins with good works done.
Now Kirksville grows to larger state,
It’s people swift to emulate
The greatest good, wherever found,
Rejoices with the country round.
It hails Salt River, Wilson, Clay,
With words of warmest cheer to-day.
Nineveh and Morrow, north and west,
Liberty, Walnut, Benton, with the rest,
Greets Pettis, Oklahoma, Polk
And blessings on them all invoke.
Thus all, together, hand in hand,
Town and country let us stand
And forward march to greater fame
And make Adair’s the proudest name
That’s written in this imperial state,
Missouri, matchless, peerless, great!
The toast, “The State Normal School” was ably responded to by Dr.
Norton, as was also the toast, “The Public Schools,” by Prof. Holloway.
The toast “Osteopathy” American school, was responded to by Dr.
Smith; Columbian school, was responded to by Dr. U.M. Browder.
“The Old Settlers of Adair County” called out many amusing
reminiscences. This toast was responded to by Rev. W.L. Fletcher, one
of the pioneer settlers of Adair.
“Churches and Sunday Schools” by Rev. G.W. Sharp closed the
exercises.
The crowd was large and well behaved. The procession the finest
every seen in Kirksvile, and the entertainment of visiting delegations
was all that could have been desired. Everything considred it was a
great day for our prosperous, progressive city.
The Kirksville Weekly Graphic
May 6, 1898 |
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the banquet.
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The Commercial Club Entertains its Guests in Honor of the New
Court House
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One
of the most interesting events of the winter occurred at the Central
Hotel on Friday night last. It was the third annual banquet of the
Commercial Club of this city and was given in honor of the County Court,
and to celebrate the opening of the new Court House. Promptly at eight
o’clock the guests began to arrive and soon filled the parlors and halls
of the hotel with a brilliant company. After a half hour of social
conversation, President Dobson, the Master of Ceremonies, called the
company to order and announced the first number on the program, a valse
caprice, which was beautifully rendered by Miss Pauline Dobson, a recall
was responded to by the fair musician with a brilliant little
selection. Mr. C.H. Payson then sang in his delightful manner “Gipsy
John” adapting it to the occasion, the C.C.K. He was called back but
simply bowed this thanks. Miss Alta Baird then sang a touching love
song and in response to a recall sang a beautiful selection, then the
company marched to the spacious dining room and gathered around the
beautifully decorated tables. There were roses and carnations for every
guest, and the cheerful clatter of knives and forks, the brilliant
conversation and the delightful strains of Scott’s Orchestra filled the
room with melody.
After an hour devoted to the discussion of “Mine host” McCoy’s elegant
and well served “Menu” the President rapped for order and in a few well
chosen remarks announced as the first toast, “Our new Court House and
Home |
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Expansion” since 1896. Mr. A.N. Seaber responded in a fitting manner
showing briefly the advancement materially, morally, and intellectually.
“The Adair County Court” by Mr. J.C. Storm was a
thoughtful review of the work of the court and its achievements. Judge
Hickman responded for the court in a well chosen little speech of
acknowledgement filled with touching words of appreciation. Our Lady
guests were fittingly eulogized by Major R.G. Rombauer, and Miss Minnie
Brashear gave a delightfully witty description from a sub-legal point of
view of “Courting in Adair County.” “The Relation of Education to Civic
Prosperity,” by Prof. Brother was a thoughtful, earnest plea for
educational expansion, and was well handled. The last toast was by
Judge Ellison, who chose "Commerce" as his theme. The Judge declared
that he desired to avoid any reference to any political ideas and that
Commerce was the very foundation of the greatness of all thegreat
nations of past history. He spoke of the ancient commerce, of that of
the
Carthegenians, Romans and in modern times
of that of the great peoples especially the Anglo Saxons. Then he spoke
of the great opportunities now afforded to America. The islands we have
lately acquired, declared the Judge “are ours.” The great commerce of
the future is in the Pacific and it must be made the Mediterranean Sea
of America. “If,” he said impressively, “our nation should secure the
great commerce with China and the east to which we are entitled, no man
need be idle in the country in the next hundred years.”
It was then after midnight and the guests after a motion, made by
Judge Ellison, of thanks to Mr. McCoy for his delightful entertainment
had been unanimously adopted, departed to their homes.
The Kirksville Journal
March 16, 1899 |
