448 HISTORY OP PASADENA. 



Prof. I^owe was accompanied by Gov. Markham, Mayor O. F. Weed, 

 and A. R. Metcalfe, Esq., in a carriage ; and in the grand escort procession 

 the place of honor at the head was accorded to the old soldiers (G. A. R.) 

 committee, consisting of Post Commander W. J. Barcus, R. H. Williams, 

 A. ly. Petrie, Benjamin Jarvis, A. M. Klson, and Hon. C. M. Simpson. 

 The city marshal, John T. Buchanan, was grand marshal of the parade, 

 with numerous aids. The speechmaking and indoor program was held in 

 the Tabernacle, which had been elegantly and appropriately decorated by Dr. 

 F. F. Rowland, C. H. Hovey of the Raymond nurseries, and others who 

 lent a hand ; and the great building was thronged to the last inch of squeez- 

 ing in that was possible. Hon. P. M. Green was president of the day ; 

 Rev. J. B. Stewart, D. D., chaplain; editor Charles A. Gardner, poet; and 

 Prof. O. W. Kyle, music director. And special committees had charge of 

 various parts of the day's doings. (In the evening a grand banquet was 

 given at Hotel Green.) From the many speeches at the Tabernacle I quote 

 from the Daily Star's report a few passages for historic preservation. Hon. 

 P. M. Green said : 



"The railroad, the opening of which we meet to celebrate today," 

 added Mr. Green, " is so unique in its general character and design, so bold 

 in its conception, and in itself such a triumph of engineering construction 

 and skill, as to challenge our unbounded admiration. This celebration com- 

 memorates the most important event in the history of Pasadena. The Mount 

 lyowe railway has the distinction of being one of three mountain railroads 

 proper in the United States and the rare distinction of being the first and 

 only one operated by electricity. It had been the good fortune of the 

 speaker to know something of Prof Lowe's enterprise from the start and to 

 remember with what scorn and incredulity his proposition to build a road 

 into the mountains was first received. They overlooked the fact that the 

 projector of this enterprise was no ordinary railroad builder, but a scholar, 

 engineer and scientist all combined, fully acquainted with the silent, power- 

 ful and occult forces of nature. 



"After dwelling upon the toil and anxiety attendant upon carrying for- 

 ward this great project, Mr. Green referred to the financial difhculties of the 

 undertaking, in surmounting which Prof. L,owe had thrown his own private 

 fortune into the scale and overcome every obstacle, bravely winning the 

 right to be regarded as one of the ablest financiers in the land." 



Gov. H. H. Markham said : 



" Our honored guest has completed a railroad almost entirely with his 

 own means ; certain it is, he has had to place himself responsible for every 

 dollar it has cost. None of us can fully appreciate what Prof. Lowe has 

 done and is still doing for Pasadena and Los Angeles county, nor can we appre- 

 ciate the time, energy, patience, intelligence, and financial outlay incident to 

 the successful completion of such a stupendous undertaking for a single in- 

 dividual. The idea of building a mountain road in Pasadena was not an 

 original idea with Prof. Lowe. No, there were several of us here who had 

 taken the subject up, had talked and talked about it, studied over it and 

 worked it out all of one winter ; and in the spring we talked it over again, 

 and virtually at last gave it up. Prof. Lowe began to work and talk, and 



