The Spanish-American War ended in August 1898 and Chattanooga celebrated the United States victory with a request for a captured Spanish cannon for their city. The city council settled on locating the war trophy near the Fireman’s Fountain Memorial, adjacent to the Hamilton County Courthouse on Georgia Avenue and the Cannon Committee went to work planning the cannon’s presentation to the citizens and city.
The story gained more interest in October 1899 when a Chattanooga official shared that the city’s Spanish cannon had “evidently fallen into the hands of the enemy” or, at least, was being held captive by someone who did not want to “part with it.” R.
S. Sharp, overseer of the city’s official buildings, announced that he was ready to receive the cannon once a contract had been issued for the construction of the mountings. Five months later, now Spanish Cannon Committee chairman Dillard called a special meeting of the committee, “passed around a paper among the aldermen for signatures,” agreeing to let the contract for the mounting of the gun on a Georgia granite base at Fountain Square to Charles E. Smith. Smith would begin immediately so that the cannon would be ready for its dedication at a Spring 1900 celebration.
The April 10, 1900 edition of the Chattanooga Daily Times announced that the “Honorable Elihu Root, Secretary of War, Invited to Dedication of the Spanish Cannon” planned for Wednesday, May 9 at 10 am. The dedication would coincide with Governor’s Day and the accompanying parade. Mr. J. C. Howell, chairman of the Flower Parade Committee, confirmed that preparations had begun and Hill City, East Chattanooga, Alton Park, Highland Park and St. Elmo had already committed to provide individual floats for each of the community “Queens.”
Additionally, Murfreesboro, Winchester, Rome and Huntsville will field floats. “Official Chattanooga Architect R. H. Hunt” was commissioned to build a ‘Grand Triumphal Arch’ across Eleventh Street and to design “booths for the street fair” to begin on Monday, May 7, two days prior to the cannon’s dedication. Hunt would be assisted by a special committee appointed by Mayor Joseph Wassman: T. I. Wilson, H. C. Adler and C. C. Nottingham while F. H. Woodworth would coordinate the street fair and exhibitors.
On April 28th, all the Chattanooga newspapers carried an announcement that the “granite pedestal” for the Spanish cannon had been completed and the cannon would be “mounted” with the next few days.
The Street Fair Parade stepped off on Monday from Whiteside Street and, following a somewhat circuitous route, made its way eventually to Market Street and then up Ninth Street and north on Georgia Avenue. All along the route, people lined the streets. “Everywhere carnival decorations” were present and the “triumphal progress of the parade’ was welcomed by the cheering crowds. Captain E. G. Huffaker led the parade, escorted by five members of the Chattanooga Police Department. They were followed by the Spring Festival Guard, under the command of Marshal W. J. Bass: Dr. G. Manning Ellis, R. B. Henderson, Dr. S. T. Rucker, J. T. Berry, J. R. Lupton, L. D. Drewry, M. M. Hedges, Will Cummings, J. E. Evans, W. C. Henderson, W. D. Carswell, Hoyt Webb and H. H. Webster.
They were followed by the military and veteran forces from the region. First came the “battle-scarred veterans” of the Spanish-American War, members of the John P. Toneray Post, Spanish-American War Veterans, led by Commander George E. McGhee and Col. J. P. Fyffe. Atlanta’s celebrated Fifth Regiment Band, directed by Professor Wedemeyer, marched to thunderous applause, announcing three companies of the First Battalion, Tennessee Military Academy Militia, led by Major Brown. “This was the first public appearance of the battalion and the boys bore themselves like soldiers.” The Kentucky Cadets, commanded by Major Carpenter, followed with “their marching showing thorough training.” The Artillery Battery brought up the rear of the procession; their guns were sparkling and the horses drawing them were festooned with ribbons and flowers.
A landau occupied by Festival Committee members T. T. Wilson, H. T. Olmsted and Mayor Joseph Wassman led the ‘March of the Midway Animals,’ guided by “Turks and Arabs.” The star of the Midway parade, the giant gray elephant, was ridden by several elaborately-dressed “Oriental dancers,” preceded by Chief J. A. McQuade and the Chattanooga Fire Department. Baldur, “the Norse God of light and radiance, peace and forgiveness,” appeared next, reclined in a “horn of plenty”.
The “booming of the cannon on Stone Fort” signaled the festival had begun.
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Linda Moss Mines is the official Chattanooga and Hamilton County historian.