Middletown transcript., 1875-03-27
The City Of Monuments.

The City Of Monuments.
In ScR1BNER's MONTHLY for April Edward
King has an illustrated sketch of Baltimore,
which he calls "The Liverpool Of America" F"
We quote the following passage about Balti-
more's famous monuments
Baltimore merits the title which it 30
proudly bears. of 1.-The Monumental
City" The stately shaft which rises
from massive pedestal in Mount Yer
non Square is dedicated to the memory
of George Washington. It shames into
dreary insigni6cance the uncouth and
inartistic pile Of stones which has long
stood incomplete on the mud fats near
the Potomac Baltimore's Doric col
umn is crowned with a statue repre-
sentiDg Washington resigning bis COM
mission, and on the four sides of the
pedestal is the following inscription:
"To George Washington. by the State
of Maryland. Born February %, 1882.
Commander.in-chie of the American
Army. June Is, 1775 Trenton, De-
cember 25, 1776 Yorktown, October
10, 1881. Commission resigned at
Annapolis, December %, 1888 Presi-
dent of the United States, March 4,
1789 Retired to Mount Vernon, March
4, 1897. Died December IA, 1899"
From the top of the column, which
is two hundred and eighty feet above
tide water, you may have view of the
sloping streets, and the busy avenues
along the water-side; may look across
to Federal Hill, where the Notifications
made during the war still remain. and
down the harbor to the wide, blue
waters of the Chesapeake
From the four sides of the monu-
ment's pedestal radiate outward an equal
number Of little parks, surrounded by
neat railings All the streets leading
up to the square are lined with elegant
mansions, and on bright days. during
the season, carriages filled with lovely
women crowd the way
The "Battle Monument, in Monu-
ment Square, stands on the site origin
ally chosen for the Washington Memo
rial The invasion by the English, land
the battle of North Point, which result
ed in preserving Baltimore from de-
struetion at the hands Of British SOL
diers, moved the impulsive people Of
the city to erect at ence testimonial
Of gratitude to the brave men who had
died for them. The Committee of Safety
Of those days circulated petition for
subscriptions, which we're readily given,
and on September II, 1915, was laid
the cornerstone of the monument to
the memory of the citizens who fell in
defense Of the city at the battle of North
Point and the Bombardment of Fort
McHenry. The structure comprises a
marble shaft in the form of fasces,
surmounted by statue representing
the city Of Baltimore. Although the
whole is but 6fty-two feet high, it pro-
duees a very imposing effect. The
cornerstone Of the Washington Monu-
msnt was laid in July, 1915. but the
statue was net placed in position for
fourteen years thereafter.
Prominent ameng the monuments of
lesser fame in Baltimore is that dedi-
Gated 10 Thomas Wildey, the founder
Of the Order of Odd Fellows in Amer
lea. 1t was erected in 1865 and is
merely Grecian Doric column spring.
ing from a singularly shaped pedestal.
and amply decorated with the emblems
Of the Order. Thomas Wildey was an
Englisbman, who, in 1919, established
a lodge of Odd Fellows in Baltimore,
and who gave his entire means and en-
ergies to the Order until 1861. The
inscription upon his tomb records the
fact, that before his death four hundred
and twenty seven thousand members
had been initiated. thirty eight thou
sand bereaved families administered to,
and in Maryland alone, three thousand
orphans educated by the Order.
The Hill and McComas Monument
in Ashland Square, to the memory of
the youths supposed to have slain Gen.
Ross, the British commander, during
the invasion which eliminated in the
battle of North Point; and the Nc
Donough statue in Greenmouut Gene
terry, memorial to philanthropic
merchant who gave the whole of bis
immense fortune to New Orleans and
Baltimore, to be devoted to the educa-
tion of poor children. are among the
other most interesting monuments in
the city. The Merchants Shot Tower,
nearly two hundred and fifty feet high,
is now the only one remaining Of three,
from each Of which the prospect was
singularly beautiful.