Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-03-16
LOCATING THE soLpIERs' MoSU.
MENT.

~
The gentlemen who have in charge
the matter Of selecting location Tor the
soldiers monument, which it Is pro-
posed to erect In this city, are entirely
competent to decide that matter, and
their selection OF q location will doubt
less meet the appreciation OF persons OF
good taste generally, when 1t Is once
settled, but In common with all citizens
We feel interested in seeing 1t placed
where It Will do the most good do
most tor the establishment OF the city
aud the display Of the monument ITSELF
and beg to make a suggestion.
The point most discussed, at the IN
tersection II Chapline aud Fourteenth
streets, is high ground and in some re-
spccis conspicuous aud desirable loea-
ton, but all will agree that It Is 80 con
tracted and circumscribed that It would
materially obs,ruct both the streets, be-
SIDES aiIording no space except Tor the
merc pedestal Of the monument itself.
There would be no room for an cnclos'
ura OF any kind, much less lor grass
p o, around Il. aud Il aust necessarily
be- SIT down ia the bare street, looking
~ though It had been left there temper
arily for want Of some better place to
bestOw.lt.
Gentlemen Of taste will agree that 1t
would be u very mean and slovenly dIs'
position oi such structure to have 1t
stand IN the mud, with not even pave
ment around it, Ii should, lor safety
sake, Il no other, be- enclosed with an
iron railing or fence Ia protect II from
depreciation, aud lot the best appear
ancc AMI effect, should stand in grass
plot. To make room for :his, oven on
the smallest scale, would require the re-
moyal Of the street railway entirely, be-
side making passage way ior vehicles
Of any kind, announcement aud difficult,
The fact IL, there IL no street or vacant
square in the city, suitable Tor the site
OF such a structure II is a matter OF
regret that the territory Oi the city has
been 80 thoroughly occupied rs To pre-
clude the possibility OF oruamcutlng any
part of it, 10y monuments OF otherwise,
except 10y demolishing some oi the
buildings.
But there IL one point tina, needs
further alognmcut, and seems TO oli,r
not only the most proper but the Single
opportunity Tor disposing Of the moui-
mcnt, and that is the square occupied
by the Capital building.
BY every consideration ot taste, cNpr-
dicucy, safety aud propricty, the vacant
part ot the square on the east ~ rear oI
the Capital building, nuH occupied a. a
lumber yurd aud lor car stables, should
belong to the city. Occupied ~ It now
l., IL j. a constant menace IT, the safety
Of the bull ling aud surrounding proper,
Is from lire, aud is 80 offensive To the
eye a. 10 furnish u standing criticism,
silent but severe. upon both the good
taste aud hurmhty ol the city, This
part ot ,hc square should to- covered
with srrcu sward AMI the rNNrnN
fountain. which now stands on the bleak
pavement, removed to the crulrc ol the
improved east silc The monument
could then occupy the place where the
fountain nov stands.
Rut even It the east SIDE should rc-
main Ia it's unimprovcd condition, there
l. room on the north front of the Capl.
tuI square ior the monument, where II
would occupy conspicuous AMI attrac-
tive position, No other point m the
city cuuid be- found. where It would
show to better advantage. Tho Capitol
will probably. always be- uscd ~ a public
building. aud bc regarded ~ the public
center ol our city, AMI certainly the
most appropriate point irr grouping
works ul such a character AK that M
question.
These suggestions ATE entirely gratult-
ous aud are given Uuly lur vhat they
are worth, hut'Wc think they reflect the
A MI