The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-03-25
Vermont, Honorary statues.

Vcrmvnts hVnSr"y oe"oS.
Attention having been called recents
Iy to the reception of the Collamer statue
for the Capitol al Washington, by the
House of Representatives, we have
been favored with the following memo
randa, obtained from Hon. Hiram A.
Huse, the accomplished secretary and
librarian, at Montpelier, of the vari-
GUS proceedings of the state In relation
to the three statues heretofore voted by
onr legislature Ia honor of distinguish
cd citizens. This distinction In respect
to Judge Collamer may have been part
lly due to local circumstances
MONTPELIER, March II, 1881.
DEAR SIR: No. 116, Acts of 1869 APP
prop1ated sum of money not exceed
ing 90 900, "for the purpose of procur-
ing Mead's statue of Ethan Allen to be
erected in the State House at Mon.pe-
lier." 1t was approve Nov. 2, 1859.
Nov. 10, Ac, NO. $50, of 1860, was APP
proved, which directed the auditor to
draw an order In favor Of Larkin e..
Mead, Jr., for 81 900 additional to the
sum already appropriated for the statue.
No. 10 of laws of Vermont passed at
extra session, April, 1861, is resolu-
ton authorizing the procuring of ped
estal, etc., and for securing orator, etc.,
at the EMANCIPATION" of the statne.
From a brief examination of the au-
ditor's reports for 1S60-61-62, don't see
that Mead got more than S2,80O, but it
is to be presumed the other 5000 were
received In some way that don't appear,
or has escaped my observation in the
classification. The cost of the pedestal
and the ceremonies at the "inaugura.
ton" appear to have been between five
and six hundred dollars.
The Vermont Watchman of Sept. G.
1861, has an article, credited to the
Northampton Free Press, in which the
following occurs: Through advice Of
Hon. George p. Marsh, minister TO Sar
DINA, he MEAD commenced mode
of Ethan Allen, which was completed
in about five months. On application
to the state q commission was giver
him to cut it in marble, to be placed IL
the portico of the State House, for thu
sum of $4,000. He commenced worl
, on the statue one year and half ago
and it is now ready to be shipped Il
Montpelier, where 1t will be inaugural
ed on the 9Th (10th) of October, at th,
opening of the next session of the legis
/ lature, Hon. Fred. E. Woodbridge, o
Vergennes, delivering the Grafton. TIL
marble for the statue was quarried b.
Adjutant General Baxter, at Rutland
: and weighed, in the rough state, four
HkA tat ~ onrvnvNlo
ton, is eight and a half feet bigh AM
weighs four tons. The hero of Ticon
deroga is represented in standing pos
ture, with his hat. firmly grasped in til
left hand resting on the hip. His RICH
hand is raised in an attitude of defens
: and command, and he appears in tn
act of stepping forward, as though b
was urging his brave and heroic follow
ers on to victory. He is dressed i
j continental uniform, with epaulet'
' sash and sword, common to officers {
his rank"
|, Oct. 10, 1861 (see Waterman of Oc
j Is, 1863, the ceremonies took plac
+ from the portico of the state house, bt
4 ginning at noon. Mr.. Woodbridge d.
;. livercd the Grafton. The statue stand
at the left of the main door of the Cal
itol Cleft as you leave the house), upo
: granite pedestal five feet in height.
O No. 300, Acts of 1872, authorized Ii
y governor to contract with Hiram Pow
> ers for statue of Jacob Collamer all
+ with Mead for statue of Ethan Allen
i be placed in. the National Statuary ha
s which Congress established in 1864, an
:, appropriated sum not exceeding $15
900 for the objects of the act.
i In June, 1873, Hiram Powers die,
/ and in 1874 the legislature authorize
a the governor to procure such person 1
!, be deemed proper to make the Coll
u mer statue. The governor made a col
;. tract with Preston Powers, son of ii
y ram Powers. 1t may be remarked tn
n Gov. Converse contracted with Dol
Mead for the Allen statue and with II
Il ram Powers for the Collamer one, b.
l. the sculptor died before the work vi
II begun. do not find (could, of cours
n with further scarcely the price paid, b
have no doubt it was 81 800 each.
The Allen statue by Mead was place
in National Statuary Hall about Ma
Is 1876. The Collamer statue, by Presto
% Powers, has just gone in, the joint re
" olution accepting it having passed Il
20 House of Representatives Feb. 10
- last. Very respectfully yours,
as HIRAM A. HUsE, State Librarian.