The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-12-28

EesfsRdny.
Tuesday was the day set apart for the lay
ing Of the corner stone Of the Soldiers Non
umsnt on the Public Square, and it was =
general holiday in Bellairs, in spite Of the
dri5Eliug rain that fell most Of the day and
the muddy streets. Great interest seemed TO
be taken in the ceremonies by all classes Of
people, and great many strangers were In
Town. County people came from all around,
but the effect Of the bad weather was notice
able IN Ithe small proportion Of ladies
The neighboring. towns sent delegations too,
by all the railroads. st: Granville being rep
resented by u score OF men, many OF them
MRsons. All OF Bellaire's manufacturing
establishments were of for the day, and very
little attention was paid to many other
kinds OF business in the afternoon,
The monument Is to be erected in memory
OF the soldiers from that neighborhOod who
fought in the armies OF The UnIOn during tue
Rebellion. The Monumental Association Of
Soldiers and Sailors, organized for the pur'
pose, has the monument In charge and the
funds have been raised among tue members
and by the Loan Exhibition SO successfully
conducted by the Association last spring
The work has already been commenced aud
the foundation has been built in most dura'
ulH UP W klAG AAAkG VI Wv 9h1AN'
The shaft will be lofty one OF granite, sur.
mOundted by life-sizs figure OF an American
soldier. Around the shaft, on tillels, are To
be the names OF the principal battlesin which
soldiers from Belmont county were engaged,
The names Of the soldiers will be inscribed on
the tablets OF the base. Itisintended to have
tue monument ready for the unwilling ceTe-
monies by Decoration Day S0th Of next May.
Early Tuesday morning workmen erected
o derrick, with the necessary pulliCS and
chains for lifting and lowering the stone, In
the middle OF the stone was followed out an
oblong cavity 10 receive box Of documents,
badges OF the army and newspapers Of this
date. The stand for the speakers was erected
on the edge OF the square and facing the
foundation and the centre OF the square,
The stand was gayly trimmed with American
flags, the decorations being limited, however
by the uniavOrable weather. A number oil
private dwellings and hotels and business
houses displayed large flags,
The various societies that appeared turned
lout nObly In spite OF the threatening skies
the muddy streets and the drizzlingain. They
assembled on belmont street under Chief
Marshall James B GOrrell and his Adjutant,
Capt w. II. Little, The intended route OF
procession was shortened, and, headed by
the Bellaire band, the procession moved d.
reCtly to the Square, up Belmont street.
At the foundation Of the monument the
MasOns formed u hollow square and the Other
societies, the DruidS, Turner's Monumental
Association and the Grand Army Of the Re
public, spangler Post, formed In tie rear
Members Of various other societies were pres
ent In great numbers, but not In organized
bodies,
Chas, @. Keller, Grand Master Of Masons Of
Ohm conducted the IMPRESSIVE ceremonies
which were In accordance with the usual ell
aborate ceremonial Of the Masons for such oc
CasiOns including the pouring of oil and wine
The restlessneSs OF the crowd and the pO
sition OF the speakers, on the ground ut the
stone was such that very few outside OF the
Masons themselves could hear anything Of
tho ceremony, and the great number OIL
umbrellas that many persisted IN holding
over them kept nearly everybody from seeing
the stone. The stone was lowered to Its place
Just outside OF the lower range OF cut stone
on the eastern side Of the monument The
music OF the Bellaire band from the stand
was very impressive, and In accord with the
ceremonies. The assembly then dispersed
and the procession returned down Belmont
street to Turner Hall, where II was thought
hest TO have the speeches. At the hall
james II. Rees introduced the speakers IN q
few brief sentences that had the true patriot
ic ring to them. We have not space to report
the addresses OF Col. P0orman and Capt. J.,
DanfoFd but II would have been well could
the weather have admitted Of many more
hearing. They touched upon al the lessons
which the monument Is designed 10 teach us
and all who come after us, as well as 10 conl'
memorate those whose names are to DO en-
grayed upon the stone.