Arkansas weekly mansion., 1884-03-01
IN MEMORIAM.

dwelling of the AIonume mt to G eneral Rob
ert +. Lee ut New Orleans-The Union OF
the Blue ard the Gray in the Ceremonies
The Programme Abridged by Violent
Thunder Storm.
NEW ORLEANS, La, Feb. %.
The history of the public pageants ana
open-air festivities is long one, filed with
conspicuous and distinguished triumphs.
On nearly every occasion tho weather has
favored and seconded the efforts of the man.
ayers of such affairs; but to-day they were
destined to an overwhelming failure. The
occasion was the unveiling of a statue of
and dedication of a monument to the Con-
federate chieftain, General Robert L. Lee.
The fact that it was to take place on WI ash
ington's birthday added still more interest
to the intended display. All the military
of the city and many visiting companies,
including the fine company of light infant
ry from Detroit, Mich, were to lend their
| aid, and all the organizations OF veteran
soldiers of the late war to give
grand historic interest to the affair. Not
only did the Veteran Confederate Associa-
tions of the Army of Northern Virginia and
the Army of the Tennessee appear in force,
but large and imposing delegations of the
Grard Army of the Republic, represented
in Joseph A. Mower and Timothy o. Howe
Posts, graced the occasion with their pres
| ence.
The hour of two O'Clock had arrived, the
troops were on the ground, and the veterans
were in the il places of honor and a great
| array of-distinguished guests were the
| platform. Seats which had been provided
I for great number of lad les were flied and
| the small circular park III which the monu-
| ment stands and the street which surrounds
the circle were crowded with people of all
sorts and conditions. Full 1o,0y0 people
| were on the ground. Flags of all nations,
| over which the national standard domi-
mated, floated i'll the balmy south breeze,
| and in the sunshine which gilded the scene.
But in the meantime Il densely dark and
| formidable looking cloud was seen rapidly
| rising along the northern hor Zon and
| mounting swiftly in the heavens. Conf
| dent of the favor of fortune very few per-
| sons took warning from the gathering
| clouds and the preparations for carr ying
| out an imposing programme proceeded
| without interruption. By 2:i5 the entire
| northern sky was black ink, and the
thunder growled in the distance and the
| atmosphere became oppressive and sultry.
| The great orchestra, under the direction
of Prof. Moses, Albert Sidney Johnston's
| kandmaster, struck up grand march from
| Wagner's RienZi, when i'll a moment the
| storm burst upon the vast asseinblaGe.
| flushing down from the north, its advance
| guard OF dust, fragments of paper and
| Light rubbish of all sorts, filed the air, fol
| lowed by great drops of rain. The crowd
| broke up as if scattered by an explosion.
| The confusion was intense. Women
screamed and men shouted, and all instinct
| lively broke for shelter. Escape for most
| of them was hopeless, Cor the rain came
| down in an avalanche to be realized only
| in these southern latitudes, and in tiv'
| minutes many thousands of people
| drenched to the skin. The wind blew Il
violent gale, and carried away every flag,
awning, hat and other similar movable l.
| could lay hold on. Tho thunder roared,
| and the lighting cut the driving storm in
| every direction, and played around the
| gigantic statue whose outline was strongly
| defined through the wet cotton shroud that
| draped it.
| The design chosen was n futad doric col
umn of white tennessee marble on :; base
of gray Georgia granite, standing on
turfed mound. The base of the statue
stands % feet above the street, and the
statue is Ii feet high. I he dimensions OF
the whole in detail are as follows: Height
of mound, l. feet; height of granite base,
height of die, s feet inches;
height of statue, Is feet inches; diameter
of mound, 1870 feet: diameter of base
(square), y feet; diameter of column, 10
| feet; diameter of die, feet inches:
height of whole, 100 feet; basement, AZ feet
square.
on the a1st of May, 1882, contract was
entered into with the HiEsdale q Doyle
| (now the Hollowcl) Granite Company,
New York, for a bronze statue of General
Lee to surmount the montment. The statue
| Alex. Doyl", artist, was sent by the con
tracing company to New Orleans to make
n model, which he did i'll the hall of the
| House of Representatives of the Old State
House in this city. was cast III bronze
by Henry & Bonnard, of New York. and is
the largest statue that was ever made IN an
| American foundry. 1t weighs about .,O0U
| pounds. 1t cast in six sections, the
head alone weighing 30> pounds.
| 1t represents General Lee in an easy, nat
urai position, standing erect, with folded
| though
battle. He is dressed in full service uni
form, with cavalry boots, and the sword
from tip to hilt! The stars, according to
his wish, are placed on the lapel of his coat
| instead of on the collar. The entire work
is paid for, the total cost beng about Sio'-
The officers of the Monument Association
are Charles +. Fenner. President; &. L.
Beuregard First Vice President; NJ. Mus
son, Second Vice Presiden'; :. II. Ken
nedv, Treasurer: w. |. Hodgson, Record
ing Sec ecretaly; w. NJ. Owen, Correspond
ing Secretary.
The statue faces the north, and the old
| commander stood unmovcd amid the storm
| oil heavens artillery as he had before stood
! in the face of wars iron hail. But all his
followers had fed. Fortunately, in the vast
confusion i'll such a crowd and IN such
| storm nobody was hurt to any serious eX-
tent, but grand and imposing ceremonial
was efectually broken up.
| The programme embraced Il poem by IL.
| +. Requier, Esq, and an Grafton bS non.
Charles T.. Fenner of the State supreme
Court. These We're dispensed with forever.
But after the storm small squad OF the
officials OF the Monumental Association
gathered at the base Of tie dripping column
and Judge Fenner, i'll Il few words on be
half of the Monument Association, present
ed it to the city, to which Hon. W. .. Behan
briefly responded, accepting the trust on
behalf of the city. Tine Right Rev. Bishop
J. \. Galleher, of the Protestant Episcopal
Church, pronounced Il benedictlon upon the
| work.
The Lee Monument Association was or
ganiZed here on the 18th of November, lS.o,
and went to work to raise money Tor the
erection of a suitable shaft to the memory
of the Confederate leader. On the'3lst OF
july, 1877, the City Council devotins
'.Tivoli Circle" a small circular park in
the enlargement of St. Charles avenue at
the intersection of DelOrd street, for the
site of the monument, and changed us
name to Lee place. On the lst OF Decein-
Der of the same year contract was gwen
to John Rey to build the monument at
cost of S21 900.
| A Narrow Escape.