Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-17
THE GORDON MONUMENT.
A Handsome Gift to the City from the
Central Railroad Directory.


At tbe meeting of the City Council last
NIGHT a letter was read from the Treasurer
of the Central Railroad and Banking CON-
pany conveying TO the city the handsome
monument erected last year in Wright
SQUARE to the memory of w. W. Gordon,
the first President Of the Central and the
pioneer in works OF internal improvement
in Georgia. The letter was aceompan
By the following address taken from me
minutes Of the directory:
The adornment OF a city By the erection Of
works of art is an object the pursuit OF WhlSn
nav wOrthily crafty high AMBITION. II tIe
end in view were the eoucatloh o. tHe PSVPIN
in the principles OF art through ITelucn. C IN
templatiou of their correct eNpoueHIts' tlI4s
alone would be an adequate reason loI rn-
roi1rarinr the multiplication OF creat lions esp
able Of producing result 50 aesl i % the
Tl,e mind sensible Of the influence OF tHe
bcaufif1l atfains a refinement ana eleF atie ~
which enables its pOssess0r the y - -
his place among men and dlscN"i = '-9 "''''
HTer ~ fbis is added the incentives to great
,,,,iaavors for the promotion OF the common
! r1od thar proceeds from the example OF an
eminent citizen OF llose ne a.. az u ~
| q yrsri- ~ art is memorial, That cry Il i9r-
t,-sfa which Possessed such man. and " men
has 50 valued him as TO preserve his name anu
character in enduring stone Tor the inst. uC-
ti0n and emulation OF tue schSl ''tiO''9 ''i''
Tie Central Railroad and banking Company
OF Georgia. at "a meeting OF It's 7tochhoIdel >
held ia ls59 resolved 20 erect 4 moIitlisII IL "
commemorate the services and worth OF " IL
liam " Gordon, and by resolution OF the
Board Of Directors. dated December J, looe,
appointed q committee, CONSISTING " 2St 13
u elmer Edward G.. Anderson anu AhurtN
ToV- .sTo procure designs and estimates lof
a monument TO be erected IN memory OF WI
liam W Gordon. the first l-fesl9eht o. tl5
Central Railroad and Banking company 0'
,Tf'7 nIaea chosen for the monument Is. It Is
said bv Col. Charles c. Jones, the lSaFnei MS
forian that of the sepultufe o. Aoilyssi'si'i
the AIica Of the Yamacraw ana Irlend OF pi5le-
| thorpe. and 81 whose obseques Osie'HoSPe
| himself took the direction. ,
The story Of the prosecution aug com pie
| ton OF the work cannot be better loiu tlah "
| the words Of the report of Gen. elmer rue
Chairman OF the Committee, made June 90
Sin the selection Of the design i was the
ain, OF the committee TO secure architectural
T,rorortfous aYnrOved by cultivated taste; to
have the materials Of the structure uurSoiS
and at the same time capable OF being chlseleu
| into appropriate symbols. mouldlngs ana cor
nices, and to establish trim, unyloidlng louh-
..in the view OF the committee,th has been
| fully realized hy the appropriate ana grace
! full arrangement OF the parts anu inc Ial'u :
| fui and exact execution OF the WORK III All its
details. -
four feet in the ground, and spread suinclently
to cover a square area having twentY-seven
feet SIN inches 90 the side. On this concrete
rest blocks Of brick masonry surrounded anu
covered by a terrace sustained by massive
curb of cut granite. On THIS masonry are
placed three plinths CT finely cut Quincy
Granite. from which rises the main body OF
the monument. consisting o. the die, with APP
propriate panels and cOrnlcess supporting q
pedestal. on which stand four columns OF req
.rFr~ 1fsF These
I rounded by an entablature, ana on Top OF TINS
| Is placed q large pedestal, gracefully out
lined, on which stand four winged hgures
carving a globe. The figures represent aSfl-
! cultiIrp manufacture, commerce and art re-
spectively. with appropriate s. laOols anu 'iIe
| bt airing. typlcally, the world OF eur Jay LOT
/ ward with great rapldiIy 10 4 state OI uue-
| qualed prosperity. In the frleZe above tne
| granite columns. on each front. Is wrought III
| relief a winged car wheel, symDOllc OF tlt
/ speed attained by railroads, and the capitals
/ OF the columns are richly ornamented VIII
/ leaves and flowers Of Southern growth. II
! the centre OF ths space between the bases o.
/ the columns stands q vase, o. HrnY SIX Feet II
| height finely carved out Of EliOtsvllle lime
| stone.
The four panels of the die are occupied a
/ follows:
| The one to the north by the name Of Cor
! DON cut in large block letters; TO the south
| by an inscription giving the date OF the brit
| and death Of William Washington Gordon. mrs
| Presidential the Central Railroad and Bankln'
! Company of GeOrgia.and pioneer IN the WORK
| of internal Improvement IN his native state
/ to which he gave his time, his talent, ana
| finally. his life. to the east by a oas rellei
| representing an engine ana cars emerging
| from & tunnel and entering aIaF VIA
] duct with shipping in the distance; ana L
| the west bv an inscription stating by whom
| and why. the monumental stone had Deel
| erected The total height of the structure
| fOrtv-seven feet one inch.
| - For the protection Of the monument Whel
! completed il was found necessary 10 place al
| enclosure around IL. This has been done D.
the erection Of a light iron fence, embracing
square space of ffty-twO feet to the side Tn
ground enclosed ana the top OF the terrac
have been sOdded, which gives neat Hnlsn L
the entire structure.
II respectfully suggest that the soddin
should be carefully watered and cut short
from time 10 time, to preserve It's HE an,
beauty: in fact. the care of the whole W0r
| should be entrusted 10 faithful hands, unde
the direction of the company. or, unueF GU
| munfcipai government. The latter might no
be inappropriate, as the monument occuple
and ornaments prominent square IN IN
heart of our city
rule in our city, that before this report wa
made Col. Edward {. Anderson, one OF IN
| committee having the work In charge, cease
from his labors and joined the great compan
at res beyond the River, and that ere tn
| suggestion OF General Gilmer could lie com
municated TO the municipal government IN
| voice became silent.
Board wise and practical. The monument
bv permission Of the municipal government
has been erected upon part OF the city DO
main, and has become permanently annexed
| thereto. while the city. through Its commit
| tees and officers. has appliances ana iaellltle
\ for the care ana preservation OF the struct9I'
1 which are not possessed by any other oOQy
| Ii is. therefore, the wish and request OF TN
/ board that the Municipal Government OF ga
vannah viii accept from the Central RailrOa'
and Banking Company OF Georgia. TINS mon
umeut a. a gift, and will care for and pre-
| serve il as public property, and the Boar
now tenders it for the acceptance OF you
honorable body.
Upon the reading of the address, Alder
| man Thomas arose and moved that, Il
view Of the gift of this beautiful monu
ment TO the city. the letter should b
filed upon the inmates of tn
| Council, and that a specla
committee of Council should b
appointed to prepare suitable resolution
of acceptance. On the passage OF th
resolution. the Mayor appointed the com
mittee, to consist of Aldermen Minis
Thomas and O'COnnOr.
The monument was completed Just Dc
fore the celebration of the SesQui-Centen
NAL a wear ago. at a cost OF about sl0,OOt
The structure is not only an ornament I
the city, to which it now belongs, but is
substantial tribute, and tittlngly perpetu
ates the name and fame of an emlnen
citizen and an hOnOred man.