Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-04-19
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
MEMORIAL,

To the Late A. j. stevens, Master Me-
chanic of the S. p. Co.
Immediately after the death of Master
Mechanic Stevens, which occurred in this
city on February 11th, steps were taken
looking toward the erection of monu-
ment to his memory in the Plaza. At first
the proposition was confined to the railroad
shops in Sacramento, but since the en-
ployes Of the Southern Pacific Company
throughout the Coast have asked to be
allowed TO contribute. The City Trustees
granted permission for its erection in the
Plaza, and it is regarded by nearly every
person rs being the only appropriate place
for il.
COMMITTEE S CIRCULAR.
Yesterday the following circular, neatly
printed on tinted paper, opposite to an ex-
cellent electrotype of the deceased, was dis
tr1buted through the shops:
To The President, Directors, Officers and ElaDIoyes
o. the Southern Pacific CORlpdng-GENTLENRS .
reorganization has recently been formed called
the g A. J. Stevens Memorial Association" hay
ing It's headquarters in Sacramento.
The title sufficiently indicates the purpose of
the association. Officers have been elected as
follows J. K. Watson, President; VIM. McKen-
zle, Nice-President, and c. e. Bonte, Secretary
An Executive Committee of seven has been an
pointed, consisting of the three gentlemen above
named, ald Messrs. B. WEIGH, B. smith s. Uren
and J. W. Hanford. whose duty it is to ascertain
the kind and cost of such memorial as may be
desired and determined upon, proceed to obtain
subscriptions and see to erection, as soon as NAV
be, of an enduring and beautiful work of art
that may httingly testify to the admiration en-
ertalned by the officers and his fellow workers
OF the Southern Pacific Company of the charae-
ter, attachments and genius of A. !. Stevens the
Master Mechanic and of Mechanics the Master
The committee intrusted with this duty, which
tney regard Il mons and lDViOp
TO comply as soon as possible with the wishes of
over 1000 employees of the company, who are
spontaneously rendering their offerings, wish to
impress upon the minds of all that this is no or
binary occasion, nor was the man whose men,
DRY We are trying TO perpetuate one of the usual
run or men. He was an extraordinary man,
and IN trying TO confer honor on him we honor
ourselves
Il is with this in view we make this address to
all connected with the Southern Pacific Com
pany, feeling sure that the highest officers as
well as the employees of the company will take
advantage of the occasion to show their appre-
citation of the worth Of a most estimaDle man.
an honest, industrious officer, and mechanic
OF such high order.
1t is not too much to say in contemplating his
various and useful Inventions that he was n
genius. When we further reflect thst for many
years his inventive talent was almost wholly, If
not altogether, directed for the advantage and
profit OF his employers, and to assist his fellow
workers III obtaining given results with the
least expenditure OF labor or material, and
withal so modest and unassuming in his de-
peanor that ne rarely ever claimed merit for
A.. work before it was admired and approved
By all competent 70 judge of its superiority. 1t
may be considered unnecessary to enlarge on
his character, which was integrity itself There
fore, taking ali in consideration, it is eminently
proper that q work should be accomplished
that shall serve as an acknowledgment of I'M
usual worth, and prove an incentive to honor
able ambition in others.
AT this point It is proper to state that there is
some diversity of opinion to the kind of
memorial to be erected.
The desire of some is to erect a statue of the
deceased in the Plaza OF Sacramento while
others think handsome and durable monu-
ment should be erected near his remains in the
cemetery at Oakland, including the purchase of
u suitable lot, and The care of the same forever.
The committee having made some inquiries
venture to estimate that to erect statue worthy
of the man, and as n work of art the subscribers
would take pride in looking upon, would cost
anywhere from twenty TO thirty thousand dol
tars, while a very handsome monument 1t is
believed, could be built, including the cost of
lot. for ten thousand dollars
To be candid. it is the opinion of the msjority
of the committee that the latter is the most
feasible proposition, and for reasons urged that
the larger sum may be difficult to obtain, that
nothing but photograph, so far as is known,
exists of the late Mr.. Stevens, hence the diff
Guilty of obtaining statue that would bear a
resemblance TO the deceased, that we should
probably have TO look abroad for the artist,
and lastly, wait Il long time for its completion;
none OF these reasons exists in the case of u
monument
To ascertain the wishes and preferences of all,
the Executive Committee have been empowered
to appoint subcommittee, one for each of the
divisions of the company's roads, including the
steamer divisions whose duty it will be to
obtain the expression of the wishes of all in this
matter, and report 10 the Secretary, C, c. Bonte,
in Sacramento the result; the majority to gov
ern After which the subcommittee will be
notified to proceed and collect subscriptions
and forward the same to the Secretary.
1t is proper 10 add that the subscriptions must
necessarily be proportionate to the work desired
to be accomplished.
With great respect, we subscribe ourselves,
j. R Watson, Benjamin WEIGH, Stephen Uren,
VIM. Mckenzie, Benjamin Smith, J. W. Han
ford and Charles c. Bonte, Secretary, the
Committee
The committee evidently does not know
the cost of monuments or they would not
say that creditable monument could not
be erected for less than from twenty to
thirty thousand dollars. Nor is it well in
formed concerning the production of mon
uments, nine-tenths of which are designed
from portraits. a life-size statue either
in bronze or marble, surmounted on
an appropriate pedestal, can be obtained
for from s., 500 to S., 600. A large and ele-
CANT statue of appropriate design, such as
would be an ornament to the city and a
credit TO our people could be erected for
$4,000.
As sample of the cost of monuments
the following can be cited The Marshall
Monument Commission had S., 900 at their
disposal for the erection of suitable me-
mortal over the grave of the discoverer of
gold at CoioDa. They have let the con-
tract and will have monument completed
for that amount that would grace the pub
lie park Of any city il the Union. The
base OF the monument is twelve feet
square, built of granite to a height of thirty
feet. 1t is of handsome design, the mold
ings and trimmings being artisticaly
beautiful. On top of this colossal gran
lite, which is six feet square at the apex,
stands a statue of Marshall in bronze,
which is nine feet in height. II was de-
signed and will be erected by j. Marion
Wells, the San Francisco sculptor, and has
been pronounced by all who have seen the
model to be of a work of high art.
1t is hoped that when the men have ex-
pressed their opinion on tomorrow it will
be in favor of Sacramento. The subject is
treated in several lights in the editorial col
umns to-day, where it is pointed out that
the purpose OF q memorial. and the effecI
upon the public thought will be lost by
conining il 10 a mourning monument in 8
cemetery.
Filed for Probate.
The will of the late Louis Leloy was filed
in the Superior Court yesterday and Clio
tide Leloy, wife of the deceased, through
lar at+oroa,- Robart r Devlin filed n nett.