The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-09-19
unveiling of the Soldiers. Monu-
napk

monument IN memory OF their fallen COM
rades adbecn often sules suggested butoniy
took definite shape in Manh last. when a
u-ioaunientai eumninee was appointel and
the or of saHc;iag subscriptions and eol-
lecing data was entered upon. In s few
weeks time the order for the monument was
given. the COMMITTEES having satisfied them
se,ye that the requisite amount could be
raised without effort and that they sere
rghtin 50 concluding Is evidenced by the
beautiful monument decorating the public
grounds. and by the isl Of generous and
voluntary contributions published in a
other column It was ! proud day Tor the
members oftbe Grand Army, ard one that
vii ilgmine the brightest page IN the his
tory Off p Cuunsins' Post. The business
men ofsoNn had been lastly engaged for
ten days preceding the day Ofdedicaiion in
making necessary arrangements to entertain
the great crowd Of people who were expect
ed TO be present 70 partieipaie IN the exeres
e Of the day. saturday was devoted todee-
Grating the business houses, private residen-
os and the pubic grounds. and when the
shades Of evening gathered round about, the
borough looked a blashing and gay as her
nasiest maiden. But the Grand Army con-
uads and business men neglected taking the
unstable condition Of JuRi4, PsriAs into
consideration, and the rainfall usat Corr
menced beating down their decorations ar
hour afterward struck CONSERVATION to the
hearts Of all The elements played havoc
With the bunting throughout the night, and
ripped the muslin entirely free that encircled
the monument. Several hundred people ar
rived Do Sundays trains, and took posses
sion Of the hotels. The rain continued to
fail al intervals throughout the night. and
all hopes ola great crowd being present van
islled, bar not in the hearts Of the strongest
who we're w~ide-aWake and pie=sed the
heavy grey Of the morning with the day
light gan. As early as nine O'Clock the
streess ven well filed with strangers who
mad driven for miles through a drenching
rain and over muddy suads 10 be present Oh
this memorable occasion. About this time
tie sun of heaven Peefed from behind the
clouds and smiled on the mountain slope,
disrelllug the ain-clouds and send;ngr lad
ness % The hearts Of the multitude, bat It
was Of short duration, Tor IN j moment huge
black clouds had larkenel the smiling face
oftle sun, and LET the moisture GaIl in great
big, penetrating drops. The old soldiers.
sons Of Veterans, odd Fellows and knights
ofthe Golden Eagle wh0 had formed IN line
on Patriot street to await the coming Of the
excursion trains, took their drenching ike
ducks and marched away, sitter the line OF
procession had beed formed. ike old sol
diers The line Of ma7ch was up Patriot 10
Main Cross, to Main, down Main to East, up
East 10 Union thence 10 Court House Square,
where the different orders were formed in
SOLID ranks flcing the monument.
The wills church Band headed the pro-
cesion followed By Somerset Order Of Odd
Fellows Hooyersvile Knights Of the Cold
en- Eagle, Somerset Knights Of the Golden
Eagle, sons Of Veterans from the different
camps in the county, Grand Army Posts and
old soldiers. There was no lack Of music
and good marching music at that in IN pro-
cession. TIE wills church. New Lexing-
tn. Berkeley MIIlsand Berlin cornet Bands.
shanksviue Somerset and stoyestoEn drum
CORPS sere stationed 40 intervals throughout
Tie Procession and music was ever in your
ear.
The Grand stand vas covered riIh buut-
Ing greens. ard hammers. rns exercises
were opened with The Dag thar waved a
r4-H .- - E .fsaN af,sr
under the leadership OF wm. II Ruppsl.
Esq During tie singing the large lag that
yelled tae nouument from view vas slowly
filled and leitto ioetia the breeze.
IN the midst Of a pe.iing rain with
heads barred the comrades of the g.. \ r.
dedicated tie monumen in accordance with
The ritual Fl their order, Then corar9de
Hiram King presented the monument 20 the
county in the following words
Gaa-za. Ge H5aora5le Commissioner q
scsr Cunt Ny comrades OF the local
Grand Army have deputei me for tie very
agreeable dairy Of addressing you to-day In
tieir behalf. II affords me great pleasure. 70
hank you, the couuiys e~a-todians Tor
kindly grantiag u in p%erpeiuity a square Of
these grounds on which u place our memo
ria. tribute to The perpetual memory Of
fallen comrades.
Not all oftle sons Of Somerset county,
who sp-sng loyalty 10 arms il defense OF the
Union. returned from The theatre ofthe great
civil var. Many sleep on the baiile-heik
( ofthe Southland. ia National cemeteries. in
unknown graye-soue wers laid tenderly
10 rest far from The sounds Of war by the
loved ones at home IL WAS Thought fitting
( that the heroes whose las; breath was the sii-
Euag smokeof bafjle-gh0 relulem was the
fierce tAgnders Of waT, should receive memo
rial recognition from their surviving con-
u3e auI -ell0w citizens. our Post enter
el uToa the enterprise Of buildinga Soldiers
Monument the patriot impulses Of the u
" were stirred into promP' Response the
memorial stands Wonder. and has just been
dedicated according to ihe beautiful ritual
E @ the Grand Army.
The monument, You w~illsee, IS ola double
character, the lowe section alone being me
moral Upoa the tablets and plinth are
inscribed Tire Dames = the hllsu. in material
as durable As Jhei- military achievements
The shal iears the embieas OF lie different
arms OF the service. TIE soldier staining
oa The shaft not dead, bat instinct with
life in every feature. He IS not meant 10
represent the heroic dead He j. the typical
American soldier. the fame Of whose militia
r. achievements has rlns around the
planet. a hundred years ago, in Continual
rssimentals with aini-lock muskei, he feed
weI-uigh a continent from thelyrany Of the
greatest military power on earth. lie later
compelled Great Britain 30 accord the rights
~ ireemen 70 American sailors on the high
seas To-day be stands on The pinnacle Of
military and American fame. lie is the
bog 10 blue. He has grown to greater re
uowu since he gave u half a hemisphere for
a couaty-ince he INDICATED American in
fenationai rights He has Just taught the
American nation and the World the dogma.
that the bands tia, make the great republic
Z Haci5w Ja.a ere essenrial-ihat the
uaiou ofSiate : NOT Feieral and voluntary,
BAT organic, hence in~disso.ubie.
We placed orr soldier in the military 20
sition Of parade 7est, for he has Just CON
ciadel the miehtiest military achievement Of
all iistoy-tie true uni6cation o. the great
~ Of the worlds national brotherhood
Nay he stand a hundred years az the restgul
attitude, cid IN the familiar blue
The Grand Army has the names Of no