The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-01-10
the SOLDIERS MONUMENT.
Annual Meeting OF the Association
Last Evening.
Shall there be a Monument or a
Memorial Building?
The Whole Subject Referred to the
Executive Committee.

The annuallmeeting Of the Portland Sol
diers' and Sailors Monument Association
was held In Reception Hall last evening.
| There was large attendance, and much in
terest was manifested. General j. M.
| Brown, president Of the Association, occu-
pied the chair After the reading and ap-
proyal Of the report Of the last annual meet
| ing, Secretary Roberts read the report Of the
executive committee After general review
Of what hasibeen done UP to the present
time, the report submits proposal Of the
Hallowell Granite Company. and suggss-
| tion in regaId to memorial building. This
part is as follows:
The executive committee, finding Mr. Fassett's
design beyond the means OF the Association voted
| TO accept the design and oher OF the HaiioweIl
Granite Company, provided that the design should
creased cost, as 10 meet the views Of the commit
tee. This action was reported TO the HallOwen
Granite Company on the Sth Of November, with a
tive Of the company. After some delay meeting
was arranged with Superintendent Hunt on the
Sth Of December. He said then that the e0mpa-
ny was not prepared TO renew the oner made In
June but II desired would submit offer In
writing. On the 18th Of December, he offered 10
build the monument, with all the figures and pan
els In bronze, Tor $4,000. He also made two
propositions contemplating granite figures, but
the lowest was S31 $50. This offer was sto re-
main open for thirty days, until January 1.
Your committee would further suggest that In
view OF the wishes of many members Of the Ass0-
citation that memorial building be erected In
stead Of monument, that your committee be In
structed to procure plans and estimates OF the
cost OF such building using the Old City Hall so
far as may be practicable In the construction.
This was the report of a majority Of the
committee. The secretary also read a minor
ity report as follows. protesting against the
proposition Of majority to reverse the
original design Of erecting monument:
The undersigned concur In the report Of the
majority Of the executive committee, except so
much Of IL as suggests 70 the consideration OF the
Association, the abandonment Of the idea OF
monument, and the reconstruetion. OF the Old
This plan was first presented 70 the committee
at its last meeting, on the evening OF the 7th
inst. can hfl~y be said to have had any consider
alton by the conrsi.tse and on this account alone
the undersigned would be'a2 willing to recommend
2 course Of action IN entIres 1isaccord with all
sociation, since the reorganization cfssse latter
The undersigned. however, not only protesr,
against the action Of the majority Of the commit
tee In reversing at the last moment and as X ap-
pears 70 the Undersigned, without proper con
mittee has worked for the whole period Of its ex-
istenee; but they desire to place themselves on
modelling Of the oId CITY Hal for suer purpose.
The act OF the Legislature approved Feb. 10th,
1887, authorized the city OF Portland 10 condemn
and place for the erection and malntalnance for
ever Of monument" aud directed the Mayor Of
the City after condemnation ITO cause the build
ing on said land to be removed at the expense OF
said city"
1t is plain, therefore, 10 the undersigned, that
even If the Association should decide to reverse
its action and amend It's constitution and decide
10 appropriate towards the erection Of a memorial
building the funds which were contributed for a
monument, It viii be first necessary 70 procure an
act Of the LEGISLATURE and submit the question Of
an appropriate site once more 70 a popular vote,
and for this reason they are unwilling TO recon-
mend TO the Association any action involving so
much uncertainty ant delay
The undersigned believe that the Association
can count uDon sufneient FUNDS 10 build In Market
Square, and upon the site given to IL by great
majority Of the citizens Of Portland, a monument
appropriate to the site and worthy Of the cause
and the Ideas Il Is Intended TO honor and perpetu-
ate They are also OF the opinion that satlsfaeto-
ry designs for such a monument within the means
OF the Association, could have been obtained long
ago, II II had not been for the limitation of size
(unwisely, as they think fixed by the committee.
JEO. MARSHALL BROWN,
H. b. BROWN,
CHARLES w. ROBERTS,
PHILIP HENRY BROWN,
WILLIAM II. GREEN. 10
A second minority report was also read, as