The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-08-01
At PLYMOUTH ROCK.

At PLYMOUTH ROCK.
the Dedication of the Monument 70 the
Pilgrim Fathers nm August 1-History
of . Work First Proposed In 1859.
PLYMOUTH, Mass July 23-The magni6-
cent Pilgrim monument Is to be dedicated
August ], and the citizens not only OF this
historic town but OF all the country abOut
have united to make the occasion tho
proudest in the history of the old colony.
and, so far a. they may. one Of the prOnd-
est In the history Of the American Union.
Tho monument il situated on one OF the
highest hills in the town, little northwest
Of the rock at which the pilgrims landed
and about west Of the anchorage OF the
Mayfower.
II was in 1853 that the proposition was
first made to erect suitable memorial to
the landing Of the pilgrims.
The monument as 1t now stands has cost
sou, 900, and. with the exception of one
tablet, has been the work OF the Hallowell
Granite Company. It ID solid granite
throughout and consists of an octag-
onal pedestal forty-five feet high. upon
the center Of which stands the figure Of
Faith, thirty six feet high. resting one foot
upon Plymouth rock and holding In her
left hand an open Bible, while the right
arm, uplifted, points toward Heaven. The
pedestal has four large and four small faces
Upon the former are tablets bearing the
names Of the founders Of the colony and
historic facts connected with tho original
while from the smaller faces
project four buttresses or wing -pedestal1
Upon each OF these Is seated Q figure Of he-
roic size representing, with the figure Of
Faith. the principles Of the founders These
figures are Morality, Education, Free
dom and Law. and on the faces of tho
pede stal at their feet are alto-reiief tablets
the embarkation at Delft
Haven, the signing Of TIE social compact
in the cabin OF the Mayflower, the landing
at Plymouth. and the first treaty with the
Indiana The sides Of the wing pedestals
have figured tablets carrying out the ideas
Of the figures above them.
The pedestal and the tablets are the 70.
suit OF contributions from all parts OF tho
United States The figure Of Faith was tho
gift of the late Oliver Ames and cost S32.-
OOO. Toward the figure Of Morality the COM
monwealth OF Massachusetts appropriated
910, 600 and for the accompanying relief the
state of Connecticut gave 81, 100. The figure
OF Education, with the tablet, was the Gift
OF Roland Mather, Esq. OF Hartford. Conn,
while for that of Freedom, with ite tablet,
an appropriation Of $l5,0O0 was secured
from the United states Government,
mainly through the instrumentalitg Of the
Hon. John D. Long. Law and its tablet
were paid for by contributions from law
yers throughout the country.
The cornerstone of the monument was
laid August ?, 1879, with Impressive cere-
monies, which included addresses by Rich
ard Warren, of New York, thsn presidents
Of the Pilgrim Society; Genersl n. T. Banks.
then Governor Of Massachusetts,. and
Colonel John 7. Heard, then grand
of the State. A box containing val
by tho late Dr. Nathaniel B. Shurtlef, Of
Boston, In behalf OF the building commit
tee The pedestal was completed and tho
figure of Faith was placed in position in
1887, and in 1878 Morality was added Edu-
cation followed not long after, but it was
not until last year that the figures OF Law
and Freedom completed the monument
The exercises Of dedication have bee a
planned by Q committee OF the Pilgrim
Society, to which tho selectmen 0f
Plymouth have been joined, headed BY
Hon. William I. Davis, who presided
when the cornerstone was laid At Q
o'clock in the morning the Masonic
Grand Lodge will dedicate the monu-
ment according to the ritual Of tho order
At II o'clock . procession will forrn,
included in which will be the Governor
and q la-ge militia escort, the Grand Army
of the Republic, the Masons, the Odd-fel-
lows, the members of the Pilgrim Society
and others Dinner will bs served at 1
o'clock, probably In the hall Of the Pilgrim
Society, and here the literary exercises will
take place Hon. W. C. r. Breckinridge, nf
Kentucky, will be the orator Of the dag,
and John Boyle UReiliy, OF Boston,
the poet, and after-dinner speeches are ex-
pected from Ex-Governor Long. president
OF the Pilgrim Sociery; President Harri-
son, ex-Presidents Hayes and Cleveland,
Secretary Blaine, senators Ingalls,, Evarts
and Hoar, Congressman Carlisle, Randall,
Lodge, Banks and Greenhalge, Chauncey
NJ Depew, Joseph IL Ch0ate, Hon. Thomas
+. Bayard, General sherman and others Of
the invited guests, and Myron p. Whitney
will sing Tho Breaking Waves Dashed
High
bali and q pyrotechnic display In the
evening will bring the festivities to close.
Already the streets have been spanned by
arches, and other indications of q gala co.
casion are visible; and unless the weather
proves inauspicious the Old Colony people
will make 1t the biggest OF their many cele-
brationa
BosroN, July 2i-Ex-Governor Long has
received letter from President Harrison
stating that he hopes to be present at the
dedication OF the Pilgrim National monu-
ment at Plymouth on Thursday OF next
week.