The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-11-28

began to look like the Centennial times
of 1877, and the occasion of the laying
of the corner stone August 10th, 1887, an
hour before the time set for the cap
stone to swing up into its place in mid
air. The number Of people gathered has
heen variously estimated, hut there Ger.
tainly were 1000, and the Rutland Her.
aid NAV not be "far off in saying that
fully $4,000 witnessed the laying of the
cap stone" ia.
The people came in carriages from all
the surrounding country, on foot from
this village, and Col. Bennett, superin-
tendent of the B. & R. and L. S. rail
roads, with his usual thoughtfulness, ran
special car from our depot to the base
of the monument to accommodate the
representatives of the press, the building
committee and local members of the
monument association, the clergy, ladies
and invited guests. The ride over the
spur track, used in the transportation oil
material from the main line, reminds
one of railroading in the Rocky Noun,
tains, and prepared those who assembled
the shaft, as stated below, for their pas.
sage sup the improvised elevator out,
side the shaft to its top Both exper'
fences were unique and out of the com
mon order.
After arriving on the ground a gun
announced the hour. These guns were
fired slowly at intervals, until all the
exercises ended at 80 o'clock, gun
for each State Including those last ad.
mitted) and one for the Nation, besides
the signals referred to. The expenses
of this patriotic portion of the impro,
vised programme had been met some
days before by subscription circulated
among our business men. The gunner
was Charles Dunn, and the cannon is a
brass piece owned by Messrs Robinson
times heretofore on other patriotic oc.
casions. ...,
THE CAP-sTONE ASCENDs TO ITS PLACE.
Superintendent Parsons had made
ample provision to crafty the curiosity
of all who attended. The cap-stone was
accessible to all who wished 10 touch
and see it before it should commence its
last journey towards the sky. This
stone is of the same material as the fac
ing of the shaft, Sandy Hill dolomite,
and pyramidal in form, being four feet
four inches by four feet four inches
(square) at the base and three feet high,
running up towards point, with flat
surface 6x8 inches at the top. These d.
mansions, together with oil others used
in the preparation of this article were
obtained from the contractor and are
therefore accurate.
The cap-stone as it swung by the cable,
ready, was ornamented by the Masonic
flag, spoken of last week, and an elegant
bouquet of flowers. The hag-One OF
The M G. L'lley & Co.'s best manufac
ture-is 4x36 inches, of blue silk,
in elegant, raised hand embroidery, is a
square and compass 10 combination with
the Letter g." all forming the principal
emblems Of the society. This is Mr..
Parsons's personal contribution towards
the event OF Monday, and will be duly
presented to Mt. Anthony Lodge, No. 10,
f. & A. NJ at its regular annual COM
munication, the fourth Tuesday Of next
month. The stone, with lis emblematic
flag, its rich adornment of flowers from
the greenhouse of L. M. Holton & Co.,
of this village, having been duly inspect
ed, at 2:40 clock the signal was given
and the whole slowly rose into the air.
John Somers, workman, had climbed
up about half way to give the signal to
our local photographers, and pauses
were made three times to allow mega
tives to be made, Mr.. Somers continuing
to climb until the top was reached. AT
precisely three o'clock the cap-stone was
swung around and deposited in its place
at the top ofthe monument The crowd
of people then dispersed.
In the words of Capt. +. ii. Buffum
whose report we use somewhat in the
preparation of this article: 1.-The setting
of the cap-stone practically completes
one of The loftiest and most imposing
memorial shafts on the face of the earth.
The Washington monument alone in
this country exceeds it in height. The
mighty shaft that commentaries the
victory won by General Stark over the
Br fish troops nnder Colonel Baum on
the 10Th day Of August, l777, rises sen
tinel-like from a commanding eminence
in Bennington Center, 100 feet above the
level OF he sea. The site of the monu-
ment marks the spot where the Cont
mental Storehouse of the Revolution
stood"
UP THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AT THE
TOP OF THE MONUMENT.
II was not generally known that there
were to be exercises on the platform
erected about the apex, not even TO the
representatives OF the press, or more
would have remained. As 1t was. a
group of some forty youths at the base
fingered of the large company, and Of
the guild-editorial none but the repre-
sentatives of the Boston and New York
Herald, and the BANNER saw the end"
at the top. Thirty gentlemen were
taken up in three elevator loads, and Of
these one load returned TO terra frmd
when the "car" descended for the last
of the skyward excursionists.
For description Of this @rial journey
we quote from the Rutland Herald,
written by one Of those who descended,
rs stated when all were ready the
word was given and the party slowly
but steadily arose up through the tube