The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-09-23
A MOYEMRNT on POOl
To Call war ship Aftsr this Plass-The
Reason for II.

Reason for It
There Is q movement on foot 70 have
one Of the new war ships, or cruisers,
that are being built byth Government,
named after this place, either wheeling
or "City Of Wheeling" Thus far there
has been but little done to bring this
about except to talk aboutit, but gem
tleman who has always bad very much
at heart the fame and Interests OF
Wheeling, has interested himself Ia the
matter and will endeavor to interest
others till the movement shall assume
such proportions that the result shall be
the lauuchtug Of gallant ship that shall
proudly bear the name Of this thriving
community,
The Hon, G. l.. Cranmer Is the gem
tleman referred 10, He has already had
some informal correspondence about the
matter with former Wheellngite who
Is employed in the Navy Department,
and as far as he has gone, Judge Gram
mer feels encouraged. The person with
whom be has been corresponding Is Mr.,
Ed. O. Brace, formerly engaged here in
newspaper work. He was a member OF
the editorial stat OF the old Evening
Standard and made many friends during
the time he was here He always APP
psared to like Wheeling and has now
volunteered 10 do all he can TO have one
OF the new cruisers named alter this
city, 1925
Judge CranmeT, as we'll as a number Of
other prominent citizens, has always re-
GREETED that the fact that Wheeling was
the scene OF the last battle Of the Revolu'
ton was not commemorative IN some
appropriate manner. Historical research,
much Of which has been made by Judge
Cranmer, proves eonCluslvely that the
siege Of Fort Henry In 1884,, when q
small band Of settlers successfully
held out against about two hun:
bred aud forty Indians and sixty odd
British regulars, and when Betsey
Zane made herself famed in song and
story by rushing through the storm OF
leaden hail with her apron full Of pow
der, was the last engagement oil the
Revolutionary war, " was an engage
ment Of no small importance, and the
fact that 1t was the last battle together
with the story Of the fair Elizabeth, Its
heroine, has made 1t famous
The Government has commem.
Grated many National events Of
no greater, and some OF much
lesser importance In fitting manner
and there Is surely no reason why the
last battle OF the war that brought this
great land into an existence should not
be remembered by the Government in
some tangible form. Such is the view
Judge Cranmer takes Of the matter
and 1t is on that line that he has
been working. Through Mr.. Brace
there has beeu filed in the Navy
Department brief suggesting the name
Wheeling and giving the history Of the
Fort Henry siege, and the fact that II was
the last battle Of the Revolution, as rea-
sons why Wheeling should DO hoGored.
Mr.. Brace says that the name and the
reasons have been very iayorahly re-
ceived, and he has hopes Of being able
to do something for the Old town in
which lie has passed many pleasant
hours.
He also writes that II is customary Tor
the people or authorities Of place after
which the Government names u ship, to
acknowledge the honor by presenting
the ship with some token, usually an
appropriate statuette, and he suggests
that in case Wheeling Is SO hopored that
a bronze group, representing settler in
deadly combat with a savage, with q
British soldier standing ready TO aid
his ally, the redskin, in case he needs
assistance, be made and presented also
that the base bear the inscription: "Fhe
last blood OF the Revolution - Fort
Henry, Wheeling, 1882"
Such statuette would be mounted
on the poop deck, where 1t could he
seen from all parts OF the ship and
where 1t would be the first thing to
strike the eye ofthose boarding the yes
sci. The city OF Concord presented Q
statuette OF a minute man TO the vessel
that was named after that place.
Such q statuette would cost but few
hundred dollars, and the city could well
afford to make the expenditure for the
fame she would acquire. The story OF
Fort Henry and the Importance Of the
thriving city that now occupies Its ate
would DC told repeatedly and in all parts
OF the globe. Judge Cranmer's efforts
should be unanimously seconded.