The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-08-29
1Np1ANA.s SOLDIERS MONUMENT

No man ever had happier faculty Of
saving the right thing at the right time
than President Harrison has. This is
what he said, in part, in his all too brief
speech, at tie laying of the corner stone
of the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Mon.
ument, at indianapolis on Thursday last.
"This is q monument OF Indiana 10 In
diana soldiers. But beg you to remem-
Der that they were only soldiers OF lndi'
ana until the enlistment oath was taken;
that from that hour until they came back
to the generous State that had sent them
forth, they were soldiers OF the Union,
so that it seemed to me not inappropriate
that should bring to you to-day the
sympathy and cheer OF the loyal people
of all the States. No American citizen
need avoid it or pass it with unsympa-
thetic eyes, for, my countrymen, 1t does
not commorate war OF subJugatlon,
There is not in the United States to-day
man who, if he realizes what has oc-
Cured since the war, and has opened his
soul to the sight of that which Is TO
come, who will not feel that it is good
for all our people that victory crowned
the cause which this monument COM
memorates, do seriously believe that
if we can measure among the States the
benefits resulting from the preservation
of the Union, that the rebellious States
have the larger share. 1t destroyed an
institution that was their destruction,
1t opened the way for commercial life
that, if they will only embrace it and
face the light, means to them develop
ment that shall rival the best attain
ments of the greatest of our States.
The day wac fine, the concourse of peo-
pie was very large, and the proceedings
were admirably conducted. Secretary
Rusk and Attorney General Miller a.
tended and spoke briefly. We believe
that Indiana is the only State, so far,
that has provided for the erection of a
State monument to Its soldiers and sail
ors in its capital city, but we may be in
error in this. The history of this enter
prise and description of the structure
are in brief as follows :
1.-The scheme for monument to the
soldiers and sailors of Indiana was orig
mated by Mr.. George ]. Langsdale, edit
or of the Greencastle Banner. In 1875,
at the meeting of the State Editorial AS
ISOLATION in indianapolis, he presented
his plan, which was heartily endorsed,
and resulted in union, in October of the
same year, in Indianapolis, of all the sur
yiving soldiers and sailors in the State.
At this reunion the work was fairly be-
gun, the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors
Monument Association being formed.
The work of collecting funds was com
menced, but the panic of 1876 put stop
to the work, with only $1,000 in the treas
ury. In 1883 the work was again taken
up, and the ASSOCIATION was incorporated
under the laws of the State, with Mr.
Langsdale as President. The association
after meeting with many reverses Sc
cured the passage of bill by the Legis-
lature of 1867, appropriating $2OO, OO(
: for the erection of the monument. This
with the $22 900 contributed by the G
A. R., enabled the committee to begiI
work in earnest. They advertised fol
: designs, and on Jan. 81, 1888, that Of
8 Bruno Schmitz of Berlin was accepted
A kind of monument, it may be said
that is appropriate for the center of {
8 large city, The main central foundation
I. was put in during the summer of 1888 a
: cost of 1871, 1888. 1t is made of volitit
stone from the Romena quarries, Over
county. In December, 1888, the con-
!, tract for the erection of the main shat
anu VI bhO "o' ~
: to the Terre Haute Stone Company fol
$4,000. The contractors expect to fin
ish the work of the first shaft or pedesta
e by November of this year, and by thu
same month in 1890 will have their con-
tract completed and the monumen
= ready for the ornamentation.
. 1.-The monument will be built of ligh
4 gray volitic limestone from Stinesvllle
U Ind. quarries. When completed it will
!. be 268 feet high. On the north and soutl
5 sides will BIZ wide steps of stone, sevent.
feet in length, leading to the platform
8 of the terrace, from which the interior i
: reached by big bronze doors. Abov,
4 these doors large tablets will be placed
bearing inscriptions commemorative o
8 the part borne in the war oy the differ
s ent counties. Above the tablets is tn
inscription or dedication TO Indiana
Silent Victors, by Grateful State
o. "The monument is being erected il
2 Circle Park, in the exact geographic
= center of the city, and when completes
4 Is expected to be the most magnificen
o and imposing structure of the kind il
d America"