The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-27
KIND OF MONUMENTS TO BUILD,
a Suggestion That Ought to Strike
Many as a Wise One

A1aAJ d. a W 1=0 Oue-
SAVANNAH, GA, Jan. 25.-Editor Morn
ing Net1S: In other cities it is not infre-
quently the custom for men and women of
wealth TO build monuments to themselves
that shall not only immortalize their names
In these places of their birth, but also
beautify and enrich their particular cities
and render them more attractive and more
prominent before tbs people of this broad
land for all time to come. Witness Pro-
basco's fountain in Cincinnati, the Cooper
Institute in New York, the Girard College
in Philadelphia, the Corcoran Art Gallery
in Washington, and many other such objects
and institutions that might be named,
that are not only enduring monuments
of usefulness, but of adornment as we'll
In Savannah, although we have a history
of nearly two hundred years duration, not
withstanding that in all that time there
have been scores and hundreds, and proba-
bly, even thousands Of wealthy persons who
were native born, and all their lifetime res
ldents here, who remembers them now?
Some of these people who were rich, and
prominent citizens when the writer was a
boy, now that they have been dead some
ten, or fifteen, or twenty years, are 80 far
forgotten, that the mention of their names
doesn't so much even eS stimulate a query
as TO who they were.
1t woul1 be no difficult matter in this
connection to mention instances, only that
perhaps some few remaining friends Of these
old and rapidly becoming extinct names
might consider it slightly invidiCus, if not
latter the fashion of some good old people,
positively outrageous; but the fact is none
the less noteworthy one, aud well worth
bordering, and what commentary upon
the transformers of our human existencel
Looking down the future years, from the
clty's present high vantage ground of cult
ure, wealth and prosperity, what one name
will be remembered? Will there be one?
Yes, one. But only one. Is it, indeed, too
much to say only one? But one good woman
has been, shall we say noble enough? at
any rate we are within bounds to say
wise enough, to link her name Immortality
with institutions of philanthropy and indy
ing usefulness in this place. Mary Telfair
has unquestionably immortalized her name
in the city of Savannah. Heavens eternal
blessings upon her memoryl The Telfair
academy, the TeIfair hospital, the Telfair
home, will cause unnumbered generations
yet to come of all CLASSES, rich as well
as poor, to rise up and call her blessed.
How much better thus to leave ones
money than in meaningless q tons of
marble or granite i'll an unfrequented
cemetery. And now for suggestion.
as the late William II. Vanderbilt
thought enough of it to leave no less a sum
than 800, 900 to the Young Mems Christian
Association of New York, the consideration
of the work of that organization must be
presumably worth at least something more
than a superclious dismissal. In Savannah
1t will bear the closest examination. Though
not on so large a scale as New York, it has,
relatively speaking, been quite as important,
hlxy al
Numbers of young men have been benefited
by it, and are willing to publicly testify as
much
But the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton of this place is withouta home. After
years of indefatigable and by no means
fruitless labors, they feel encouraged to try
to secure the old Gallaudet house, corner of
Jones and Bull streets. But hold one mo-
ment; this is not yet the suggestion. After
the example of Charleston and Atlanta, our
near neighbors, thecitizens of good old Sa-
vannah, will certainly see to it that the young
men secure that desirable piece of property,
and give them speedily the So, 600 or SIS, 900
they need. A small sum compared with
the $50, 1000 or $4,000 that Charleston, and
the $4,000 that Atlanta gave their young
men. But is that enough? In those cities
they have elegant new buildings, and here,
as a city, we seem 10th to give them even
the shabby old structure that has been re-
terred to. The suggestion is, that some rich
person has an opportunity to immortalize
the family name in this city as surely and
securely as is the name Of Telfair
Farwell hall is the name of the Young
Mems Christian Association building in
Chicago. Let some wealthy person link his
or her name with similar building in
Savannah and donate a magnificent struct-
ure that shall be an ornament to the place,
as well as perpetuate the beneficenU work
that has already been inaugurate1 by the
local Young Mems Christian Association.
Is there anything else that offers better
opportunity! There are already hospitals
and an art gallery, orphanages and "a
splendid library, and other worthy institu-
tons, and may these, every one of
them, receive many gifts and num-
berless requests, is the sincere wish
of the writer; but he humbly
suggests that as New York, Boston, Brook
Ign, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Charleston,
Athens, and countless other cities point
with pride to their Young Mems Christian
Association buildings, so an unprecedented
chance is at the very door of some man or
woman of means in this city, to erect last
ing monument to themselves, as we'll as
bring up old Savannah in the front rank
with other communities, as, we should be
ashamed to say it, she certainly is not at
present. Who will be the fortunate one to
seize this magnificent opportunity