davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21

With true knightly spirit, and lady
love allusion that sparitles of Heraldry,
the young General boldly abandoned the
defensive, and CALAMITY led his crude
force to assault, and to decisive victory
againsta trained foe, in a chosen posi-
| ton.
Measured by the numbers engaged, or
by the experience of thousands of men
to-day standing on this ground, it was a
small affair. Measured by consequences,
and the verdict of history, it was a bat
tie of surprising importance. 1t is this
fact that accounts for the erection of this
massive structure q century after Bur-
| goyne had the sudden attack of heart
failure, when he heard of the result at
Bennington. 1t is this fact that accounts
for the presence of President and Cabi-
net, of Governors and statesmen from so
many parts of the broad land that now
constitutes our country.
To each and all of her sons and
daughters, immediate and remote, now
here from beyond her borders, to each
and all of her other visitors who so
much honor us by their presence, the
people of Vermont, thrilled with pride
of her part in the heroic scenes that
made Bennington memorable, when
Warner rode by the side of Stark, and
Herrick hurled his corps of unerring
ritiemen against the entertainments of
Baum, extend hand and heart with enc
universal aCUfuirn- of doOp, sincere wei
come.
In the arrangements of the long pro-
gramme, it is appointed that the first
part, which will pertain more especially
to this monument, shall be here enacted,
Il 1n..,,,,sr,gr H.,
cises viii be opened by prayer.
The enormous crowd stood with heads
barred and listened with respectful atten-
ton to the address. At the conclusion
Mr.. Veazey introduced Rev. Charles
Parkhmst of Boston. the chaplain Of the
day, who delivered this invocation
THE OBLIGATORY PRAYER.
Rev. Charles Parkhurst, d. D., of
Boston, editor of lions Herald, prayed:
Thou God of nations, as of individ-
uals, hear us in this commemorative
hour. A great cloud of witnesses lift
most grateful voice to Thee Hallowed
memories thrill us. This is Thy chosen
land, and we are Thy people. Thine
own word is the inspiration of personal
freedom. Out of Thy Book our fathers
were taught to sigh for individual lib
erty. To these shores thou didst lead
them to find State We praise Thee
to-day for the heritage that comes to us
in this goodly land, and in patriotic an
cestry; That ardent love of liberty,
of country and of home, Thou didst
impart. The language of freedom was
heard from these hills: 81 will lift up
mine eyes unto the hills from whence
cometh my help" Thou didst say:
eff the Son shall make you free, We
shall be free indeed 'Stand fast in
the liberty wherewith Christ hath made
us free.r Brethren, We have been
called unto liberty" Fer the generation
that learned so well these lessons, we
thank Thee. For the women and the
men who could die, but who could not
be enthralled, we thank Thee. For all
the herCism, sacrifice and quenchless
faith, we thank Thee. Especially for
the recotd for which a grateful people
rear this monument, we thank Thee.
For thealertness and the courage to
meet great crisis and turn back the
The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21

the Granite state, whose patriotic fathers
under the leadership and inspired by the
| peerless courage of the gallant Stark,
| tiocked to yonder battlefield to Join
with Warner and Herrick in that mem
orable battle which the historian of to-
day records as one of the most
important and decisive of any of the
revolution.
We welcome, as mother welcomes
her long absent children, those sons of
our own Green Mountain State who have
| gone forth from their native hillsides to
win honorable records in every field. You
have made us proud of the name of Yer
mont, and with a mothers pride we
offer you mothers blessing; God bless
you. Though wealth and honors have
come to you in other lands, we are I'M
speakably happy in the thought that
when you turn your faces Vermont
ward you feel that you are coming
home.
Yes, sons of Massachusetts,, sons of
New Hampshire, sons of Vermont, yes
everybody, from the official head of the
grandest nation the sun ever shone upon
to the plain untitled citizen, friend and
stranger, distinguished or unknown,
thrice welcome all to the festivities of
Your presence attests alike your CRATE
full recollection of Vermont's grandest
historic achievement and early devotion
to the union, and your sympathy with
the patriotic and inspiring ceremonies of
this day that shall enshrine that achieve
ment and that devotion in the memories
of her people.
In this august presence she unrolls
the record of an hundred years and
points with just pride to an historic
page upon which she finds nothing she
would conceal, nothing she would oh
literate.
THE MONUMENT TRANSFERRED TO YER
MONT.
Ex-GOv Prescott of New Hampshire,
president of the Bennington Battle
Monument association. in brief speech
then transferred the monument to the
State of Vermont at follows:
Your EScellency:
My duty on this occasion is simple
and | should transcend it if attempted
to Iecite the events preceding and at the
battle of Bennington.
That duty has been committed to a
gentleman whose ripe scholarship and
graceful eloquence admirably qualify
him for the effort and to whom this vast
concourse of people will be delighted to
listen.
will, however, allude to few facts,
purely historical, as this event may
justify such a recital.
One hundred and fourteen years ago
battle was fought in this vicinity
under the leadership of General John
Stark, of New Hampshire, by the patri-
otto volunteer citizens of that state and
others of Vermont and Massachusetts,
whose heroism and devotion to the
cause of liberty have never been ex-
celled. At the expiration of century,
a great gathering, in 1877, assembled in
Bennington, and with imposing cere-
The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21

crowd was up with the soldiers; for with
the first break of dawn, the streets be-
gan to assume a lively appearance and
the roads leading into the town COM
menced to empty their stream of car
riages and wagons into the camp
grounds. Every private as well as every
public house in Bennington was crowded
last night and many slept on the lawns
while hundreds were glad to find Sleep
ing quarters in tents which afforded
little protection from the chill night air.
The first of the special trains was not
due before S o'clock; but the wagon
roads brought very large accession to
the multitude in the town before that
hour, and when the first train arrived,
the gaily decorated streets were well
filled.
The principal interest was in the ar
rival of the President and his party who
had spent the night at the home of Gen.
j. G. Mccullough at North Bennington,
five miles away. Gov. Page did not 90
to meet the President this morning. He
drove over to North Bennington last
spent the evening with the President at
sent Col Webb and staff over there
to act as the Presidents es-
cort and with him had gone dozen
members of John A. Logan Post G. A.
r. of Orwell, VT. (mounted), under COM
mand of Capt II. G.. Hubbard. These
Grand Army men were in undress cav
alryluniform and carried sabres. The
carriage which had been provided for
thelPresident was drawn by four white
horses with plumes of red, white and
blue in their head-stalls. On the box
sat two coachmen in livery. As the pro
cession approached bennington, the
mounted escort rode ahead of the car
riage in which sat the Governor and
Gen. Mccullough with the President.
Behind this carriage were others i'll
which sat the members of the Presidents
party. 1t was the duty of the mounted
escort to keep the roadway clear and it
was not without difficulty that they sue
ceeded in making passage for the
Presidents carriage through the crowds
Of vehicles which filled the narrow
country road. All the way from North
Bennington to Bennington. the Presi-
dent was greeted with cheering to which
he responded by taking of his hat and
bowling.
The start from North Bennington was
made shortly after o'clock but progress
The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21

sons and daughters of Vermont shall
honor bravery and patriotism and re-
we're the memory of a loyal, self-sacritic-
ing ancestry; so long, am sure, will
this memorial of a patriotism as pure
and holy as ever made its home in the
breast of man, be guarded and cared for
as a sacred trust.
1t shall stand here untouched, save by
the finger of time, to tell to our children
and our childrens' children the story of
the struggle for liberty, and to inspire
all who may come beneath its'shadow
with a deeper love of country and
higher appreciation of those men whose
sacrifices made possible the priceless
blessings we are to-day privileged to en-
joy.
Your association, sir, has earned and
receives our gratitude for the faithful
manner in which il has discharged the
important trust committed to its care.
You have done all that you promised.
The work so auspiciously begun by you
in 1887 has been carried forward, until
Continued on page ~
The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21

staff mounted in front of Gen. Green
! leaf tent at the end of the parade
| ground and the Marshals orderlieS rode
| backward and forward across the parade
carrying orders to the Marshals
of the different divisions. The hour fixed
for starting the parade was 10 o'clock,
but it was nearly 1890 o'clock when the
last report showed that the divisions
were all in readiness for the start and
word came to the Chief Marshal that
the President and the reviewing party
were ready. A minute later the Presi-
dent and his party left the Home and
resumed their seats in the carriages
which awaited them. The arrangement
of the carriages was changed slightly for
the parade. In the first carriage sat
the President, Gov Page and Adjt- Gen.
Peck. In the second were ex-Gov Pres
colt of New Hampshire, president of the
Bennington Monument association and
Hon. Edward j. Phelps, the orator of
the day. In the third were the Secretary
of,the Treasury, the Secretary of War
and Rev. Charles Parkhurst of Boston,
the Chaplain of the day. In the other
carriages were Attorney General Miller,
Private Secretary Halford, Gen. W.
G. Vaezey, Gen. J. G.. Mccullough,
Maj.-Gen. o. o. Howard, L. S. A.,
Gen. Russell A. Alger, Senator JUS
tin S. Morrill,, Hon. Geo. f. Edmunds,
Gen. Alex S. Webb. Senators Chandler
and Gallinger of n. H., Representatives j.
W. Stewart, w. w. Grout and II. H. Pow
ers of Vermont, Hon. Aldace F.
Walker of Chicago, Col. Langdon,
u. S. A., Maj. AinswOrth. L. S. A., the
Governor of New Hampshire and his
staff; the Governor of Massachusetts, and
his staff the Lieut.-Gov. of Massachu-
sets, and committees of the two Houses
of the Massachusetts, Legislature, Col.
w. Seward Webb, John King of New
York, Senator IL. l.. Dawes of Mass,
Hon. S. E. Chittenden of New York,
Hon. Daniel Roberts of Burlington, VT,
ex-Gov Green of New Jersey, Hon. S. S.
Tarbell of Boston, Hon. Henry G. Hall,
Historian of the Sons of the American
Revolution Gen. J. B. Carr of ALBANY,
Hon. NJ. w. Cooper of n. Y, Hon. j. b.
Erhardt of New York, Hon. G. G. Bene-
dict of Burlington, the Lieut.. Governor,
Secretary of State, other State officers,
and many other distinguished persons.
Only the President and his immediate
party with their escort to the number of
about 40 rode in the first carriages.
These fell in behind the Battalion of
Amoskeag Veterans which had been APP
pointed a special escort to the President.
They led the first division which was
under the command of Col. Julius j.
Estey of the LIST Regiment V. n. G. On
each side of the Presidents carriages
walked three Grand Army veterans un-
der command of Maj. j. John S. Dren-
The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21

was slow and it was after nine when the
little procession reached the Soldiers
Home where the carriages drew up and
the President with the assistance of
Gov. Page left his carriage and entered
the GovaTpoTs parlor. Before he en-
tered the house he turned and bowed re-
peatedly to the cheering multitude
which had surrounded the building. In
the parlOr the President held a brief re-
ception at which the members of the
Governors staff and other distin-
guished persons were introduced to
him. In the mean time, the militia
forces had been assembling on
the parade ground without. The
corps of cadets from West Point accom-
panied by the post band had arrived on
a special train and had marched to
the place of assembly and number of
Grand Army Posts, and regiments of
Patriarchs Militant under command of
Lt.-Gen. Underwood, commander-in-
chief, were drawn up on different parts
of the parade ground. Brighten. w. L.
Greenleaf, the chief marshal, and his
The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21

nan. Following the carriages in the line
was the LIST Regiment VT. N. g., three
companies of the New Hampshire Ma
tional Guard, militia company from
Troy and one from Hoosick Falls, n. Y,
the Light Guard Battalion of North
Adams, Mass, Battery b, 4th Artillery,
u, S. A., under command of Brevet
Major Harry G. Gushing and the LIST Light
Battery V. n. G. These constituted the
First Division. AS the Chief Marshal
gave the command for the column to
start, platoon OF mounted depu-
ties under Sheriff Robinson led the
The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21

oppressor, we thank Thee. For the
part which this trinity of States bore in
that conflict. we rejoice. Such history
and fellowship to-day are our glory and
our hope The valorous love of liberty
which shone forth in the Green Noun
tain Boys, in the sons of the Granite
State and the Berkshire Hills, is our
enthusiastic Joy. Thou dost link us in
dissolubly together in these thrilling
memories. We thank Thee that Thou
, 1891-02-06
Down in IL Coal Nine.

Accompanied by Hon. Ell. Thorpe.
mayor of the city, who took along a box
of cigars for the boys, your correspondent
started out to see a coal mine. The mine
selected was No. 3, where Mr.. Thorpe
worked himself as a miner ten years ago.,
and being well acquainted with the mine
a guide was not necessary. The engine
house was soon reached and lamps were
there secured. MI. Joe lredale, the en-
gineer, kindly loaned the writer a blouse
and cap. The engine house itself Is an
interesting place, and it is quite marvel
Gus to one not accustomed to machinery
to see how easily one man controls the
ponderous machinery-unreels the 1000
feet of cable, thus lowering the train of
mining cars as many feet down an incline
OF FIVE and a half degrees into to the
mine at lightning s~peed-slows up, stops,
starts, or hoists the train according to
given signals. The signal system used is
a sort Of telegraph system much the same
as that used in hotels. To press on a
button or pull a wire means to hoist or
lower, start, stop, or 20 fast or slow.
From the engine house we took a circuit
Gus rout Y the mule trail or air cur
rent" iu.o a. mice, emerging into the
main slope about four hundred yards
from its mouth. Soon we began to pass
struggling Cinnamon at the places where
the little railroads crossed each other and
, 1891-02-06
Looking Forward.

Denver, Evanston and Rock Springs
capitalists own 1000 acres of coal land
within two miles of Rock Springs. For a
year they have been prospecting, and
they have had surveys run presumably for
the purpose of finding the easiest. railway
outlet from their lands, There are still
thousands of acres of vacant coal land in
this vicinity. ANY citizen can take up
100 acres of coal land, and any association
800 acres. The government price of
these lands is $50 an acre when within
within fifteen miles OF a completed line of
railroad. Ifmore than Is miles from a
railroad the price is $40 en- acre.
As stated elsewhere George Young,
with only the aid OF his son, operates a
coal mine. The Black Buttes and others
consist OF only a few men of limited
means. What one man has done another
man can do What one company of only
three or four has done another company
OF three or four can do. The question of
organizing a local loan and building asso-
cation IS being agitated here. No doubt
it would be a good thing. But would it
not also be a good thing for the intelligent
miners to organize and gradually become
themselves mine owners as well as owners
Of their own homes? 1t seems to the
writer that there Is a great chance for i'm
provement in this direction. Perhaps
after all the present dull spell will he a
good thing. Men will stop and think.
At any rate look at it in any light, and
with the constantly increasing demand for
coal cau it be otherwise than that Rock
Springs with her wonderful mines will
~continueito grow and be prosperous, con-
tinue to be the greatest coal mining camp
in the west?
, 1891-02-06

Denver, Feb. "a San Francisco
special to the Rocky Mountain Netcs says:
A letter from Shanghai gives the details
of terrible floods and famine which pre-.
vailed recently in the interior districts of
Northern China. Governor General Ii
Hing Chang reports that the people of
Schuan suffered terribly by a food which
destroyed the temples, bridges and city
walls In no less than ten districts. In
Wen Chuan the loss of life reach fully
1000. Immediately following the floods
at Chang, fire broke out and destroyed
thirty-tive houses. In three other places
houses were burned to the number of 200.
The suffering among the poor is some
thing terrible. Roads everywhere are
difficult of passage and crowds of starving
wretches are on their way to Shanghai,
and how to deal with them will be a diff
cult problem. Corn and millet are SELL
ing at the fairs along the great road to
Pao Tin and San at exactly double the
price paid one year ago.
, 1891-02-06
Knum Make. a stntemenI.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.-The commits
sioner of pensions has submitted to the
secretlry of the interior a long statement
of the operations of the bureau for the
past seven months. He figures that the
total first payments under the new law
during the fiscal year will show a reduc-
ton of $40, 900. 900 on the first payments
as compared with last year, aud that the
predictions of an extraordinary deficiency
in the APPROPRIATION for the present and
next fiscal year will not be realized. He
declares that the practical operation of
the act of June 81, last, will be to ma
terially reduce the annual value Of pen
sions
, 1891-02-06

LOUISVILLE. KY. Feb. with his
brain fairly baked. Henry Kramer, IN un.
fortunate electric light lineman, lies in a
room at the Bridewell house. on East
Market street. Il is one of the most dis
tressingly horrible cases on record, and Is
a very strong u against the new
mode of capital punishment in vogue in
New York. Kramer is a young man and
came here from st. Louis a short time
ago 20 assist in putting up the wires.
Yesterday they we're taking a wire over
the New York store, aud Kramer took a
live wire in one hand, and the damp
metal roof completed what is known as a
short circuit. Like a fash he fell pros
trate, and was carried in an insensible
condition to his room. Or. Berry was
sent for, and made every possible effort TO
revive him, but 1t was OF no avail and
when be left the sufferer at 4 O'Clock this
morning he could not arouse him from
his lethargic state. The physician had
no sooner left, though. than a remarkable
change took place, The patient regained
consciousness. aud, with a maniacal glare
in his ey es. sprang from his bed, fought
off the. attendants and rushed madly to
the street. Down the street he flew past
the a,tonished policemen and night
jewellers, and finally ran breathlessly into
the central police station. He begged
Capt. Pennington to save him from an
electric ghost that was pursuing him.
The station keeper saw at once that his
mind was %deranged, and placed him in a
cell. Later Keeper Basler came on duty
and having occasion to open the door to
put in another prisoner Kramer seized
him aud made a frantic effort to escape,
but the officer was too powerful for him
and held him back. When the key was
once more turned on him the poor fellow
fell heaaloug to the floor. For a few mo-
ments he lay there, and then, opening
his eyes, reason shone in them Tor a
time. To the station keeper the sufferer
said that he had worked with a man in
st. Louis about a year ago, and the latter
had been hurried to death by a wild wire.
The memory of the terrible experience
had clung to him ever since. Officer Bias
Ter called the patrol wagon and had him
conveyed to the city hospital. DR.. Bar
b5ur, however, had no accommodations
for him, and he was again moved II the
Bridewell house. There DR.. Berry placed
him under the influence Of opiates and he
is now sleeping quietly, with a possible
chance OF recovery DR.. Berry said II
was enc OF the most remarkable cases he
ever saw. The force OF the shock Kra,
mer received was at least 1000 volt:
stronger than was required t. kill Kemm.
Ter. the New York wife-murderer. The
physician believes Krnmer's brain is nearly
baked, and that he will never recover his
his reason. How he lives is one of the
questions that is puzzling the medical fra.
t%ernity.
, 1891-02-06

WASHINGTON, Feh. 5.-The old diff
Guilty as to when hearings should cease
came up in the house coinage committee
this morning. The free coinage men
wanted the day fixed at once. After
much discussion Williams moved a reso-
luton providing for hearings tomorrow
and the first four days OF next week, after
a vote should be taken. An amendment
limiting the meeting days to three
a week, was proposed by Walker and
adopted, ! to 5, Wilcox voting with the
free Coinage men and Wickham (chair
mani against them. Twelve O'Clock hav-
ing arrived there was no time vote on tie
amended proposition, and the committee
adjourned until tomorrow.