Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-08-27
AT BENNINGTON.
The Monument Dedicated with Impos-
ing observation-disclosures to President |
Harrison.

mont, the youngest of the New England
states, to-day celebrates the centennial
anniversary of her statehood, and Ben
nington dedicates the monument reared
TO commemorate the battle fought here
in 1777 and the bravery Of the Green
Mountain bows.
The day was fnultless, and the historic
town was crowded with the population
OF all the surrounding country. Elab-
crate and beautiful decorations APP
peared on all sides and were the adj
mlration and wonder of every rural eve.
President Harrison arrived by special
train last night and spent the night as
the guest of General Mccullough. Early
this morning Colonel Abe Ward Webb,
with mounted q. A. r. escort, es-
corted the chief executive of the nation
TO the Soldiers Home, where Governor
Page and all the living ex-goyernors
We're waiting to receive him.
After this ceremony had been COM
! pleted the President and other distn-
| gulshed visitors took their places in car
riageS in the procession which had all
ready formed. Mr.. Harrison was checred
all along the line of march. He re-
sponded by dofling his hat at every
At the conclusion of the parade the
multitude assembled around the base Of
the monument and the dedicatory eSer-
cises We're commenced with a salute Of
y guns. The Hon. Wheelock G. Veazey,
ex-ccmmander-in-c Of the G. A. H.,
who was president OF the day, made the
| opening address.
The Rev Charles Parkhurst, D. D.,
| Of Roetnn ndttor ,,f Z,an,. TJ,,,.,Jy 49,,
offered prayer, the assembled thousands
assuming reverent attitude during the
| delivery. At the conclusion of the PRAYER
Governor 9. S. Page was introduced and
delivered the address of welcome. The
governors remarks were handsomely
applauded, and Ex-Governor Prescott
OF New Hampshire, president of Ben
nington Battle Monument Association,
was received with enthusiasm as he
stepped forward to transfer the monu-
ment, the result of the associations
many years of effort, to the care and
Keeping OF the state. Governor Page
accepted the noble offering in brief
speech.
Music followed, and then General
veazey came forward leading the dis
tinguished scholar, diplomat and orator,
Hon. Edward j. Phelps. A roar OF APP
plause greeted their appearance, and
when the last murmur had died away Mr..
Phelps delivered the Grafton of the day.
The Grafton was received In the most
! appreciatiye manner, and applause
greeted the finish as the beginning,
which was renewed with increased in
tensity as President Harrison was intro.
duced and spoke of his qualification at
being present. 1t was late in the after
noon when the President finished and
the literary exercises, long to be re-
membered in the annals of the Green
Mountain state, were brought TO close
with music and benediction.
The procession then reformed in
proper order, with the carriages of each
division in its rear, and marched through
Monument avenue, Main and North
streets to Camp Vermont, where the
troops and other organizations were dis.
missed. The escorts and carriages pro-
ceeded to the large tent near the Sol
diers' Home, where the banquet was
served, over 5000 people sitting down
to the table. The celebration was wound
up tonight with a great display of fire.
works.
The Bennington Battle Monument is
one Of the finest and most interesting
memorial structures in the country. Its
locationlls a commanding one and the
monument shares in the majesty and
grandeur of its surroundings.
The design is a simple shaft in the
form of an obelisk, 1902 feet from top of
foundation to apex. The foundation
rests upon solid limestone ledge. This
foundation is in the form of o pyramid,
40 feet square at the base and 81 feet
square at the top, with sides 0 feet high.s
The shaft is OF Sandy Hill dolomite or
magnetism limestone. The walls are Z
feet inches thick at the base, decreas-
ing gradually to thickness Of 2 feet at
the apex. The outside walls have
rough finish and inside the walls are
left in the rough natural state of the rock.
AT height of 1888 feet up the shaft
there is an entablature s feet high, and
IA feet above this another entablature 12
feet high. These entablatures encircle
the shaft on all four sides. They project
from the surface slightly and the blocks
of stone constituting them have ham
mered faces SO as to offer slight con-
trast to the rough face Of the rest Of the
structure. A few feet below the lower
line OF the lower entablature on each of
the four sides of the shaft there is an
opening II feet wide by IA feet high.
In each of these openings stands dou-
BILE row of plain columns four of tile
columns being flush with the outer sur
face of the shaft and the others behind
them in the interior. These columns
are 16 inches apart and across the front
row on the inside are run three three
inch brass rods foot apart. The back
row of columns is flush with the inside
walls of the shaft, and visitors can pass
between them and advancing up to the
bronze railing look out upon the land
scape through the spaces between the
front columns.
Sixteen feet below these large open
ings each side has group of five mar
row windows that really appear like SO
many narrow Sits cut in the column.
and again on each side is another SINH
lar opening or window above and three
others Still higher up. Near the base
are also windows on each side.
On the west large oak door with
bronze gills and trimmings gives en-
trance to the structure. Over the door
is large Intel, four feet by eight feet,
on which it is intended shall be carved |
heads of General Stark and Colonies |
Warner and Allen. The interior us you
enter is 22 feet square. The floor Is laid |
on top of the foundation structure and |
is made of North river tagging, six in
ches thick. A stairway leads upward |
into the shaft. This is laid in successive
flights up three sides of the shaft, and
then on the fourth side there is plat
form, the same arrangement heing then
repeated again and again until the
upper part of the structure is reached.
The several platforms are lighted by
openings in the wall on the west side,