Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1891-08-21

trains arrived the gayly decorated streets
were we'll fil cd
Among those prominent IN national
Affairs were the President and bic cab
met, ex-iov. Prescott, Of Nav Hamp-
shire Gov Page, Of Vermont; Gen.
Veazey. OF the g. A. R. Edward j.
Phelps, and others
The celebration was the culminar
tion OF series of events covering .
century. The anniversary Of the battle
Ut bennington Is to the people Of South
ern We mont what the Fourth Of July
Is to the nation, For nearly fifty years
there has been more or less preparation
for the building OF . suitable monu-
ment Tho first organized effort was
made In 1853. The Vermont Legislature
in that year appropriated %. 600. with
the condition that the cornerstone Of
the proposed memorial b IAtd on ne
18th OF August following, and that tho
sum OF $1,000 be raised by private sub
scription While these conditions were
not fulfilled and the appropriation
lapsed, the agitation continued. In 1875
"a the Remington iiistorical Society, and
subsequently the Bennington Battle Mon
ument Association, were organized, the
latter chartered by the sta o Of Vermont.
with an appropriation OF $4,000, condi-
toned on the raising Of $4,000 moro
The celebration OF 1877 followed. These
events and the subsequent action Of the
States Of New Hampshire and Massa-
chusetts and the national government
have conspired to cause the erection OF
the noble shaft on the site Of the CONT
mental storehouse, the object point Of Col
onel Baum's expedition In 1877. The cost
OF the monument and site has been In
round numbers 100000. Massachusetts
contributed $4,000, New Hampshire
81, 500, the national government $40, 600,
and Vermont the 81 200 aforesaid and .
supplemental appropriation for the site.
The balance has been raised by private
subscriptions.
The monument stands on command
ing site 2s3 feet above the Walloomsac
River This river flows through the vii
lage OF Bennington. The foundation OF
the monument Is the solid rock OF the
mountain, on top OF which was the BEN
nington Of the revolution. The struct-
ure 10 an obelisk, built Of native stone,
and faced with sandy Hill dolomste. Tho
height from the base to the top Of the cap.
stone is 30l feet l0ls In hes The monu.
ment at the base 10 81 feet inches by ~
l AVCt tuNIShV uuutut W q VUlut " euss tOks
The walls are thick at the base. bur de-
crease gradually to . thickness OF two
feet IT the apex The outside tone il
inlaid with ~stretchers and headers. =
| The inside walls rise TO . height OF a6l
| feet, after which the tones extend
through the wall. Inside the walls
are left in the rough reck: oatsiic
the stone Is rough finished. an
at the right angle corners with the
shaft and also at to windows . d otEel
openings the stone lin he'd In quar-
ter-inch draft lines of arris Thi, gives
the structure finished and ar istic up.
pearance The look gu. r. ON 1 las leo,
above the foundation. and reas he'd BY
IN iron staircase. lhs room Is ar ed
on the outside BY two entab atnNs ! II.
circifng the monument + ON tn q ook
ont the battlefield IS plain Visible seven
miles away. The first om fl mon
ument contains four t els, three o
them Inscribed re p ctiyeIy to safe
Of Massachu etts, New Ha psh re. anf
Vermont TIL, fourth Is blink. TEt
outlook room conts Ms four hi tori. gran
Ito tablets, pisced there BY the ve.n o
Historical Society, the NJ; sonic frater
nifty. which laid the torner-s tcne In Il N
the Order Of Odd Eel Q .. ami the Crane
Army OF the Republic