Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1891-08-27

trains arrived the gayly decorated streets
were well file
Among those prominent in national
affairs were the Pre- Iident and his cab
met, ex-Gov. Prescott, of New Hamp-
shire: Gov Page, of Vermont; Gen.
| Veazey, of the &. A. R; Edward J.
Phelps, and others
The celebration was the culmina-
ton of series of events covering a.
century. The anniversary of the battle
of Bennington is to the people of South
ern Vermont what the Fourth of July
Is to the nation. For nearly fifty years
there has been more or less preparation
for the building of a suitable monu-
menta The first organized effort was
made in 1853. The Vermont Legislature
in that year appropriated $4,000, with
the condition that the cornerstone of
the proposed memorial be laid on the
| 10th of August following, and that the
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
- the Bennington Historical Society, and
subsequently the Benni2 gton Battle Mon
ument Association, were organized, the
| latter chartered by the Sta g Of Vermont,
with an appropriat on of $15, 900, condi-
| toned on the raising of $1,000 more
| 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 Eaum's expedition in 1777. The cost
of the monument and sito has been In
round numbers 500, 900. Massachusetts
contributed $4,000, New Hampshire
| 81, 500, the national government $40, 900,
and Vermont the 81 200 aforesaid and a
supplemental appropriation for the site
| The balance has been raised by private
subscriptions.
The monument stands on a command
| ing site 2S3 feet above the Walo0msac
River This river flows through thu vii
| lage Of Bennington. The foundation of
the monument il the solid rock of the
mountain, on top OF which was the Ben
ningt on of the revolution. The struct-
ure is an obelisk, built of native Stone,
and faced with Sandy Hill doomite Tho
height from the base to the top of the cap
stone is 3Ol feet lOl5 in hes The monu.
| ment at the base is 81 feet inches by 81
| feet inches, running to point at the top
The walls are thick at the base, but de-
crease gradually to a thickness OF two
feet at the apes. The outside tone is
inlaid with "stretchers and headers"
The insi&e walls rise to height of goo
feet, after which the tones extend
through the wall. Inside the walls
are left in the rough rick: outside
| the stone is rough finished, ami
| at the right angle corners with the
shaft and also at tie windows I'd ether
openings the stone lin he'd in quar-
ter-f&ch drift lines Ct arrs This gives
the structure finished and ar istic APP
pearance.- The look GU ri ON i lis eet
| above the foundation, aud rea, he'd by
an iron staircase. 1 h room is II arnrd
on the outside by two entab atua,s m
circling the monument. + ON tn 'ook.
out the battlefield plain visible seven
miles away. The first ON mon
ument contains four be y, three of
them ms ribed lie p ctiyeiy TO t State
OF Massachn etts, New liza psh re, and
Vermont Tn, fourth is III nix. Tic
outlook room conta rs fur hi tori gr. N
tie tablets, p aced Their. by the Ne.n
Historical Society, the NJ sonic frater-
nifty, which laid the sorner- tcne in l -,
the Order o. Odd Eel o $, AMI the Grand
Army of the Rep, bile