The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-26
LIBERTY'S BEACON
Flag Unfurled on Navesink
Highlands.
THE BON HOMME'S ENSIGN.
Heroic Deed of the Revolutionary War
Recalled by a Patriotic Cere-
mony in New Jersey.


NEW YORK, April 25.-On the Jersey
coast, where the Nayesink Highlands look
down on the dunes of Sandy Hook, the old
flag which once doated over the Bon Homme
Richard, was unfurled to-day on the first
Of the national liberty poles. The flag was
designed from Washington's coat of arms.
and made under the direction of one John
Brown by the Misses Mary and Sarah
Austin in 1777, in Philadelphia. The five
pointed star was used by the direction of
General Washington. The flag was first
carried by Captain Jones on small vessel
on the Schuylkill River. In the engage
ment between the Bon Homme Richard and
Scraps the mast from which was Fl wn the
flag was shot away, carrying "Old Glory"
with it. Lieutenant James B. Stafford,
ancestor of the present owner of the flag,
plunged overheard, secured the flag and
nailed it to another mast. The naiLholes
are plainly shown in the flag to-day.
The flag was afterward carried as the
ensign of the frigate Alliance and then
presen TED to Lieutenant Stafford, who left
it to his son Samuel. The flag is tattered
and torn, aud its many bullet holes are
carefully patched. One of the original
stripes had to be removed and new one
put in. otherwise the flag is the original
one. 1t has only twelve stars, as it was
made before Georgia came Into the Union.
1t is about six feet square and a part of one
end is torn off.
The ceremony of to-day was occasioned
by the patriotism of one American citizen.
Some time ago William o. Mcdowell of
Newark. N. j., returning from Europe, had
attention called to the fact that whea YES
sells first came In sight of land no United
States flag was visible. He determined to
remedy the defect and as a result, a ma
tional liberty pole was erected on the spot
mentioned to catch the eye of the re urning
traveller and approaching tourist smultane-
Ously with the sight of land. He secured
an order from the Government to the keep
ers OF the lighthouse at that point to keep
"Old Glory always floating from the peak.
Among the company who assembled to
witness the first tlag-rasing on this staff
was Mrs. II. r. z. Stafford of Rhode Island,
descendant of Lieutenant Stafford. Mrs.
Stafford inherited the flag from him. She
is now so years OF age. She came to-day
with the precious relic. and amid the BOOM
ing of the Milan tonomah's guns it was hoisted
to the peak for moment. Then Mrs. Ste
venson. the wife of the Vice President of
the United States, as president-general of
the Daughters OF the American Revolution,
assisted by Captain Caulkins, raised the
standard United States fig to the top, and
eannons doomed again. The subsequent
ceremonies included a patriotic address by
Assistant Secretary of the Navy McAdee
and the reading of poem.
Among the most interesting features in
connection with the late Columbian celebra-
ton was meeting held at the residence of
w. II. Webb, in New York, of a committee
of representatives. of different patriotic and
commercial organizations for the purpose of
carrying forward the work inaugurated by
Mr.. Mcdowell of erecting liberty poles to
bear upon them always by daylight the flag
Of the republic.
The folio wing societies and organ iZatfous
and groups Of citizens were represented on
the committee: Sons of the American Revo-
luton, Daughters of the American RevOlu-
ton, Sons of the Revolution, Society OF the
War of 1912. Grand Army of the Republic
Naval Veteran Association. Loyal Legion,
Sons of Veterans, Human Freedom League,
Lyceun League of America, Junior Order
of American Mechanics, Patriotic Order
Sons of America, American In stitute of
Civics, Patriotic League American Women.
School Children of America, Chamber of
Commerce, Produce Exchange, Cotton Ex-
change, Coffee Exchange, Union League,
Order of Scottish Clans and Knights of
Labor.
The chairman of the committee having
reported that the necessary funds to erect
and equip the first liberty pole were on
hand, this preamble and resolution were
adopted:
'Whereas this committee was appointed
from representatives, of the various great
patriotic organizations in America to iuaug-
urate a movement for the erecting in the
most conspicuous ard appropriate place in
the world of liberty poles to bear upon
them always by daylight the flag OF the re-
public.
And whereas it has been determined to
erect the first of these liberty-pOles at the
Highlands of the Nayesink, n. j.. the
highest point in the United States on the
Atlantic coast, and tie first spot seen from
aboard ship in entering the harbor Of the
greatest and most conspicuous city in the
Western World. this pole and flag TO stand
as a perpetual memorial to the memory of
Captain Joshua Hubby. the hero martyr of
the American revolution,
Therefore resolved, that the ceremonies
in connection with the discriminating of this
flag be held at the earliest possible moment,
and that this pole ard flag be made pecul-
iarly the memorial and monument 10 the
four hundreth anniversary and four hun
dredth anniversary ceremonies in celebTa-
tion of the discovery of America"