The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-04-18
TO REMAIN HERE.
Miss HOsmer's Statue for
the Park.
An Association of Ladies Formed to
Raise Money to Purchase the
Work of Art.

IF Harriet R0smer's statue of Queen
Tsabella ever leaves this State it will not
ne because the ladies in and around San
Francisco did nothing to prevent its re-
moyaI. In fact, it has been decided that
the statue shall stay here. An association
has been formed for the purpose of raising
money for the purchase of the statue, and
before long subscription lists, backed by
all the wealth, culture and influence that
the two bay cities can furnish. will be cir
culated through all parts of California.
The ladies wish to raise $4,000, and that
done the famous statue will find perma-
nent resting place IN Golden Gate Park.
1t was at first decided that the local or
gsnization should be an Isabella statue
association" affiliated with the national
association of that name with headquar-
tiers in Chicago, but those in charge OF the
movement determined to form an inde-
pendent society, and upon that under
standing the ladies' have banded together
As yet the local association has taken but
the first steps toward organization. for The
constitution has not yet been fully adopted.
Enough has been accepted. however, TO
clearly define the aims of the society and
the means whereby they may be attained.
For president, Mrs. Remi Chabot of Oak
took such an interest in Miss Hasmer dur
Ing her stay here and who introduced her
to society on this coast. Mrs. George ID.
Bliss of This city was elected secretary nd
Miss Agnes Manning. also of this city,
was made treasurer. The list of vice.
presidents is mum bered by scores. The con-
stitution is short but pithy. It simply
states as the objects of the society the
procuring of the statue of Isabella or some
other work of art to adorn the city's pleas
foreground
The statue is owned by the Isabella
Statue Association, national organiZa-
ton, which is designed, unless California
secures the prize. to have branches organ
lied in every State in the Union. Each of
these branches will purchase from the
parent organization shares in the statue
and then by vote of the shares the statue
will be finally located. The only object IF
the association is that the statue be located
on American soil. and with that end in
view it was supposed that ali the various
branches would work in harmony. This
plan hardly suited the ladies of the local
organization. however. for while they re
quite willing 10 raise money to purchase
the statue they were not willing to raise
part of the money and then for want of
the remainder see some other locality win
the coveted pre-. For that reason the idea
of an independent organization was first
proposed.
AT the last meeting, held very recently.
another circumstance was encountered
which finally outlined the plan upon which
the ladies will work. 1t seems that Miss
Hosmer is an ardent adnirer of CalifOr-
MIA, and when, while on her way East, she
heard that the ladies of this State were
trying to secure the statue. she prevailed
upon the Chicago associat on, which con-
trolls the statue, TO make terms with the
CalifOrnians, and Mrs. G. W. w. yelling
ton, a personal friend to Miss Hosmer,
was sent out here to present the uffer of
Chicago. Mrs. Wellington appeared at the
last meeting of the lucal ASSOCIATION: she
offered these ierms. and they were imme-
dIateIy accepted.
The ladies here are to raise $4,000, which
will entitie them to 1900 shares of the
statue, or "statue certificates" These are
sufficient to control the location of the
statue and California will become its
home. To proven possible opposition the
pre- ent society Will organize no BRAN hes
and sell DO certificates for a reasonable
time, or until the ladies here give up the
work. The money having been raised
Miss Hosmer will, at her own expense,
enlarge the statue so that the bronze
image finally set up in the park will be
two feet taller than the figure now on ex-
hibltion in The Art building at the Md
winter Fair. making the statue colossal,
and she will mount il upon a pedestal of
native black marble, than which, Miss
Hnslner says, there is no finer In the world.
In conformity with this plan the ladies
of the Harriet Hosmer Statue Fund So
ciety." as the new organization has been
called. have started to work, and by the
end of summer they hope TO call the statue
theirs.