Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-19
RALEIGn'S BIG DAY.
THE UNWILLING OF THE SOLDIERS
MONUMENT TOMORROW.
Arrival Of the Advance Guard-Grcat
Crowd Expected-NobIc work of
the Ladics--liistory and Dcscrip-
tion of the Memorial.

Over a thousand visitors arrived here to-
nay. forming the advance-guard Of the
great thrcng which will witness the Con-
foderate Soldiers monument unveilng
Monday The first camp OF veterans ar
rived thls afternoon. II was Bryan-Grimes
Camp. Of Pitt county. Ex-Govornors Jar
Wis and Holt and General William r..
Cox arrived to-day The camps of vcte-
rams are not giving notice IN most in
stances OF their coming. and this makes II
impossible to make correct estimate OF
their numbers but 400 veterans are now
expected TO be in line.
Ths general crowd In attendance Will
be much larger than was At first antici-
patcd. At many towns nearby business
will be practically suspended, and the
people viii virtually flock here en- masse.
HISTORY OF THE MONUMENT
in 1866 the North Carolina Legislature
made an appropriation OF 500 for the
erection Of a monument 20 the Confede-
rate dead IN the cemetery here. and with
this sum there was constructed marble
monument, small In size. and OF not the
least architectural pretensions or beauty.
Wilmington, New Berne, Goldsboro''
charlotte. and other cities erected monu-
ments. mainly IN the shape Of statues.
But there was nothing worthy or the
~ 90 North Caroliuans who were IN
Ghe Confederate service.
In "A spasmodiC way plan was dis
russed Tor a monument. but IL was not
until nearly tWenty-seven years after the
MAR ended that the matter took shape
In June. 1882. the Ladies Monumental
Association Of North Carolina was formed
here being az the start mainly composed
or Raleigh ladies. Mrs. Armistead Jones,
dnuchter Of the late General j.. OBJ.
Branch. was elected president, and was
given authority 20 choose her assistants.
She appointed a working STAFF here ana
plso ninety-six lady -presidents-one
sor each county In the state. The collec-
tiou OF funds was promptly begun a
grand open-air festival here was the
means Of raising over $500 COntribu-
,lons came in from various countleS'
Public interest was aroused, more or less.
in the spring Of 1893 the Legs AZURE was
urged to make an appropriation OF SlVVW
20 construct the monument There was
some opposition. but the ladies'. 10y dlisCt
personal appeals. won their way 10 the
urida OF the members, and there was
rropriation. The speeches were made III
the presence Of crowds Of deaply-inter-
estod people. The plans for the monu-
friont were soon after called iot' anu
thirteen were offered. OF these the one
Of ~ Nuldoon. OF Louisville, KY. was
pcccptrd. and the designer contracted 10
also erect the monument. There were
two stipulat0ns IN the act OF appropr'a-
ton-that North Carolina granite be useu'
and that the monument should stahl on
Tho Capitol grounds. The price agreed on
was 500. The ladies' had, therefore the
task before them Of raising $1,000 on the
roth of May. 1904 the cornerstone was
laid with imposing ceremonies ana AFTER
Il large parade and a notably nne ora
zion by Thomas W. Mason.
COLLECTIONS SLOW.
The collection Of funds was slow. In
fact discouragingly so. The year 1870
came i'm. and not quite 5000 had been Sc
cured by the Monumental Association
In the way Of contributions. The asso-
clationy did not Ike 20 ask the Leslsa-
ture 20 make an additional Appropriation.
The contractor came and began 10 put
up the monument. The ladies finally pro
cured the introduction OF bill making
on srrrorriation OF $4,000. This failed
60 mass. Ii was almost a crushing dow
T'he association was about TO dispense
with the statu4ry on the monument ana
have a plain shaft. Suddenly the Legs
lature took a strange turn. A senator
on ex-ItDion soldier, and a gallant one
dressed The matter Of the $4,000 appro-
rrilti0n. An Asheville post OF the Hrahu
Army Of the Republic In the WaIIhtst
terms urged the legislature 10 pass 'hc
BIZ. The Republicans and Populisls' VINO
had vehemently opposed the measure
tra
varmest supporters, ana so the p'l' P'9'0N
by a handsome majority. 49,,
In Aprl the stOue-wOrk was coinplvteu'
and "A few days later the bronze statue
OF an infantry soldier was raised 10 the
summit OF the monument The sum que
20 the monument has all been paid save
$3.50. and this is In the state treasury
and Will Doe paid 20 the contractor dHecu|
after the unwilling. The cost OF the va
rious matters OF the association IN con-
uectiou with the monument. but OUTSIDE
OF It's stone and bronze-work, approx,
mates 8. 60 The association has issued
about 800 certificates OF membership, LOT
which It received 81 each. Some counties
made appropriations dlrect-as, for IN
stance. New Hanover. which gave wv
Several other counties gave 500 each.
In Wake county about $3.50 was raised
IN various ways. Lawn parties, theatrl-
Gals. etc. were the means used IN raising
d good deal OF the $500 which was COZ
lected The ladies', though at times realIy
disheartened. hardly ever tagged IN their
work. and IL ls 90 their efforts that the
erection OF the monument IS que
THE MATERIAL.
The monument is OF Mt. Airy granite.
Of a iight-gray color ana meg alneu'
II is of a total height of - feet inches.
H. "A
"a feet al each corner ~ which are cleo
Trio LAMPS OF three burners each. Parity
nm the shaft stand two bronze statues
one of a cannOneer. rammer In hands, ana
I'm very spirited attitude. ON the oppo-
rits side Is cayalryman, dismounted'
with sabre half drawn from It's scabuard'
and also in ufe-like attitude. ON TWO
pthcr faces Of the monument are circular
bronze medalli0ns-one bearing the sea-
pf North Carolina, the other mat OF ule
Confederate States. on one face OF the
49, are the words North Carohna 10
JIcr Confederate Dead" and on another
face the words First al Bethel Last
al ApDomattoN: 1S6l-lS65." The main por-
zion of the shaft IS on block OF STONE
r. feet hlgh. and weighing oo'VU pouuus
Al the ton OF the monument Is aho'hti
bronze ngure-that Of an intantryihah D
llehf-marching order, standing III ""ss
nos.tiop. with muskct lightly clasped VIII
b.tb hands The two other statues are
lf.e.ze. and are modelled from me- th'
model being "a Raleigh veteran; Dut tn'
,,rmost statue Is feet 10 Inches hish
and weighs 300 pounds. All the prone,
work was done in the fall OF 1894 at lh'
Royal Foundry az Munich, Bavaria. TX.
perts pronounce all fine. The monuineh'
Is so beautifully and justly proporuonco
AS 10 deceive the eye and appear smaiiel
ana o. less height than Is really IN,
case. 10 stands al the western en'Iaii0s
10 the Cagtol Square facing a vista o.
half m.ie along Hllsboro' street ne
figure 1f the iufantryman facing Mss'-
ward .s looking northwestward' WINE
the location OF the monument shou.u
have been in the centre Of one OF the pup.
ie squares. with 10 buildings near ye,
tse s.te IS he best offered IN the Cap''o'
or jaon square.
A SUCCESS ASSURED,
a, he time the cornerstone Was iaid
81 WAS said that the demonstration az
th- la,rlug Of the monument "ouiu oe
the rfan1sst this State has ever WI VIZ
messed Tine Monumental Assoc,a'iO I.
chose o. J. Carroll. OF Raleigh' VINO y
Jmtel States Marshal Of TINS o'st Ip-
20 be- Ch.a. marshal. and they also eno nv.
Brigal.sr.Geueral John w. Gotten " =, s0'..
maul tAe military, and Coionei ~ ~
&c.. -. veterans. Inc