Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-10-24
SALMON ?. CHASE'S CINCINNATI FRIEND
His Fruitiess Effort to Mark the Lat,
chef Justices Grave.

His Fruitiess Effort to Mark the Late
chief Justices Grave.
cincinnati Enquirer. October 9th.
The recent, erection of modest slab
over the grave of Salmon Portland
Chase by friends in tho East called
forth the remark from local paper
that "citizens of Cincinnati were too
thoughtless-we will not say too mean,
for that would not be true. IL re-
manned for somebody in New England
to send humble slab to be placed on
that grave. "
This is a decided mistake. The slab
that now marks the grave of Mr..
Chase was erected by private subscrip-
tion taken up in Washington, the move
ment being begun by former resident
OF Cincinnati, who is now in the em-
ploy of the government at the capital.
More than two years ago an old resi-
dent of Cincinnati, and lifelong friend
of Mr.. Chase, who still resides here,
wrote TO Mrs. Kate Chase Sprague at
Washington for permission to erect a
monument over the grave of her father.
Previously he had applied to the
superintendent of Spring Grove ceme-
terry, Mr.. William Salway, and that
official informed him that it could not
Sprdgue. The letter, which bears the
date of June 18th, 1893. was then writ
ten to Mrs, Sprague, and is as follows:
81 trust you will pardon me for what
| am about to say. The love and
friendship had for your noble father,
my ever faithful friend, will, | trust,
be accepted by you as my apology.
There is nothing in Spring Grove
cemetery indicating the last resting
place of the mortal remains of your
father. hope that the day will come
when an appropriate monument, built
| by American citizens, will mark the
spot In the meantime it has occurred
to me that would like to see his grave
marked in some way before | die, and
my object in writing you now is to ask
il it will be agreeable to you, and il
you will permit me to put granite
| slab at the head of his grave, properly
inscribed, this TO be done at my indi-
vidual expense. If this meets with
your approval, and from the depth of
my heart | hope it will, will send
you a sketch or drawing of what pro-
pose. While il will not be very expen-
sive, promise you that it shall be re-
spectacle and appropriate.
Mrs. Sprague never replied to this
| letter, and this faithful Old friend OF
the great Ohioan only learned yester-
day thai it was by personal application
that Mrs. Sprague gave her consent for
the erection of the humble slab that
now marks the last resting place of her
illustrious father. The monument he
proposed to erect was to be in the form
OF tomb of granite, the inscription
being in raised letters on the slab COW
ering the top of the grave, and would
have cost $500. The inscription was as
follows:
SALMON PORTLAND CHASE.
Born Cornish, New Hampshire,
January IL, 1903,
Died in the City Of New York,
May 7, 1873.
United States Senator from Ohio,
$4,000.
Governor of Ohio 1S56.B0.
Secretary of the Treasury OF the
United States 1S6l-6i.
Chief Justice of the United States
| 1S6i-13.
This tablet is placed over his remains by
one Of his old friends.
Failing to hear from Mrs. Kate
Chase Sprague, this old friend of hor
father placed codicil in his will direct
ing his executor TO contribute 500 at
any time that fund for a suitable
monument is started.