The Portland daily press., 1896-03-07
Mr.. ENGLlSH's VANITY.
He Ordered Bronze Statues of Himself
Hoping That They Would be Placed in
Prominent Positions.
(From the Chicago Tribune. J

(From the Chicago Tribune.
The death of William H. English re-
leases to the public surprising vanity
he had secretly cherished with zeal not
exceeded, possibly. by that behind his
ambition for presidential honors. Years
prior to his death he impaired sby direct
inference to u friend in Chicago that he
chopped statue of he other end of the
Hancock and English pre- idential ticket
wou Id be allowed one of the four same
points" set apart for statues of most il
lustrious American statesmen around the
$500, 900 soldiers and sailors monument
that Indiana dedicated at indianapolis
before the worlds fair. Death alone was
TO grant release to this secret, and even
then it was to be mentioned guardedly,
if at all.
To within eight months before his
death Mr.. English was member of the
state commission charged with erecting
the monument in question. The letting
of the contract for the mass of bronze
work in connection with 1.-THE monument
to the American bronze company of this
city brought Me- English here frequently
to observe It's progress. He would have
some statues made of himself in order, as
he thought, to have one ready should his
ambition be realized. AS early as 1884
he quietly let the remarkable contract for
making two bronze statues of himself,
of the heroic hight of s feet inches, at
cost Of 1890 each, with specification
permitting him Others at the same price,
The statues were to be finished one at
time, although it was agreed no haste
was to be exercised about their casting.
1t was the idea of Mr. English to pre-
sent one Of the two statues to the
town Of English, Ind. only when. how
ever, 1t had succeeded In getting the
honor of county seatship away from a
fight resulted from the village of English
trying to win the heroic trophy offered
by itsfgodfather. The matter went from
court to court until now it isflodged be-
fore the supreme bench, and the man
who offered the disturbing prize 10 dead.
Tho statue remains uncalled for, while
the second one has just been finished.
around the $500, 600 monument in Indian
apolis, one of which 1t was the secret am
bition of Mr.. English should be occupied
by one OF these statues OF himself, they
are rapidly being taken by others. One
ls now occupied by magnificent repre-
sentation Of George Rogers Clark. of
Continental army fame, and after whom
Clark street, in Chicago was named
For another of the fame points the same
Chicago foundrios that cast the William
II. English statues are now casting
figure of Gen. William Henry Harrison.
The occupants of the remaining two
places of honor are. well-informed reports
say, fully decided upon. However, the
death of Mr.. English just at this time
may Affect the realization of his aspiring
dream. In any event, one of the statues
probably will go to adorn tho English,ho-
tel property at Indianapolis, and now the
other statue will, it is Thought probable,
go to the family burial lot, while ut
third will be ordered by the family for
the town of English, should it win in
the county seat litigation.