The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-02

that the flag of the thirteen United
States be thirteen stripes, alternate
red and white. that the Union be Thir-
teen stars, white in a blue field, repre-
senting a new constellation. SupeTstl-
ton must hava played 90 part in the
makeup Of the hardy statesmen of
those days, and their courage in hoist
ing a banner in which the number
thirteen was so conspicuous has been
proven by history 10 have been well di-
rected
Since March l factories all over the
country have been turning out flags
at terrific rate The Fourth of July
always means a busy time for flag
manufacturers, bur this year there Is
an unusual impetus 70 the business.
for net only is there q national cam
paign on, but a bran new flag has is
10 be- presented TO the country. The
white star which represents the new
state Of Utah. and which makes the
forty fifth in the blue field. viii be
officially added to the flag on July I.
Utah has been 2 state for some months
but by 4 long established law Of Con-
gress. the star Of new state can only
be added to the flag on the Fourth
Of July following its admission to the
Union.
TIE NEW FLAG.
These new flags have been distrib-
Gted 10 every government building in
the nation, TO the war ships, the mill
taTy posts. and they viii first see the
light of >day on Saturday next. The
new regulation government flag is five
feet six inches long by four feet four
inches wide. The field is two feet six
inches long by two feet four inches in
width. The width of the stripes is
&c
nine feet in length and the distance
between the edge of the flag and The
first row of stars is two and nineteen
thirty-secoHd inches. The decoration
of the top OF the staff is a spear head
as at present. and pendant from the
spear are tasseis swinging from two
golden cords. A heavy and rich gold
fringe decorates the edges The new
design places the forty-fifth star in
the third row. making the first, third
and fifth rows consist OF eight stars
each, and the second. fourth and sixth
of seven each.
OF MISTY ORIGIN.
Much Of a definite character pertain
ing to the origin of the stars and
stripes has been lost in the compare
lively brief space Of time which has
elapsed since the inception of the flag.
Who originated the design is q, matter
of conjecture, and this fact, or lack
of fact. has been seized upon by fanciful
minds to weave many pretty stories.
Every SHOOT boy is familiar with the
dainty tale describing the vision of
the future flag Of the nation in the
heavens; the patch OF blue with the
silver stars cleaning brightly and the
long streaks of red and light gray
SKY
Another says that the christening
robe OF Washington was of white satin.
with lining of red and blue satin This
may have been true, but it takes a.
wide stretch OF the Imagination to
connect Hilat christening robe with the
deliberations of Congress on. he sub
5ect- Another claims tina. the family
crest of the Washington with It's
stripes and three fivs-pointed STARS
- the top had consid cradle TO do with
the design of the flag Washington.
however, was a modest man and was
not in the habit of parading his family
glory before the nation, so ii is ouite
probably that this was merely a coin
cioerIce
Long before the war of the revolu-
taon the powerful East India company
of London had established trade post
on Manhattan Island, and the flag of
this concern had thirteen stripes AL
terTate red and white with the cross
Of St George on a, white canton. This
nag was familiar TO all of the old
New Workers, and il may be that ii
had something to do with the ultimate
formation of the flag.
ONE DEFINITE FACT.
However, there is no doubt whatever