The San Francisco call., 1896-04-10
MONUMENT At MON NTEREY
Achievements of Commodore
Sloat to Be Commem.
GRATED.
Every County in the State of California
Invited to Contribute
Stone.

1AC blOdJ MOHuutllt ASSOCldtlOu met
at the Occidental Hotel yesterday after
noon. The members present were DIR.
Washington Aver, president; Captain w.
L. Duncan, first vice-president Colonel
Joseph Stewart, second vice. president;
Major Edwin A. Sherman, secretary Jesse
D. Carr, DR.. James l.. Coggswel, William
Frank Pierce and Colonel Frank Pierce,
ne phew of ex-President Pierce.
In calling the meeting to order President
Aver SAID:
For the information of the gentlemen pres
ent will state that this meeting was called
for the purpose of making arrangements to lay
the cornerstone of monument 10 be erected
at Monterey in honor OF Commodore Sloat and
in commemoration OF his heroic exploit in
raising the stars and stripes, which gave free
dom TO misruled people and gave birth to
new civilization TO the whole of the Pacific
Coast from the Straits of Magellan 10 the 81
berian Sen, and secured 15S, 900 square miles
OF new territory to the United States and the
brightest star IN the constellation OF States
Fifty years from the date of that memorable
event ii is eminently proper, right and impor-
tant that we should give some enduring ex-
preston OF gratitude 10 the hero who secu red
such a benefaction for all generations yet to
be. Then let the granite shaft tell the story Of
a Nations gratitude and the bronze statue re-
ceive the first ray OF the morning sun to glad
den the eye and keep his memory green.
1t was resolved that the Board of Super
visors of each county in California be in
vited to attend the cornerstone celebra-
ton at Monterey on July 7 next, and to
furnish q stone of the uniform size re-
qured, with the date of the county and
its organization cut thereon. The dimen-
sionS of the stone are to be three feet
long, two feet wide and eighteen inches
thick.
1t was the sense OF the meeting that no
stone prepared by prison labor should be
used. The stones are to be cit er granite
or marble, and if PRACTICAL bic to be quarried
in the counties respectively contributing
Letters were read from United States
Senator Perkins, and the meeting eX-
tended a vote OF thanks 10 the Senator.
The official report and orders of Commo-
dore Sloat were also read. Some historical
information was given as TO the manner in
which the commodore, at MaZatlan, OBJ
tanned authentic news that hostilities had
begun between the United States and
Mexico.
From copies OF official records and CORE
spondence in the possession of Major Sher-
man, the tact is established that Commo-
dore Sloat received the first definite intel
ligence of the war from the fleet surgeon
DR.. Maxwell Wood.
The surgeon was dispatched from Mazat-
Ian to the exterior of Mexico, and after
long and perilous journey returned with
the news of the battle of Palo Alto. These
facts were reported to John Parrott, United
States Consul at Mazatlan, and to Commo-
dore Sloat. This was on June 7, 1916.
Thereupon Commodore Sloat sailed for
Monterey and month later took posses
sion of California in the name of the
United States.
Many interesting incidents concerning
the movements of Admiral Seymour of the
British frigate Collingwood are noted in
the data Minor events concerning the
landing of marines, the detail for hosting
the flag at Monterey, the detachment of
the ship Portsmouth for San Francisco
the arrival of the United States ship Con-
gress in Monterey Bay. and the arrival
also of H. B. NJ. ship Collingwood.
The Mexican Veterans, the Masonic fra
ternity and Knights OF Pythias at Mon
terey are taking an active interest in the
work of arranging for the cornerstone
ceremonies.
Assurance has been received from Wash
lneton that the Secretary of War will de-
tail an officer to join the association in
selecting site for the monument on the
Government reservation at Monterey.
One of the letters mentioned from Sem
ator Perkins bears date March 30. 1896,
and is addressed to George Edwards,
Berkeley. The Senator writes:
although the previous conduct Of Com
modore Soat has no bearing upon the fact
that the United States took possession of
California on given date, which action is
to be commemorated, it may be we'll to
again point out that there are among the
records of the Navy Department no docu-
ments rejecting upon the officer in con-
nection with this matter. In fact the re-
port of the Secretary. of the Navy,
Decem Der 5, 1876, SAYS of the manner in
which Sloat carried out his instructions,
that he observed the line Of conduct pre-
scribed to him with such intelligence and
fidelity that no complaint has ever been
made of any unauthorized suggestion on
his part
Senator Perkins also says "T he most
diligent search by Lieutenant Young in
the archives of the Navy Department has
failed to bring forth any document or
reference which detracts from Commodore
Sloat's reputation as faithful officer
These facts were presented to show
clearly that Bancroft's history had not
dealt fairly with Commodore Sloat.
Hit With Lead Pipe.