The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-19
IN THE HER0'S MEMORY.
UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF
GRANT BIRTHDAY CELEBRA-
TIONS THIS YEAR.


ment-The Grant Family To-day.
New York. April 1s.-There Will be more
celebrations of April q. the birthday OF
Gen. Grant. this year. than ever before.
but in all the land there will be no more
interesting memorial services on that date
than those TO be held at Galena. H.. his
home at the breaking out OF the civil
war. II is not that the programme will be
more elaborate or imposing than else
where-indeed simplicity is always no.
table feature OF the exercises at Galena
on April Z7-Nor will the interest be slim
ulated by any special novelty.
In point of fact il is the people who at
tend the exercises. rather than the exer-
cises themselves that always contribute
most interest to the GaIena Grant mem
orial services. For among those who ev-
cry year listen to the orator of the day on
the great soldiers birthday there are
many who knew him intimately when he
was one OF the most unassuming OF Gale
mas citizens and when their kindly re-
gard for him was chiefly based upon the
fact that he was a good neighbOr and a
fast friend. Year by year the number OF
those who knew him best before the war
is being diminished by death. but there
are yet many who were much younger
than he. who used often to see him on
the streets and in the business places OF
the town and to all these. and to thou
sands who never knew him. his memory
IS something to be venerated in Galena
as Of local significance. as well as from
his greatness as a soldier and a patriot
The Galena exercises are held in Grant
park. tree shaded. grass carpeted
square in the middle of the pleasant little
city's business quarter In the center of
this square stands a sculptured memorial
of the hero of AppomattoX. so that those
who listen to set address may behold
his counterfeit presentment before them.
This memorial was erected largely
through the iberalty Of II. II. KOhlsaat,
of the Chicago Times Herald, who was
a Galena boy, and whose action in the
matter was prompted by loyalty to Ga
lena as well as veneration for the gem
erals memory.
The address will this year be delivered
by Gen. John G. Black, whose hurts re-
ceived in the civil war were 50 severe as
10 warrant his being awarded the high
est pension possible under the general
law. He was shot through both arms
and both legs and through the lungs.
and his wounds still trouble him. He is
a strong Grand Army man. and, though
while the struggle was on, he was not
often Thrown into close personal contact
with the hero, he is this year TO eulogize
his memory.
1t was in Leavenworth, KAN that the
first statue was erected in memory OF
Grant. The next TO be set up was at
st. Louis, then came the one at Galena
and then the magnificent statue by Re
bisso at Chicago, which Is one of the
finest, most hfelike pieces of sculpture in
the country, besides being one of the
largest equestrian statues in the world
New York has no Grant statue, nor is
one in sight. In Brooklyn, however an
equestrian statue of the hero, modelled by
Partridge, is TO be unveiled on the 25th
and in Philadelphia another, also show
ing the general on horseback, is shortly
10 be set up This statue will be erected
in Paramount park 1t will be the joint
work of Daniel c. French, who modelled
the figure of Grant and Edward G. Pot
ter, who modelled the figure of the horse.
The bronze is now being cast, and 1t will
not be finished before June l, and It is
improbable that the pedestal viii be
haps in August.
Both these statues are considered adj
mirable in conception and almost perfect
in detail by Col. Fred. Grant, Gen. Har-
ace Porter, who was present at the sur
render of Lee, and others who have seen
them. More than that both statues are
verw well regarded as pure works of art
and may. therefore, be considered true
adornments of the cities within whose
borders they are located.
Toxic, Japan, also boasts of what passes
as statue Of Gen. Grant, in this regard
putting many an American city to shame
Grant status are however, projected
for erection in Boston, Washington and
Bridgeport, Conn, and there is no doubt
that most Of the considerable cities in
ones will erect Grant memorials before
many years have passed by.
But, although New York has no Grant
statue, the dignified and costly structure
now in the course of erection over his
tomb overlooking the Hudson in the up-
per part OF the city, will by all odds be
Gen. Horace Porter, who has charge of
the work, says 1t will be practically COM
no reason to suppose its formal dedica-
ton, some time ago set for April q of
next year, will be delayed beyond that
date Its total cost will be under rather
than over 100000 the amount collected
but the completed work will represent
what could not have been done for less
IMAM $l5O,O0O by private contract. This is
because all who have had charge of the
construction in the large sense have given
their services without compensation and
because much of the material has been
duction.
From time to time certain persons have
taken occasion to eriticise the work of the
committee in charge of the structure for
alleged dilatoriness, but a slight examina-
ton of the facts show this criticism to
De UNJUST and unwarranted. 1t is true
that much time was consumed in raising
the funds, but between the date of the
work actual beginning under Gen Por-
ter's supervision and its completion next
January, only four years will have clans
ed: No other national memorial of any
thing IKE such great cost has ever been
erected in so brief a period. The Bunker
Hill monument was thirty years building
II tOOh forty years 10 complete the WASH
1ngton monument, and from twelve to
fourteen years is required to complete such
memorials in European countries
Each member of the Grant family and
especially Col Fred. d. Grant, who. as
the eldest son, may properly be regarded
as its head feels deeply the significance
OF the great reverence for the generals
memory shown by the people in the cree
ton OF statues and the holding of memor-
ial services every year on his birthday.
In a conversation with the writer recent
ly, Col. Grant spoke at some length unon
this point His presence at Grant memo
RAJ services is, OF course. in great de-
mand, and the invitations received nv him
this year could only be numbered by the
hundreds. From Manhattan Island alone
he received fifteen, but he was Obliged 10
decline al these, since he accepted one
from Philadelphia months ago, and will
be present at the services there He viii
also attend the unyeiling ceremonies in
brooklyn on April p, and will divide the
chief honors of the occasion with Gen
Horace Porter. who was present at the
Appomattox surrender; and will be the
Death has not broken into the Grant