The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-22
MzMoR.lL TO o.RErLLY.
From the Boston Herald

patriotism. the memorial to John Boyi
O'Reilly, OF which the Herald is nov
enabled to give a fine presentation
with a forecast of the unwilling. viii
be unique among artistic conception
in Boston, and appropriately So as 4
is designed to embody the real and tn,
ideal in one of the most adversely gifted
personalities that our land has greeted
IL is the outcome of the consensus o.
tributes from various classes and race.
which clamored for expression on thai
sad summer morning, five years ago
when the tidings came that he whs
/ was beloved by his adopted, not less
than his native country-for his endow.
| ments OF nature, not more than his en-.
dearing qualities of heart-had beer
summoned away forever.
These commingling feelings found
! preliminary recognition in the great
meeting in fremont temple on the I'd OF
September. 1890, the tributes of varied
oratory being crystallized in the move
| ment for a memorial in worthy and en-
| during art, which should appeal to the
| public view as one of the inspiring
| objects of n city so rich in exalted
| themes.
At that meeting the following. repre-
senting the diversity of elements that
were one in their sympathy with his
many-sided individuality, were grouped
into a committee to perfect the under
taking:
General Francis A. Walker, A. Shu-
man. Patrick A. Collins, James Jeffrey
Roche, Charles III. Taylor, Robert +.
Clark, Henry M. Rogers. Thomas b.
Fitzpatrick, Very Rev. william Byrne,
V. c.; Arthur II. Dodd, James A. Nc
Donald, NJ. D.: Francis A. Harris. NJ
d.: John j. Hayes, James NJ. Prender-
CAST, Charles Levi Woodbury., Thomas
j. Graham. George +. Rabbit. Ed
ward A. Mosely. Michael T. Donohoe
Richard F. Tobin, Harry A. McGle-
men.
Although one or two incidents be-
yond the prevention of the committee
tended to a retarding, and the last
three named on this committee soon
followed their hero. the work of the
members went forward to a consum-
nation with more promptness than
most works of n kindred character. so
that now, just at the close of a half
decade, almost all the details for I'M
yelling and dedication are now per-
fected.
A. Sherman, who contributed very
largely. both by funds and personal ef-
fort. to the raising of the fund of s20,-
900 necessary for the contract, acted as
treasurer during the major portion of
the time, and, in conjunction with Hon.
p. A. Collins and Thomas b. Fitzpat-
rick, served in permanent trusteeship
of the sum for the monument.
The contract was given to Daniel
Chester French of New York, formerly
of Boston, who has been characterized
by OReilly's biographer and successor
James Jeffrey Roach, as "a poet who
writes i'm marble and bronze" and who
has achieved fame by his words repre-
senting the story of Gallaudet instruct
ing the deaf mute; also the Minute
Man" and of the Angel of Death Ar
resting the Hand of the Young Sculp-
tor Martin Milmore" Mr.. Roche says
of him:
HE molds in clay as the great paint
er mixes his colors, with brains and
poetry. SO also he has told the story
of O'Reilly. whose monument is a little
more elaborate, but none the less i'm
pressive"
As it has just been announced that
Mr. French is the first American artist
to whom permission has been granted
to erect an outdoor statue i'm Europe
that OF Washington-a glance at his
career is timely. He was born in Exc
ter, y. H., as years ago. His education
was received in Boston. and, without
any foreign study, he designed the ia
nous statue of the Minute Man" at
Concord, Mass. Mr.. French spent two
studied with Thomas Ball, an Ameri-
can. Returning TO this country in 1875.
he settled i'm Concord, and then moved
to Boston, where he met with con-
spicuous success. In 1887 he removed
to New oYrk, where he has since re-
sided. He is vice president of the
American Architectural league and a
member of the Society of American
Artists and the Sculptors' society. His
most notable work is said to be the
Millmore memorial I'm the Forest Hill
cemetery, Boston, representing the
angel of death arresting the hand of
the sculptor; but it is claimed by con-
noisseurs that the O'Reilly memorial
will take precedence of all others.
The design of the O'Reilly memorial
is of a more composite and elaborate
character than most of Mr.. French's
previous ones, a duality of sentiment
being found in IL setting forth the SEN
timents OF patriotism and poetry. which
were inseperably blended in the SUBJ
ject, and it's treatment of these
the instrumentalities of allie
CORY and portraiture. Between these
two elements as delineated stands a
majestic monolith of granite Is feet
high. seven feet wide and three feet
deep. and on face of which is carved
a Celtic cross, environed with appro-
pirate designs and foliations. on the
front side. upon pedestal stands a
fine bust of the poet with a superbly
modelled head. That the bust is a
worthy one as a true portrait as well
as a fitting idealization. is evidenced
from the fact that the artist had the
benefit Of the mask taken from the face
soon after death. as well as of the pre-
vious portraits and busts previously
made. and particularly Of the advice
and discernment of Mrs. O'Reilly. who
spent nine days I'm New York for the
express purpose of giving the artist
the Judgment of the work as IL pros
pered Her standard was naturally a
high and exactfng one, and II was
reached by the artist to her entire sat
isfaction.
on the other side of the monolith is
the alleCorical presentation. comprising
three figures. all in bronze. the central
one being Erin as a mourning mother,
wearing a chaplet of shamrocks for her
son. on her left is winged youth en-
bodying Poesy. He bears n Tyre and