The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-24
NAVAL HERO HONORED SECRETLY T.
Statue or Gait. Eaek Hopkins Placed without
Any Ceremony or Previous announcement

From the Prorfdence tR. ~ Ners.
Who knows that the city is adorned with n
new and beautiful statue and monument
tribute to Esek Hopkins OF Providence, dis
tinguished as tho first COmmander.in.Ch Chief of
the American Navyl
And yet the statue stands, a heroic figure of
Rhode Islands chief naval representative
mounted on a superb pedestal. to be seen OF all
who choose TO make the journey to its site, a
splendid tribute that for some mysterious rca-
son has had precious little attention, less
credit, and in fact seems to have been ignored.
Indeed, it has been intimatcd that public ip-
norance as to the statue has been purposely en-.
couraRed.
In q word, never was a testimonial to a pub
lie man carried out with so little ostentaiion.
No fuss has been made about it at all. The
newspapers were not asked to exploit il. nor
were any of them awakened to The fact that
such a project as the Hopkins statue was on
foot, much less completed. Public informa-
r'St pr t%e''iH% 20 Of l hhas"Se ity co i"., II the tn the Re,
effect that the city had appropriated a sum OF
money MOI Syot for building a pedestal for the statue,
to that or become curious as to what the statue
was IKE, when and where it was to be located.
OF, In fact, anything at all.about 1t. And par.
ties whose position gave them knowledge OF
the proposition seem not to have been at pains
To let the public into the secret.
That perhaps they had n reason for this may
appear later on in this story of IA most peculiarly
~ NpINh t'i'N Ai' L u u ophlt
Gf92Efeshai' a granddaughter of Esek Hopkins,
the erection Of a statue to Hopkins upon tho
condition that city OF Providence provide a
pedestal. The production Of the statue was
given into the hands of Mrs. H.. II. Kitson, the
talented wife OF Sculptor Kitson, who created
the Doyle monument. Mrs. Kitson com.
p!cted the work in enduring bronze. the city
made an appropriation for the pedestal, the
smith Granite Company built tho pedestal, and
to-day the whole production standso on an artistic
foundation of masonry and rough stone in tho
old Hopkins burying ground, which is located
t. the junction OF Charles street and Branch ave
nue., where tho bones Of the sailor also lie.
The statue has never been unveiled nor dcdi-
Gated, Indeed, IL has never been yelled. 1t
was just set up In the old burying ground and
left 10 be looked at by whoever CHANGED to pass
by without any further Through
out the whole proceeding nobody seems to have
cared TO go sponsor for IL or particularly to ac'
knowledge IT as such gifts to the city usually
are acknowledged, even when they are also
tributes To local character and fame.
.Perhaps the peculiar history of tho erection
OF this scquestcred testimonial finds its ~cXplana,
ton in the fact that a considerable fuss has
been made about the prOprlety of Us honOring
Esek Hopkins. The fuss las been made outside
me state, certain Massachusetts antiquarians
being particularly vigorous In denounCing Hop
Rins and the lack OF Judgment displayed in hon
orlnR his memory by u monument. And the ole
sailor seems to have had no champion within
lthoic Island borders to step into tho breaCl
for his defeEoe and maintain the integrity OF
his eh1racter and his right to be honored In
Rhode Island.