The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-10-25
Dewey Statue.

1t is not generally known that during his
visit to Montpelier last week Col. K. G.
Benton, OF Boston, chairman of the Dewey
monument committee, had personal in.
terview with Admiral Dewey regarding the
statue OF himself that is to be placed on the
State House portico opposite that of Ethan
Allen. The Admiral seemed to be psrtcu-
in its scope, and that sons of Vermont, now
resident in other States, had organized for
the purpose OF advancing the work.
The statue will be completed wi hin a
year from this time and will probably be
unveiled during the session If the leaisla-
ture OF 1900.
The amount OF money now in the hands
OF the treasurer is about $4,000, with a lot Of
subcommittee yet to hear from. These
subc Jmmittees are organic ID in every large
city and in nearly every state in the union.
AS regards the amount raised the Chicago
association stands at the head, with the
State associations of California and Mime
sofa close seconds. One Of the latest con-
tributions was for S25, which came from
twenty-five VeTmonters now in Alaska.
One of the contributors lived more than 100
miles from the associations headquarters,
but circular was sent to him by the COM
mittee, and as soon as communication conld
be made with the committee a dollar was
sent along.
While Colonel Benton was at Montpelier
the matter of site was settled. 1t had been
suggested FIR )m the first that the statue be
placed opposite that of Ethan Allen, but no
permission had been obtained for it, and
until Colonel Benton's visit no movement
in that direction bal been ma ie. Governor
Smith OF Vermont, custodian OF the State
House, has given the necessary written au-
thority for the statues position.
just what the statue will be made o.,
whether of marble or bronze, is to be left to
Admiral Dewey's choice. The statue of
Ethan Allen is of marble, and was made in
Vermont by Larkin G. Mead. Mr.. Mead is
now in Italy, and while the Admiral was
returning home the two gentlemen met at
Florence. Mr.. Mead, on his own RESPONSE
bility, took several photographs of the Ad-
miral and also number of measurements
of the Admiral's facile features There is
quite general understanding that Mr.
Mead is to be the sculptor, but that is a
matter not yet settled and only to be de-
termined by the general committee, which
is composed OF persons living in distant
he made one OF the greatest events in the
history of Vermont. The programme as
now outlined is to follow the suggestion
made this year by Governor Rollins OF New
Hampshire and have an "old home week"
in Vermont such as New Hampshire had
last August.
The m after has progressed so far that sew
eral OF the subcommittee in Buffalo, Cleve
land and Chicago are talking of going on to
Montpelier in special trains and it is pos
sible that special trains will be run from
points much further west, so that the whole
country will contribute to the occasion.
The promise Of special rates on the rail-
roads in Vermont has already been obtain
ed. Col. Benton and other members of the
committee are OF the opinion that Montpe.
lier will see much larger crowd at the I'M
yelling OF the statue than it did at the Dew
ey reception. The Admiral will, of course,
be present.