The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-16
end the same amount was spent in i'm

and the same amount was spent in i'm
provements during the first year.
The purchase and Improvement of the
property was found to be too great a bur-
den for the small membership of the de-
partment of Georgia. Much interest had
been manifested in the work and assist
ance rendered by the Woman's Relief
Corps, auxiliary to the Grand Army, and
after having thoroughly considered the
matter the trust was accepted from the
Georgia department by the relief corps
at its twenty-ninth annual encampment
at st. Paul. Voluntary subscriptions were
at once made by those present aggregating
$lS6o.5O The announcement of this ac-
ton on the part of the relief corps was
received with great enthusiasm by the ma
tional encampment of the Grand Army.
Since accepting the trust additional, land
mas been purchased SO as to include al,
of the ground formerly covered by the
stockade and the adjoining works and
forts. The property has been enclosed by
wire fence, a substantial residence has
been erected, and a caretaker installed. and
many other improvements made. On the
last Memorial day a handsome Flagstaff.
$50 feet high, was erected, being the con-
tribution of the Grand Army of the Re-
public post and Colony Woman's Relief
Corps of Fitzgerald. The national emblem
which daily floats from the Flagstaff, was
the contribution of the Prisoners of War
Association of Connecticut.
Since taking charge of the park the Wo-
mans Relief Corps has expended 81, $50 in
addition to the $4,000 previously expended
by the department of Georgia. The board
Is entirely out Of debt and proposes 10 re-
main so. Many additional improvements
will be made as funds are received for the
work. At some future day 1t is expected
that a movement will be inaugurated for
the erection of a suitable monument al the
park with appropriate Inscriptions This
will be deferred until practical matters of
importance to the proper protection and
preservation of the property, have been
attended to.
Among the Savannahians who were in
terested in the prison department are Post
Department Commander T. F. Gleason of
the Grand Army of the Republic under
whose administration the department was
removed from debt. Mr.. Isaac Beckett
was also a member of the board of con-
troll, elected in 1890.
There are many points about Ander-
sonville that are of interest Probably the
most interesting feature of this more in
teresting locality is what is known as
Providence spring" so appropriately
named by the heroes of Andersonville.
The story is universally familiar. and
the famished prisoners had reached that
moment when they realized that they
could no longer endure, with naught by
the contaminated waters of the creek Ia
sustain them, dure severe electric storm
this living stream broke forth, bright,
pure and sparkling, bringing renewed lie
and hope. Skeptcs and philosophers NAV
easily explain its appearance from nat
ural causes, yet it will always be recog-
nized as an especial evidence of the in
finite power and mercy of a Divine Proyi-
dence
Not only was it providential that this
supply of pure water should come at this
opportune time. but also that IL came from
within the dead line" where, by The
prison laws, it was protected from being
trampied and defled
1t has been suggested that this his
toric spring should be covered by a mar
BILE pavilion, with tile roof tiled flooring