The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-10
IN MEMORY OF WASHINGTON.
THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF
HIS DEATH.

Promises to he Celebrated From,
Maine to CaIifOrnia-The Hero os
Pike county-Whnt Bill Arp
Found-Echoes of the Confederate
Reunion I'm Savannah-some Mill
tary Notes.
Pine Crest Villa, Maitland, Fla, Dec. Q
Next Wednesday, Dec. 10, the first an
niversary of the death of Gen. George
Washington promises to be celebrated
from Maine to California, in various ways
and by different organizations Col. s.
Herbert of this city, special aide to Com
mander-in-Chief Shaw of the Grand Army
of the Republic, is officially notified that
all Grand Army posts will be expected to
observe the day in an appropriate man
ner. AS Col. Lancey is in charge of mill
itary instruction and patriotism in the
public schools of this department, he is
requested to suggest that some kind of
exercises be held in all the public schools
and thus bring the hearts and minds of
with the life and character Of 1.-THE Father
of His Country"
Genial Bill Arp" has been into Pike
county, Georgia, and, finding some inhab-
itants who didn't know who the county
was named for, he expresses surprise.
Why, bless his old soul, there are "Wo-
mems History Clubs" all over Georgia and
Alabama whose members know all about
Ancient Rome, Athens, Jerusalem. Venice
ETC., and the heroes of past ages, and yet
they can't tell who their own towns and
counties are named for. They belong to
the same class of students in and out of
school and college who master foreign
languages, to the neglect of their own Eng
lish. Here in this city, with its winter
homes of wealthy and cultured families
no one knew how Lake Maitland came to be
so called, and / surprised them when
told them 1t was named for Brevet Cap
tain William s. Maitland of New York a
distinguished graduate of West Point In
1920, and an artillery officer of great merit
His brevet came for gallantry in the fight
of the Withlacoochee and Welika (FlaA,
he having been severely wounded in the
battle of Wahoo Swamp. His death oc-
CURED in Charleston harbor, while on sick
leave, by falling overheard from a steam
er in August, 1887, then aged only 81 years
Now as to Pike county, Georgia, 1t is
peculiar in having honored a prominent
military hero-Zebulon Montgomery Pike
by using two parts of his name the first
given name for the county seat, Zebulon
and the family name, Pike, for the new
county. There were two Pixies in the SER
vice; Brevet Lieut.. Col. Zebulon pike. Of
Virginia, and Col. Zebulon MONTGOMERY
Pike of New Jersey, who was killed In an
explosion Of powder mine over in Canada
in 1918, while he was commander of the
Fifteenth United States Infantry. II is
a gratifying fact that the naming Of conn
ties, towns and streets after military ana
naval heroes is as old as this nation, and
an over Georgia, South Carolina and Flor
ida, as elsewhere, their immortal names are
kept secure for future generations in this
way. Florida has her Dade City and Dade
county, her Fort Basinger. her Brooks
vile, her Mellonville Ohat was), her Matt
land, and her Fort Brooke and Fort ca
prom, and Fort Dallas and Fort Lauder
dale-all in honor Of the heroes of the IN
dian wars within her borders.
1t may be of interest to note. I'm this
connection, that the name of Col. Pike
was highly honored by a family over I'm
Alabama, whose son, Zebulon Montgom-
cry Pike Inge, graduated from West Point
in 1898, and became second lieutenant in
the Second U, S. Dragons. He was pro-
NOTED first lieutenant in 1S41, and met his
death while calamity facing the foe on
the bloody field of Resaca de Ia Palma, in
the Mexican War. Col Pike was for many
years on duty in Georgia, Alabama and
the Mississippi territory, and was held in
high esteem as a soldier and gentleman
by the people of all the states named.
II must be very gratifying to Col. John
Screven and his associates In charge of
the recent Confederate reunion in Savan-
nah. 20 read the many compliments paid
them and the people generally OF the
Forest CITY," for the generous and hand
some manner IN which the old soldiers
were everywhere treated. II must be re-
membered that this was not a Southern
States reunion, like Charlestonis great