The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-27
DEvENS STATUE.
CONTINUED From First Page.)

cessary money for the Devens monu-
ment would be raised with a single eff
fort. Senator Roe was enthusiastic,
and prepared to go to Albany and en-
in the cause, when, for some inScrut-
able reason, the ef1tire plan was
dropped like hot Goals.
Many of the committee having the
memorial in charge and many OF the
original promoters of the project be-
lieve the time is now ripe for final
effort in the cause. Delay makes the
realization Of the worthy object more
dim, and the energy required will in
crease immeasurably if the present OPP
portunity escapes. Let the plan be
taken up in earnest and it will be soon
realized
Worcester is a pauper in historic
monuments. Aside from the soldiers
monument and the Bigelow monument
on the common, the bust Of Willie
Grout in the classical high school and
the bust of Benehley in the English
high school, her heroes, are unhonored
In bronze or marble. General Devens
has been honored by the state, let his
mother city be quick to preserve his
memory. Among the promoters of the
memorial the sentiment strongly ia
vors no equestrian statue, with boots
and spurs, but rather a civic statue in
memory of Devens as a statesman and
jurist, with perhaps a military cloak
| thrown across t&a shoulders in com
memoration of his honors in a dual
field
Yesterday several prominent citizens
We're seen by Spy representatives con-
corning the Devens monument.
Postmaster j. Evarts Greene said he
thought the present a first rate time for
taking hold of the project with new
vlgor and determination to carry 1t
through to completion. A splendid site
will soon be ready for the statue on
the broad steps of the new court house,
than which no more commanding loca-
ton could be found. Certainly time has
come for doing something practical.
DifTerences of opinion may exist as to
the design of the statue; some, no
doubt would like to see an equestrian
statue with the figure attired in mill
tary costume, and there may be those
Who would prefer a standing figure
with civic style of dress. But these are
details that will prove easy of solution,
once the committee gets down to its
work in serious and systematic way.
Devens, both as jurist and a soldier
reflected honor on Worcester and it is
eminently fitting that the citizens of
Worcester, particularly the members of
associates, should discharge the duty
they owe to his memory by erecting this
public memorial
Gen. A. b. r. Sprague, who was in
timately acquainted with Gen. Devens
and has been one of the prime movers
in the effort to erect a statue to his
memory, would like to see the matter
taken up once more and brought to q
head as quickly as possible.
To The Spy man, Gen. Sprague said
last night: Every old soldier from
Worcester who fought In the civil wal
would like to see the statue placed in
| some section of the city. The commit
tee appointed about six years ago tC
look the matter up started out to estab-
| fish a fund. The county commissioners
| were ordered to contribute $4,000 to-
wards it with certain conditions gov
erning 1t, and Senator Hoar and Col
E. B. Stoddard were also active in get
ting the fund started. Both guaranteed
| large amounts which would have
| formed nucleus to work on and Judge
Curtis of New York. formerly of this
| city, sent a large sum of money to the
| treasurer of the committee with the
| understanding that it be used as part
of the fund. The committee worked fol
time, and several possible locations
were suggested.
Gen. Devens certainly has a warn
place in the hearts of members of the
| Fifteenth regiment of which he was col.
onel when the men left Worcester, anG
! the regiment to man would be willing
| to do everything they could to see theii
| commander honored. do not know
| how the matter stands at the present
| time, but would like to see 1t revived
and an end Accomplished
Capt David M. Earle, who went out
with Gen. Devens in the Fifteenth regi-
ment, was interested IN the matter
when it was considered for the first
time, and would like to see it taken up
now, and as several items in municipal
business were unsettled at that time,
he thinks it could be taken up now and
better results brought about.
| Capt. Earle complimented The Spy
enterprise in bringing the question Of
honoring the lawyer-general again be-
fore the public, and said that without
doubt every man who fought under
him and ID now alive would do every
thing in his power to help the work
along.
Il personally" said Mr.. Earle,
| would like the work started as quick
ly as possible. so that it might be COM
pleted and in place before those who
were with Gen. Devens in the rebellion
have passed away. The boys would all
like to see it, and l think now that the
city hall has been built and the old
bone of contention between the north
and south ends settled, a canvass for
funds might result more satisfactorily
than before. When the matter was first
taken up, three sites were considered
lone in front of the court house, another
in front of the new post office, provid-
ling the "hat-iron' building was torn
down, and a third in front of the
armory There is nc doubt in my mind
but that the proper location for the
statue would be in front of the court
house, but as to the choosing of a loca-
ton, it would not need to be consi-
dered until the fund was we'll under
way"
Col. e. j. Russell, who left Worcester
with the Fifteenth Massachusetts as a
captain, and was later a member Of the
committee to look up contributions,
told The Spy man that he would like
to see the question again revived.
when 1t started six years ago."
said Col Russell, 81 was delegated to
make a canvass of the members Of the
regiment and see what they could do
toward helping the thing along.
Pledges for about 5000 were received
and some of the members sent in the
money.
Senator Hoar took an active inter-
est in the matter and he promised to
contribute $780, while other Worcester
men promised sums of about the same
amount. The committee met several