The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-15
JUST SLEEPING.
Memorial Fountain
Question Not
Downed.
TAKE INITIATIVE.
British Association Propose
to Push Matters Along
at Once.
TAKE INITIATIVE.

The memorial fountain which the
British association proposed to present
to the city of Worcester a year ago,
and which led to the most heated de-
bates in the city government, now rises
gain like Banquo's ghost and refuses
to be downed, in spite of all efforts to
put the question beyond recall.
The question. after many warm
debates in the city government
and long delays, was referred to the
present city council, where the matter
lies, sleeping, but full of latent life,
ready to rise upon the town fathers
as of old.
A meeting will be held soon by the
members OF the committee which origi-
nally had the fountain in charge, and
the method to be pursued in getting ia
vorable action will be adopted,
Matthew J. Whittall, Lindsay j. So
merville and Donald Tuiloch, among the
most influential members of the Brit
ish Memorial association, which con-
ceiVed the plan of presenting the city
of Worcester with d fountain as a to-
ken of love for the home of their adop@
ton by the BritiSh-American residents
III ColllIllttllQl dllOll VI Lie OVAn daAAtANSAN
sary of Victoria as queen of Englanda
have thoroughly canvassed the sitna+
ton, and Mr.. SOmerville has been in
consultation the last few days with
other members of the association with
a view to forcing the question to tha
front so that it may be acted upon
either favorably or otherwise.
What the members Of the COMMITTEES
desire is final disposition OF the ques~
ton. Already the question as it has
come up in the city council meetings.
has caused i'll feelings, and the jubilee
| association, as such, does not wish to
have their generous offer bone OF
contention, log rolling and pettifoggina
craftsmanship any longer.
The British Jubilee Memorial assooit
alton has had an honorable history. 70
| consists of the leading British4Ameris
can residents of this city, and when
Victoria's jubilee reign was being cele-
brated abroad, the Englsh-born citi-
zens within our midst celebrated the
occasion. too, A street parade was
held, in which all the British-American
societies were represented, and this will
long be remembered as one of the most
pleasing exhibitions of the year.
Several hundreds of dollars were
cleared, and it was decided to devote
this to a fund for the erection in the
city of a. fountain to be presented to
the municipality. A beautiful design
was chosen, after a famous Scotch
fountain. and between two and three
thousand dollars has been subscribed
for this purpose. A fountain has ap-
peared TO be one of the most effective
gifts to the city, and the plan has not
been abandoned through the contention
in the city government,
By the original offer, heafountain
was to be placed at the city hall, and
then the matter was referred to one
committee and another, first the com
mittee on streets and then to the COM
mittee on parks. After committee
hearings it was recommended that the
fountain be not placed on the city hall,
and then after wrangling in the city
government, it eventually toward the
end of the year went over to the new
government. The members of the as
sociation have been patiently awaiting
for some action to be taken by the nu-
nicipality, but as none has been taken.
and the councilmen and aldermen have
looked upon the question as guardedly as
if it were a sleeping Cerberus, the com
mittee of the association have decided
to take the initiative themselves, and
draw the matter from the committee,
where it now lies, and secure hear i
ing before the city government.
If the city government does not take
favorable action upon the matter, then
the people who contributed money to
the proposed gift, wish to know it, At
first there was talk of placing the foun-
tain at South Worcester. but later this
has changed into a movement for a
gift to the Art museum and this and
other schemes are now before the mem
bers of the association. The original
idea Of the fountain is still strong, and
tonight the matter viii be agitated
among the members of the city gov
eminent, and it is hoped that some
move to secure action upon the offer
will be taken either tonight or next
Monday night, as the members of the
British Jubilee association believe that
at least common courtesy should be
extended them, and they should now
at once know the fate of the fountain
question.