The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-31
GEN. SPRAGUE TALKS.
Urges Immediate Action
Towards Erecting the
Devens Monument.

| The Spy's effort to resurrect the pro-
ject to erect a statue to the memory of
Gen. Devens has ripened into action.
Gen. A. B. R. Sprague, who command
ed a company in Maj. Devens' batta-
lion in the civil war, talked with The
Spy man yesterday concerning the cree
ton of a monument to the memory of
his friend and Worcester's hero. He
said:
THE effort of The Spy is bearing
fruit. Although ill-health has kept me
indoors, l have heard indirectly that
interest in the project was never great
er than at present. A general COM
mittee was appointed at a meeting held
at the Worcester Club in 1892. Every
member of that committee is alive with
the exception of DR.. Charles H Da-
Wis.
| l have always been deeply interested
in the project to honor Gen. Devens.
/ We should do it while we who knew
him we'll are on earth and can see the
monument erected to his memory. The
county has right by legislative act, to
appropriate $4,000, and twice that sum
can be raised by subscription.
THE offer of Judge George NJ. Curtis
OF New York and the check he sent had
inspiration in the fact that Judge Cur
lis is Worcester boy and served in
the civil war as a private in the COM
pany | commanded in Maj. Devens' bat
talon. Judge Curtis offered to be one
of a committee to guarantee the cree
ton of the statue by personal contribu-
ton to the fund"
In Gen. Sprague's inaugural address
in 1895, attention was called to the eff
forts to raise money for the statue, and
an appropris ton was sought, but the
| city government was checked by lack
| of finance
| It is probable that some member of
the general committee of seven wears
| ago will be aroused to action, which will
result in a meeting The general com
mittee is: ]. H. Clarke, Edwin Brown,
George F. Hoar, Stephen Salisbury,
Charles e. Grant, Henry E. Smith, E.
I. Raymond, A. B. r. Sprague, Ed
ward L. Davis, John A. Dana, ]. Mar
Gus Rice James P. Hamilton Gen. j.
w. Kimball of Fitchburg, Charles A.
Chase, Nathaniel Paine E. B. Stod-
dard, G. Stanley Hall, Edward A. Rice,
Thomas j. Hastings, George w. Mirick,
e. j. Russell Charles H. Doe, W. S. B.
Hopkins, F. P. Goulding, F. A. Gaskill,
John r. Thayer, Francis H. Dewey,
Charles H. Pinkham, William A. Gle,
John s. Baldwin, Josiah Pickett, Rock
wood Hoar, Lyman A. Ely and Francis
| A. Harrington.
! Amid all the engrossing cares of the
political campaign on the lieutenant
governorship candidacy, and in spite of
the faithful work being done to secure
the appointment of Col. w. S. B. Hop
kins to the supreme bench, lawyers are
finding time to turn to the considera-
ton of the erection of a statue in honor
of Gen. Devens.
In offices and on the street the reju-
venation of the project is an engrossing
topic of conversation. Grand Army
men and military friends of Gen. Dew.
ems have since its inception held the
plan in keen interest. Many attempts
have been made against all manner OF
odds to push the movement to a sue.
cessful close. Not until The Spy las
week pointed out the ease of its accom-.
plishment under the present favorable
conditions, were the favorable omens
4 that augur success realized.
In the opinion of the promoters OF
the commendable enterprise, all o.
whom have been interviewed by Tit
Spy, and the opinions of many O.
whom have been printed, there exist
no reasonable reason or excuse for i'm
mediate action. Hon. A. S. Roe wh'
has had experience in similar enter
prises, says delay Will materially ham
/ per the project. He says:
Il realize how hard a matter it i.
to accomplish undertakings similar t
the erection of a statue of Gen. Devens
unless the matter is taken in hand en-
Enthusiastically and pushed vigorously
The erection Of the bust of Willie Grou
in the hall of the classical high school
accomplished while was principal, wa.
a feat more difficult of accomplishment
than would be believed. A vast amount
of work was necessary, as is always
bound to be the case unless the plar
is carried forward on a furore of pop
ular interest l believe that the pres
ent time is the proper one to take the
Devens statue in hand. The first en-
thusiasm has worn off the origina
movement, but believe that if the plar
is again taken up vigorously and earn
estly, it will be easy of accomplish
ment. When the bill authorizing the
county commissioners to raise and ap
propriate $4,000 for the purpose, wa:
passed under suspension of the rules
| was asked by the speaker to bide &
later time, but / urged that Worcester
would surely take immediate action il
the matter, and that the bill demanded
immediate attention. If the proiec
had been pushed, it would have surely
been accomplished. If the matter /:
| taken up now, it cannot fail to be sue
cessfully carried out"