The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-23

tory won by It's defenders began a new
era for the western frontier BY making
q dreaded field and outlook for the adj
Vancement OF civilization. BY II the
horizon OF culture and the Jurisdiction
Of liberty was extended further west.
It % especially gratifying to us that We
can, with patriotic pride. point 70 this
ipoa as the scene OF the one struggle
that broke the power Of the enemy on
the western border. and brought TO g
close the savage raids on the homes OF
the early settlers along the upper Ohio
Valley. Here the brave defenders Of
the fort baatled with a foe which was
much stronger than they. both IS to
men and equipment There Is no de-
gree Of heroigm beyond that displayed
by. these hardy pioneers, who never fall
tered, though ightlng against great
odds, but held the fort. fought nobly
and sacrificed many precious lives and
drove back the enemies Of civilization
and liberty, and thus prepared the way
for the cities and towns the progress
and culture Of this valley.
Nor do we forget the brave women
Of that trying period, whose courage
and foTiitude were no less memorable
than that Of their fathers and brothers.
What more sublime act OF herolsm
and devotion can be found in all the
annals Of heroic deeds than that
known IA history as the gun-powder
e1pioit?f When during the siege the
| powder supply OF the fort was almost
exhausted; when surrender scented tho
only alternative, with death staring in
the faces of the occupants Of the fort.
although each man was ready to risk
his life in the effort, q young woman
| quickly volunteered to 90 on the peril
1ttd tsatttrlFV1 ~ 0nat1YstVaus a nj
powder from q neighboring building.
This mission seemed certain death, for
| the bullets OF the enemy were being
poured against the fort from every
side She insisted that no mans life
] could ,be spared from the fort without
weakening II, and that the LOGS of a
woman'S life would be OF little conse-
quence With this resolve she ran
from the fort to the house where the
powder was stored and. quickly secur-
Ing the powder, she wrapped 1t In a
garment, and, amidst a hail Of rife
! balls, returned to the fort in safety,
Can all history tell OF deed more
sublime2 But the spirit Of one was
J the spirit Of all. Their courage, their
devotion. was one and the same. They
have left an example Of courage and
devotion which Is and must be a
wholesome stimulus to all their child
rem and their chIldren's children in
moving them TO higher thoughts Of life
and duty
Fellow citizens of Wheeling. in mem
Dry Of that struggle and in gratitude
10 those departed heroes and their SER
vices 20 our stale and country, the state
Of West Virginia, desires to honor us
and our city by placing here memorial
TO indicate the site and peTpetuate the
memory OF the triumphs won on this
historic spot. on account of the limit
ed space al our disposal. being Obliged
to place II in the pavement Of prOm-
inent thoroughfare, we were neceSsar-
ilYiobliged to make 1t small. but 1t Is
/ 'Butficlently large to serve its purpose
10 posterfty for ages to come. In token
thereof, by an act Of the legislature and
by the authority. reposed In me, have
the honor, on behalf Of the state OF
West Virginia, to present this tablet 10
THE city Of Wheeling. We cherish the
hope that this will speak to the genera
tions OF the future. and remind them OF
the courage and devotion OF their an
cestral fathers, and inspire them to
higher ideals Of citizenship and duty to
our beloved country until that great
day when all nations and peoples shall
be rewarded for the good they have
done to mankind.
Judge cranmer Accepts.
on behalf of the. city, Judge Gibson
L.. cranmer, the historian Of Wheeling,
accepted the tablet. He said:
on behalf Of the citizens Of Wheel
| ing and the county OF Ohio. on this the
natal day Of the immortal Washington,
and in the presence OF our dlstin-
guished guests. Admiral Dewey Lieu
tenant D6ddridge, our worthy govern
or and others, have the honor OF ac-
ceptlng at your hands this stone In
tended to mark the site Of Fort Henry,
which for more than n century has re-
manned unmarked
1t has been the custom Of mankind
from the earliest period Of the worlds
| history to mark the sites Of important
| places which have played an import
ant part In the case Of individuals,
communities and nations by the cree
| ton Of suitable memorials to common.
| crate their character and influence.
Hence, in the earliest records of
| which we have any knowledge we read
that when the Israelltes in their exodus
from Egypt crossed the Jordan they
| were commanded to place at the scene
Of their passage twelve stones that 1t
might be sign among them that when
| thetp 3bhIldren asked their fathers in
| time tUocome, What mean we by these
| stonesP" the answer was that the
waters OF Jordan were cut OF from be-
fore the ark of the Lord. and these
stones shall be a memorial unto the
| children Of Israel forever.
And, again, when the children of
| Israel were required to enter Into
covenant with the Lord to perpetuate
the remembrance OF the same Joshua
took u great stone and placed It under
| IN oak; near the sanctuary of the Lord,
and said, This shall be witness to
me-" -
And, again, we read that Jacob
| reared pillar to signal that It was on
the spot where the Lord appeared TO
him while he slept upon his pillow Of
stones.
In more recent and modern times was
erected the triumphal arch In Paris to
commemorate the victories Of. Napol-
con, while In Trafalgar square, In Lon
don, stands the monument erected TO
the memory of Lord Nelson, which Is
n witness TO the achievements OF that
great naval hero,
In our own country we have many
! monuments which appeal to the patri-
otlsm Of our fellow citizens, notably
that OF Bunker Hill. that erected In
Baltimore to the heroes OF the war
| OF 1872, and that lofty smart erecteu IN
capital OF Our country, the granite sum
init OF which catches the first beams of
| the rising sun and around the head of
/ which the setting sun sheds its depart
| ing rays as II sinks to Its couch In the
west in all the lnrgeness Of Its glory
memorial erected by grateful peo-
pie TO the name. fame and enduring
memory Of the father OF his country.
We Build Monuments.
But 1t mny be objected that these and