Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-02-23

which vas much stronger than they,
both as to men and equipment. There
is no degree Of heroism beyond that
displayed by these hardy pioneers who
never faltered though fighting 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 pre-
pared the way for the cities and
towns, h progress and culture OF
this valley.
Nor do we forget the brave women
of that trying period whose courage
and fortitude were no less memorable
than that of their fathers and broth
ers. What more sublime act of heriosm
and devotion can be found in all the
annals of heroic deeds than that known
in history as the gun powder exploit?
When, during the seige, the powder
supply of the fort was almost exhaust
ed; when surrender seemed the only
alternative, with death staring in the
faces of the occupants of the fort, al
though each man was ready to risk his
life in the effort, a young woman
quickly volunteered to go on the per-
ilous mission of securing a supply or
powder from a neighboring building.
This mission seemed almost 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 1t and that the
loss of a woman's life would be or less
consequence.
With this resolve she ran from the
fort to the house where the powder
was stored and quickly securing the
powder she wrapped 1t In a garment
and amidst a hail Of rifle balls return
ed to the fort in safety. Can all his
tory tell of a deed more sublime!
But the spirit of one was h spirit OF
all. Their courage, their devotion,
was one and the same. They have lefe
an example of courage and devotion
which is and must be a wholesome
stimulus to all their children and their
children's children in moving them to
higher thoughts of life and duty.
Fellow citizens of Wheeling, In
memory of that struggle and In graft
itude to those departed heroes and
their services to our State and coun-
try. the State of West Virginia desires
to honor us and our city by placing
here a memorial to indicate tho site
and ~perpetuate the memory OF tho tri-
umphs won on this historic spot. On
account of the limited space at U
disposal, being Obliged to place 1t IN
the pavement of a prominent thor
oughfare, we were necessarily obliged
to make it small, but 1t is sufficiently
large to serve its purpose to posterity
for ages to come. In token thereof, by
an act of the State Legislature and by
tho authority reposed In mo, | have
the honor, on behalf OF the State OK
West Virginia to present. THIS
TO the City of Wheeling. Wa
the hope that this will speak
generations OF the future and
them of the courage and devotion OF
their ancestral fathers n 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.
While the applause which followed
Mr.. Garvin's speech died away, the
speech of acceptance was made by.
Judge Gibson Lamb Cranmer. Judge
Cranmer said:
Judge Cranmer's Address.
On behalf of the citizens of Wheels
ing and the county of Ohio. on this
the natal day Of the immortal WASH
ington and in the presence OF u dis
tinguished guests, Admiral Dewey,
Lieutenant Doddridge. our worthy
governor and others, ! have the hon
or of accepting at your hands '.this
stone. intended to mark the site OF
Fort Henry. which for more than q
century has remained unmarked.
- - a4aatnDn ~ MAN
kind from the earliest period OF the
worlds history to mark the sites OF
important places which have played
an important part in the case of indi-
yiduals. communities and nations by
the erection of suitable memorials 10
commemorate their character and In
fuence. Ae~~
Hence. in the earliest records of
which we have n knowledge. we
read that when the Israelites in their
exodus from Egypt crossed the Jor-
dan they were commanded to place at
the scene Of their passage twelve
stones that It might be a sign among
them that when their children asked
their fathers in time to come, what
mean We by these stones?" the an
swer was that the waters OF Jordan
were cut off from before the ark OF
the Lord, and these stones shall be .
memorial unto the children OF Israel
forever.
And, again, when the children OF
Israel were required TO enter into a
covenant with the Lord to perpetuate
the remembrance of the same, Joshua
took a great stone and placed 1t under
an oak, near the sanctuary Of the
Lord. and said, This shall be a wit
ness to me-"
And again, we read that Jacob
reared a pillar 10 signal that 1t 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 Napoleon, while In Trafalgar
square, in London stands the monu-
ment erected 10 the memory OF Lord
Nelson, which u a witness TO tho
achievements Of that great naval he-
70.
In our own country we have many
monuments which appeal 10 the pa
triotism OF our fellow citizens. nota-
" - TIfFI 49, ~~.4x