The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1900-05-08
THE BISMARCK BoNFIREs.
They Are Always Lighted April ON
Every HtIltoP IN
Germany.


In Germany, the first day OF April
has been for many years, and will be
for tenfold as many generations, a
day to be held in thankful and joyous
remembrance, for II is the anniver-
sary Of the birth of Otto Eduard Leo
pold Bismarck, the man whom. above
all others, the people Of the Father
land regard as the maker Of the em-
pire.
When, in the closing months Of 1898,
their hero had been laid to rest, the
minds OF all true Germans were busy
with the founding Of some national
memorial that should be worthy OF
the greatness of both the man and
the empire 1t was then, says writ
er in the April number OF Pearson's
Magazine, that there came to some
German students the scheme that win
receive the fullness Of its realization
on the first day Of April, this year.
In olden days the Saxons and Nor
mans raised monumental pyres over
the bodies Of their honored dead, and
from this thought there was evolved
the wonderful plan Of having a huge
fire on every hilltop and elevation in
the German empire on the night Of
the chancellor's birthday. From every
point of the compass there should
leap into the darkness the tongues Of
fame that should tell the people
whom he loved and who loved him,
that Otto Bismarck was with them
still in spirit, and that in honoring
him they were honoring themselves.
An appeal to the German people"
was drawn up, and the idea spread
with rapidity equal to that of the
fires which will form its realization.
There was no Pickering or spluttering
of the tiny fame that was trying to
kindle the huge pile, but sudden
burst Of fierce fire from point to point
all over the land. Everywhere the APP
peal stirred up the widest enthusi-
asm and excitement, everywhere men
and women resolved to do their ut
most to honor the memory of the
maker of German unity, and from
north to south and east to west the
minds OF all were filed with one
on April 1, 1900, every
should possess it's Bis
marck monument and light it's Bis
marck bonfire.
In the meantime the chief commit
ice was at work in connection with
The chief design. 1t was decided to
a competition, and to give
prizes for the ten best drawings. The
journals inserted the adj
free Of charge, and IN .
Iery short time more than 1000 apple
,ations for copies of the conditions OF
he competition were received from
Irtists ard architects. The lines upon
which the monument was to be con-
tructed were indicated in the zap
,eal;" It should be massive, but SIM
lie and without ornamentation save ,
hat the pedestal should bear the
rms and motto of the Iron Cnancel-
or. In its massiveness it should re-
euDle Blul WIOul ~ - 4AVNhNCN " /
epresent, and in design it should be ,
a2able of reproduction in all sizes
o suit the means of all communities.
The monument bears no name, but t
here will be no mistaking it, and
very German child will know and be
BILE to tell the stranger that 1t repre-
ents Bismarck.
The prize design shows a simple, /
ignifsd monumental structure OF
quare section with massive column
t each corner; the architrave sup e
orts a metal frepot, which is sep +
rated from the masonry by layer !.
( nonconducting material. The fire. :
lace is reached by steps in the IN a
erior, which lead from a door in abe C
ack Of the monument.
cuNTTTEN MFCCACEC i