Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-12-27
UNvEIL MONUMENT
Fort Armstrong Chapter, D. A. r.,
Has Interesting Ceremony
at Rock Island Arsenal.
GIFT ACCEPTED BY MAI. BLUNT
Presentation by Mrs. Frank Mixter--
Historical Address by
E. III. Guyer.

About one hundred people assem-
bled at II o'clock this MOI nipg on the
site of old Fort Armstrong on the
west point of Rock Island arsenal
to participate in the unwilling of the
monument erecter there by Fort
Armstrong chapter of the Daughters
of the American Revolution.
Promptly on the hour those present
were brought to order by the bugle
call assembly" following which Rev.
w. S. Marquis offered prayer. Then
Mrs. Frank MiXter. as regent of the
chapter, gave short address of wei
come in which she referred to the fit
| tirg character of the monument
which had been erected to perpetuate
the memory of those who had en-
dured the hardships of pioneers, and
concluded by introducing Z. II. GuyeI-.
who delivered the principal address.
Mr.. Guyer's Address.
| Mr.. Guyer spoke first of the natural
advantages of this locality as seen by
the pioneers when they formed the
first settlement here. The river fur
nished the only avenue of transpOrta-
ton north and south and the line of
travel overland from the lower end of
Lake Michigan passed directly this
way. Ii was fortunate. he said, that
the largest and finest island on the
upper river occupied this important
stragetical position. The manner in
which the old fort was built by Lieut..
! Lawrence in 1916 was told. and then
the speaker turned aside to tell Of
the tender associations of the island
and lis old fort to tie children and
young people of generation ago.
wEo played and picnicked thereon.
| After Il reference to the life of Col.
| Davenport the speaker delved into
the historical associations and the
lives of the men afterwards famous
who figured in the early history of
Rock Islanq.
Among the latter were mentioned
Abraham Lincoln. who came here as
Il soldier, and whose efforts as an at
toIney were directed in behalf of the
railroad companies 20 secure for
them the right to bridge the Mississ-
| ippi here; jefferson Davis. who saved
the island for government uses and
who lived to see il used as n prison
for the men who were serving under
MIN; Robert +. Lee. who made one of
| the first surveys of the island. and
number of others. Mr.. Guyer closed
| by expressing the hope that the site
of the monument would serve to eu-
gender in the hearts of those who
pass it an emulation of the fortitude
and patriotism of the pioneers who
once garrisoned the fort on its site.
The Unwilling.
X he Ia 81 words NNpr,a Snpl.eT1 Miss
Florence Mixter and Miss Nellie
Craig drew aside the folds OF old
glory that had hidden the block of
stone and The band rendered "Thc
Star Spangled Banner" Mrs. MiXteF
thereuPon presented the monument
to Rock Island arsenal. saying: eve
consider il an especial privilege to
entrust it to the care of commandant.
Major Stanhope English lunt. by
whose favor we were encouraged to
begin the work and whose continued
co-operation and assistance have
made it possible for us today to wit
ness ITS contamination"
Maj. Blunt, in accepting the mouu-
ment, said: AS a representative of
the general government, as com
manding officer of the Rock Island
arsenal and in behalf of my success
sors i'm such office. l accept from your
hands the custody of this monument.
May it long remain to perpetuate not
only a memory of the faithful serv-
ices rendered and the many priVa-
tions endured by officers and men of
our army in the early settlement of
our great western land. but also as Il
tokel, of your appreciation of the
story of their life. Besides the debt
a grateful country owes to them it
also owes one to you for bringing to
the notice of the younger and of flu
ture generations the labors which Sc
materially contributed to the happi-
ness and prosperity of the inhabit
ants of this beautiful; valley of tho
Mississippi
Monument is of Sandstone.
The monument. as previously de-
scribed i'm part in the columns of the
Argus, is a plain one of sandstone,
with base 3N4 feet in AREA and n
height of eight feet and nine inches.
There are two base stones and a CAP
II. % :