Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-05-06

4
ical Discovery the most wonderful medicines
| In the world"
DR.. Pierce's Common Sense Medical
| Adviser is sent free on receipt of 21 one
cent stamps to pay expense of mailing
only. Address DR.. R. v. Pierce, Buff
| falo, N. Y.
the years that followed the expedition
| OF Lewis and Clark. The country
was settled up, the United States cele-
| brated its centennial and many monu-
ments We're erected to other heroes.
The Floyd family in Kentucky, whence
the sergeant came, mourned him for
years, and they went the way of all
the earth. New generations of Floyds
came and went, and they were taught
no doubt that one of the family had
died for his country while serving in
an exploring party, and they have
lived and died and were forgotten.
A mother and father and brothers and
sisters and their offspring for several
generations passed on, and yet the
grave remained unmarked, but not
| forgotten.
The country was too busy to think
of it's heroes. The country was new
and poor, but happy. New countries
and poor countries do not spend
money on monuments. They let the
dead past bury it's dead. But as the
country grows older and richer. it had
more time and inclination for things
of a historical and sentimental ma
ture.
The thought of erecting of monu-
ment never completely died out. There
was always some one who would call
attention to it, and, like the Vestal
Virgins, there was always some one
to keep the lamp burning. To say
who it was would be impossible. So
it would be impossible, not to say in
vidious. to say who originated the
Floyd Monument association in 1895,
which finally achieved what had been
such lingering and worthy ambition
Along about 1895 the grave was
opened the second time, although it
was with some difficulty that 1t was
found at all, for the headboard and
the footboard had decayed and fallen,
The bones were found ultimately, and
were taken in charge till such time as
the association should call for them.
l should consider that it was neces-
sary to do this since there were not
lacking relic fiends who would have
carried off the bones to make into
knife handles.
Money was subscribed by the town
of Sioux City, it was raised by private
subscription, the state legislature gave
certain amount, congress gave a
good sum, and thus in all nearly $780, 900
was raised to do honors to the first
white man to fall in the service of the
United States west of the Mississippi.
But the beginning was in 1895, and the
men who worked for the erection of
the monument did not see the fruition
of their labors till last May, 1901. The
monument was dedicated May 80, the
day made sacred as the day in which
we honor our other soldier dead, and
the association saw it's labors bear
fruit.
The monument is beautiful shaft
four inches more than hundred feet
high. 1t is about twelve feet square
at the base and 1t runs to point at
the top like an Egyptian obelisk. It is
built of Kettle River sandstone from
Minnesota, and it looks as if it would
endure forever.
The nation that comes after us will
wonder, after all else has been de.
stroyed and has gone to decay, what
this obelsk was for, just as we won.
der about the Egyptian obelisks and
| Cleopatras Needles that we have de.
spoiled the Valley of the Nile of. But
they want to be careful, and not at.
tempt to snake away anything of that
kind of Uncle Sans.
The monument stands on a great
| Inf hn
about two miles down the river from
Sioux City. The monument can be
seen from many parts of the town. 1t
is reached by wagon road only The
street cars do not reach the monument
nearer than about three-quarters of 6
mile. The base of the monument is
concrete work and must be thirty or
forty feet square. 1t goes to a depth
of twenty to thirty feet. The builders
had perhaps one hundred men at work
the first day or two in order to get
the concrete work in good order The
remains of Sergeant Floyd are placed
within the monument in an urn and
the niche is Theoretically and perpetu.
ally sealed.
On the east face of the monument
is bronze plate bearing this inscrip
ton: In commemoration of the
Louisiana Purchase made during the
administration of Thomas Jefferson
April 8, 1903, of its successful explor.
alton by the heroic members Of the
Lewis and Clark expedition, of the
valor of the Americans and of the en-
terprise, courage and fortitude of the
American pioneers to whom these
great states west of the Mississippi
river owe their secure foundation
The cornerstone was laid August 20
1900, under the direction or under the
auspices of the G. A. r. of Iowa
whose commander was Madison b