Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-10-30

Montpelier. Oct 29.-The great event at
the State House to-day was the unveiling
and presentation to the State of the por
trait of Admiral Charles f., Clark, or
drred hY the Legislature of 1900 and paint
al by Frederick +. Ninton of Boston, un-
der "A commission of Governor Stickney.
The Leg stature met in Joint assembly for
this interesting event and the crowd that
packed Representatives hall to the doors
1uclGd"d hcarlY all the State officials,
and many prominent members of the bar
Governor Mccullough was accompanied
by Adjutant General Gilmore and by his
staff in uniform and Admiral Clark wore
the full uniform of his rank Mrs. McCul-
lough, Mrs. Clark Miss Mccullough, Miss
Valentine, the Judges of the supreme
court. Governor Mccullough, ex-Gever-
uur Sticknoy and Admiral Clark were
given seats reserved for them near the
speakers desk. Because of the size of
TN portrait and frame 1t was not taken
inside the hall, but was unveiled in the
corridor outside after the exercises were
over.
I'm presenting the portrait to the State
Governor Stckney said:
Mn President.
1t is less than a week ago that we met
here to pay Il fitting tribute to brave Lis
cum, who lives in fame but not in life
The American army, in our time, has
afforded few finer examples of the true
soldier than the Nermonter We chose to
honor Oh that day.
But he was present in memory alone,
and while the tale of his splendid record
was being told, he WAS sleeping in sol
dier's grave in far away Arlington We
had with us of him only portrait, which
was and is, at best, but counterfeit on
canvas Of his true self.
Beneath painted breast the heart
throbs not, and pictured lips never break
into voice to greet Us.
We assemble again to-day to honor an
other distinguished Nermonter, a rep
resentatiNe of the American navy, whose
career ON the seas has made his name
familiar in every land on which the waves
of the ocean beat. And it is our good for
tune to have with us here both his por-
trait and his presence We rejoice that
lc returns ladcurd with houors which re-
tcct credit upon his native State. We are
also glad to find that he still loves the
hills and claims to be one among us.
The governor then read the joint reso-
luton of the Legislature of 1890 author
izlnG the portrait and Captain Clark's re-
ply on receiving a copy Of the enactment
and continued:
'ndcr the provisions of the joint reso-
luton, which has just been read, Mr.,
Frederic y. Ninton of Boston. gentle
man eminent in the art of portrait paint
ing vas awarded the comm lssiou. | now
nave the honor to report that ne has COM
peted the work and produced portrait
which is historical in character.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PORTRAIT.
This morning received "A letter from
Mr Nnton which will explain itscf. lis
writes.
In the portrait of Captain Clark / rep
resent him standing on the top of the
j. inch gan turrct, in front of the coming
tower under the pilot house. Behind him
is the 6-inch gun turret, from which pro-
ioCt the guns trained to starboard and
IGIlN fire. The DiIbt house. ic MI
feet above his head. The ship has her war
paint ON a lead colOred gray The cap
tains uniform IL, as / believe, the idcn-
tical uniform worn by him at the battle
of Santiago, and is correct according to
the naval regulations of that time. During
the engagement the officers wore no
swords. The moment chosen by me for
my painting is that when the Oregon was
IN fun chase of the Colon, after having
piaced the other Spanish ships hors de
combat, two of which are seen burning
on the beach in the distance The day
of the battle opened fair but the smoke
from the guns later overcast the sky
I'm which, here and there, may be seen
patches of blue. TO help out my compo-
SitiOn | have imagined the smoke from
The stacks blowing down to soften the
hard line of the pilot house.
! placed the horizon line low in order
to give dignity to the figure. The details
Of the ship | obtained in measure, from
tlunltS ndus Oh lle lHuIdId when Sne
was in New London. The Indiana is the
sister ship Of the Oregon and is like her
In essential features of construction. From
Captain Clark / received much informa-
tion regarding details, the conditions OF
the sky, etc, and as to his position AT
the time chosen. From Lieut.. Ebere, who
was in close communication with Captain
Clark during the battle | learned the eX-
act details of what | have tried to repre-
sent, II was Lieut. Eberle who wrote the
STORY of the Captains" in the Century
Magazine.
In this attempt Of mine to paint his
torlCal portrait and not the ordinary por-
trait of commerce, ! feel that | have done
what should have been done, and that
those who come after us will see what
manner of man the great commander at
Santi"go for such he was--was like, and