The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-15

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actual expenses paid. He visited every part
of the State, holding meetings, and while
the meetings were well attended and there
was an increasing interest in the project,
the amount of subscriptions received was
not adequate to the verbal patriotism and
TO the work expended. Quite a number OF
counties, sixteen in all, were induced 10
subscribe 800 each upon the condition that
stones should be placed in the monument
bearing the names of the counties and the
number Of soldiers which each county
lost. II may be said here that not a dollar
was derived from these subscriptions, for
the reason that il became apparent to those
who were engaged in the matter that a
monument made of stones bearing county
names and the number Of men that were
enlisted would be altogether too unique.
General Carnahan relates that he was
selected as one of the m TO visit
Hon. William II. English and ask him for
a subscription. He went TO Mr.. English
with "A new subscription book. He found
him in his bank, which was located at
Washington and Meridian streets, and
made known his mission. Mr.. English re-
ceived him very cordially, speaking of the
duty which the people and the State WED
to her soldiers to build to them an imper-
ishabIe monument. How much ought L to
give?" asked Mr.. English; II mean, how
much should / give as a starter" His
visitor felt some delicacy in advising the
financier as to what he shoul do for the
monument at that time, but he mustered
up courage to say something about $1,000.
Mr.. English replied: Il have been thinking
llll- matt ONtl - COlilt NAAlAC anu Il AoN =
concluded that / would begin with a sub
scription of $1,000 butt he added, Il shall
give more, and i shall continue 10 give I'M
til this monument shall be builded." Mr..
English was as good as his word. While he
did not make another subscription OF $l,VVO,
he paid that $1,000 and was ever active in
the Legislature or wherever his influence
could be made felt for the completion of
the
EARLY CONTRIBUTIONS.
Outside of Marion county's appropriation
OF $4,000 and Mr.. English's donation of
1900. the donations aggregated s1O,116.94.
Among the contributors were General Har-
risor, 800; Indianapolis Journal, 500; L. NJ.
Campbell, Danville, 800; Col. Eli Lilly. $50;
Major Charles L. Holstein. $50; E. G.. Rath-
bone. w. NJ. Dunn, A. L. Wright e. Co.,
Layman, Cary &c Co, Moore & Coughlan,
Murphy, Hibben & Co, Gordon, Kurtz &
Co., Byram, Cornelius & Co., Wiles, Coffin
& Co. and r. o. Hawkins, all of Indian
apolis. SIS each. Rushville post headed the
list of Grand Army contributions with $500.
Other posts of the G.. A. r. contributed as
follows: South Whitley, $25: Ridgeville.
500; Franklin, s4S.S3; Ossian, $31.S6; Green
castle, $l15; West Lebanon. SLIGO; Corners
vile, S42; South Bend, $50; Eaton. SSH;
West Point, So; New Carlisle. s23.75; Bloom
field. 5000; Thorntown, SIS; Crawfords-
Vile. 1928; Grandview, $50; Rensselaer,,
s34.06; Laporte, $14.21; Andrews, $22.6S; &C.
HeNd, SZO. lUs EllZdDeIu, w. IdNTelCtDuIS Is
5000; Rockville. Sol; Idaville, $31; Econ
Omy, So; Auburn, $25; Clayton, $3.50;
WOrthington, $24.20; Somerset, $40; An
napolis. s.; Anderson. 800: Kentland, 500. So;
ter, $50: Richmond. $23.69; Middlefork, S.;
Goodland, 81; Pendleton, $12.OS; East Enter
prise. SAB; Summitville, s.; ~Churubusco,
$3.50; Trenton 81; Versailles, $3.50; Somer-
set, $9.15; Martinsville, S1O3; Waterman, So;
Cambridge City, 500; Post Is, SO; Albion,
So; Adams, $40. The largest church cOntri-
button was made by the First Baptist, or
Indianapolis. $55.32.
The year that Tomlinson Hall was COM
pleted the Grand Army committee con-
ceived the bold project of having it dedi-
Gated by a musical festival, the net pro-
ceeds of which should be devoted to the
monument. This obtained from
the Board of Aldermen the use of the new
hall for a week without compensation The
musical festival lasted a week. General
Carnahan was the president of the associa-
ton having IL in charge, Judge James Il.
Black secretary, and George w. Johnston
treasurer. The committee took a very great
and Johnston. A circular was issued appeal
Army mar in the vicinity, and being then
twenty years younger than it now is, the
Grand Army was a very great force. This
festival continued for q week. and the net
proceeds which went into the monument
fund were s., 10. The festival was a very
great affair, General Harrison. then United
States senator, and General Sherman, with
many other distinguished men outside the
State, were present. The chorus contained
500 voices and the orchestra 100 pieces. Lii
lie was the star. Reserved seats
were sold for 81 and other seats for 80
cents. On this occasion, Miss Margaret
Kackley was brought out, her professional
name being Margaret Reid. The commit
tee paid her expenses from Paris to take
part in this festival. One night was devoted
entirely TO army songs.
GRAND ARMY TO THE FRONT.
The committee and the Grand Army at
this point became satisfied that everything
that could be raised by subscription or pri-
vate donation had been secured. The COM
mittee then turned its attention to counties,
particularly 10 Marion county. The city and
every township were divided into small dis
tricts, which were canvassed for the names
of taxpayers and voters who favored a do
nation of $4,000 to the The
County Commissioners would not donate
500 900, but they did make a donation of $780,
600. with the condition that il should not
be paid until the monument was begun.
One may get an idea of the earnestness
and purpose of the Grand Army leaders in
this matter from an extract from Depart
ment Commander Canadians report to the
encampment, which met March %, 1888:
Comrades, will you not on your return
to your post take this matter up and push
this work forward? 1t is a shame and dis
grace TO the State of Indiana that there
has been no state monument erected in
honor of the men of this State who offered
and freely gave their lives for the life of
the Nation. In the State of New York L
have seen a soldiers monument which bore
upon it the names of Indiana soldiers side
by side with some of the brave men of the
Empire State. Shall New York alone hon.
or the memory of Indiana soldiers? Shall
not we also here at home in the State
where they were born and on the soil
where their martial tread was first heard
do our part toward p~erpetuating their
memory and the history of their heroic
deeds? Let US then lay aside all local preju-
dice and go to work in this matter with
such earnestness hat before many months
shall have passed we shall have erected a
monument worthy of our brave comrades
But all these appeals and all this local
work were of no avail. All the efforts that
had been made by the Grand Army had re-
suited thus far in the collection of 81, 600.
There were those who would nave given up
the struggle in despair, but fortunately
men of almost measureleSs courage were
in charge of the enterprise and were not
cast down by the repeated failures of four
years persistent effort. Indeed, the defeat
seemed TO make them more determined 10
see a soldiers monument in Governors
Circle. Forced TO the conclusion that pri-
vate subscriptions and appeals TO posts
whose membership was made up largely of
men who earned their bread by labor and
that counties could not be depended on TO
make adequate subscription, the committee
and the other leaders in the movement de-
termined to appeal to the LEGISLATURE.
Many were so discouraged that they saw
little prospect of success in that direction.
The leaders,, however, gave to the legiSla-
tive idea their most strenuous support.
They were courageous because they had
behind them an earnest and loyal Organiza-
ton. The several hundred Grand Army
posts scattered about the State possessed "A
power in organization which ten times as
many men could not have eXerteG without