Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-03-27
SECURE WAR TROPHY
Ottumwa May Get Relic From the
Santiago Fight.
GUN FROM SPANISH SHIP ylSCAYA

GUN FROM SPANISH SHIP VlSCAYA
Offer Made by Congressman Lacey at
REQUEST of Interested OttumWans-l
Meeting Called by the Mayor for
Consideration of the Matter.
One of the big guns taken from the
Spanish battleship Viscaya, which was
the flagship of Admiral Cervera during
the Santiago campaign. will be secur-
ed for this city and placed in the park
as historical souvenir and memento
of that struggle, if the people of Ottum-
wa will give the proper support to the
citizens who have been the promoters.
of the project. Word has been receiv-
ed from Congressman Lacey, with
whom considerable correspondence
has already been had concerning the
matter, to the effect that he is quite
confident that he can secure one of
these guns for Ottumwa, the only pro-
vision being that the citizens of the
place provide for the transportation of
the gun and erect terreplein in the
city park upon which it will be placed
permanently.
Monster Dog of War.
The gun to be secured for Ottumwa
is one of the large steel cannon that
was taken from the battleship Viscaya
after the Santiago campaign. 1t was
first planned, by those who have been
the promoters of the project, to secure
one of the bronze guns captured from
the Spaniards in that struggle but cor
respondence with Congressman Lacey
disclosed the fact that all these had
been given out, but that one of the
steel monsters could be secured.
To Secure the Trophy.
Several of Ottumwa's most promi-
nent citizens are greatly interested in
this affair and are actively at work
on the matter of securing this trophy
for the city. The matter has been
considered by Cloutman Post, G. A. r.,
and has received the unanimous and
most hearty recommendation from
that body. The Sons of Veterans
though they have as yet taken no for.
NAL action with regard to the matter
are greatly in sympathy with the
movement and it is stated by some of
the most prominent members that they
will give to it their most hearty moral
and financial support Captain S. B.
Evans of the G. A. R., who has been
in correspondence with Congressman
Lacey regarding this matter, has writ
ten him concerning the favor with
which the movement is being received
by all those who have been approach
| ed on the matter and that the gun OF
fered by him would be greatly appre
ciated by the people of this city as &
memento of the recent conflict.
A Meeting Called.
In accordance with the sentiment:
| expressed by so many of the Ottum
wa citizens, Mayor Pickler has called
1 a meeting of all those interested to b,
held next Tuesday. April /, in tn,
council chamber. The purpose of thi,
meeting will be to gain more genera
expression of the people of this cit,
with regard to this matter and provid
ing for the small expense that will b.
incurred in the transportation of thi.
memento and providing place for it
reception in the city park. All TIL,
citizens of Ottumwa are urged to b,
| present at this meeting and lend thei
loyal support to this project. BY thos,
conversant with the matter it is stat
ed that the total expense of transpor
tation and erecting a suitable terre
plein will not exceed $500.
1 "A
The gun which will be secu1ssssss,
j Congressman Lacey for this cfSs 81
one of the large five-ton steel canI
taken from the flagship of the SpanTS
4 fleet after it's destruction at Santiag'
4 by Admiral Schley. The battleshil
4 Viscaya, from which it was taken
was the vessel which made visit t
the harbor of New York just previou
to the breaking out of the war and wa
in fact the last Spanish visitor to thi
country until after the close of tn
trouble. This fact, together wit
I that Of its being taken from the fias
ship of Admiral Cervera will max
the trophy one of double value to tn
people of the city If secured the gu
will be placed in the city park on
lasting terreplein bull for its receI
ton and appropriately scribed wit
[ the facts connected with the histor
;. of the memento. 1t is being planne
that this will be placed just in from
of the statue to be erected in con
memoration of the service of Wape
10 county's sons in the war of the re
bellion. Already between $1,000 an
1,4OO have been secured for this fun
and those who have the matter i
charge state that it will be very shol
wor kto obtain the remainder of tn
amount if the matter is taken up Wig
, orously.
An Attractive Addition.
These two mementoes of the tw
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