The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1903-05-27
FOR SOLDIERS MONUMENT
Geo. c. Baker Writes Commun-
ication on The Subject.
He wants 60 see the Manument Com
pIeted-forgotten Dedie rtien Of the
Foundation for the Monument He
Offers 10 Make Liberal Donation
Touarf IL

To the Editor OF the New I)nM.xivs
As ire .surer aud hyirmvn Of the
Executive Committee Of Oak Gnne
Cemetery. in maxim. many neceSsa y
improvements my duties call ine
frequently or the grounds To oversee
and direct them. During the year
great Improvements will lie al led
to the cemetery grounds which are
badly needed and which will rot on
| ly be useful but will add beauty
| thereto.
Oar foreiathers forty years ago
recognized that Oak Grove Gene
terry was fitting place to inter the
dead and secured these grounds
In 1866 | was living in my home
just opposite the main entrance 10
the cemetery At that time | Was a
small, barefoot boy, in short pants.
yet / well recall the day on which
the first general public meeting
after the war was held, when the
grounl for the sol.liers monument
was broken and the foundation laid
The terrible war between the North
and the South had ended a few
months before and patriotism vas
at premium in old Monongalia
The people gathered in thousands to
listen to the patriotic eloquence of
orators, who stood upon that conse
Grated spot and spoke to them. II
was most impressive occa ion and
made al indelible STAMP even upon
US little chaps. Strong men wept
like children as the speakers re-
counted the tragedies of the war. on
the one hand, and a the next mo-
ment the people made the hills reyer-
berate with their huzzas as they
listened To the successes of our arms
as narrated by the speakers. With
glowing eloquence, almost supernat-
ural. the speakers electrified The
great assembly gathered there as
they reminded them that the TEN
pes. had passed, that the country
was safe, and that the dag was broad
enough and long enough to envelope
every state. Poor as the people
then were, the flower of their man
hood left buried Junk nown" on
many battle fields, with indebted
ness staring the returned veterans
in the face, and large majority of
the people knowing not from whence
the eecond dollar would come, yet,
on that dedication day several hun
dreds of dollars were subscribed for
the erection OF fitting memoir ] to
the men who bled that the flag
might float over united country
/ believe that our people are as
patriotic to-day as they were in the
sixties, but for years our citizens
have been so busy in these great
times OF plenty that they have had
little time to think OF anything else
save the accumulation of wealth
which has been flowing into this
grand old county in golden streams
from oil, gas, coal and from other
sources
In 1866 Morgantown was but "a
small hamlet. nesting quietly among
the hills, unknown to the outside
world, with no railroad, no telegraph
no telephone, no daily paper, no
packet line, no manufactures, no
university, no gas, no oil, no water
works, no sewerage system, no paved
streets, no street cars. How is it
today? We have them all Steel
mills, glass factories, great coal and
coke plants and varions other in
dustries come knocking at our doors
on every side, asking for admission
and permanent locations. Within
ten years Morgantown will have a
population of $4,000 people at the
rate it is increasing, and the county
10000. Our sister county of Fay
cite has $4,000 people and Monon
gala has as much coal, which, to
gether with our great oil and gas
fields, and with our timber, glass
sand, fire clay, and other. minerals
which are bursting our hills with
their inherent wealth, all, no doubt,
surpass any other section of country
in this republic.
1t has been my pleasure to cross
this continent from ocean to ocean,
and from the lakes to the gulf, and
anyone with his eyes half open, can
not help hut recognize the fact that
this Is the richest valley and nearest
to the greatest markets under the
sun.
Is it not time to pause for a brief
period in these times of great bless
ings and recall the fact that while
our fathers laid the cornerstone for
the soldiers monument, it remains
unfinished today? Nearly halfa cen
fury has speedily glided past and
the monument to our soldier boys
remains uncompleted.
What sacrifices the men in blue
made are known to us all, but we
younger men do not seem to realize
it. 1t Is we'll that Decoration Day
comes every 30th of May. The sol
dier boys lett their homes and fire
Esides, their farms, theil dear ones,
ktheir all.-knowiDg that they faced
death, because they loved their
country supremely. Their bones lie
in unknown graves DER this broad
and They made these sacrifices
and suffered death on the altar of
patriotism that their children today
mig ht enjoy these times of plenty,
peace, and prosperity.
Ought we not, then, to complete
to their memory the soldiers monu-
menf, COATED and dedicated by their
survivors so many years ago? 1t is
beautiful location. The contour
of the grounds is elevated, and com
handing the beautiful river and the
valley, and like guardian angel
the monument will stand sentinel
over our city al night. reminding
our chi!dr, n and our children's chill
dren to lovethe country first, last
and for all time. How could We ex-
pend money more judiciously or
wisely? The time and the money
that each would give would be no
sacrifice al all in these times when
money is so plenty and when pros
perity is at the flow.
On behalf of Oak Grove Cemetery
aud its officers, now pledge, after
consulting many of them, the sum oil
$500 90 to start the subscription for
the completion of this monument.
No d lubt it will be the pleasure of
the County Court OF the county, out