The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-02
BILL NYE's MEMORIAL FUND.
He Made Countless Thousand
 T.auRh.

Laugh.
 At the National Editorial Association recently in session at St. Louis in the Hall of Congresses. Mrs. J. M. Ransier, member of the North Carolina Press Association. was requested to present the work of the Wye Memorial Associ- ation to the vast audience of literary and newspaper people attending. Mrs. Ransier said:
 "Whatever my life may have been and however short I may have fallen in my great struggle for a generous recognition by the American people, I hope to place my grave within the reach of all"
 These are the words of one of Amer ica's fun-makers, whose words but few short years ago were eagerly sought for and read in the columns of our weekly and Sunday editions I re- fer to Edgar Wilson Wye, popularly known as Bill Nye"
 There Is something very pathetic in the words when we think how very few the years are since the man who made millions of us laugh, was laid to rest near his mountain home, his perpendicular farm" as he called it, which Is near Asheville. North Caro- lima.
 This whole Western Carolina moun- tain section is a resort for Northern CTS in winter and Southerners in sum- mer, and the number is yearly in- creasing who visit the loved humorist's grave.
 No stone marks the grave, but a memorial window was placed by Mrs. Nye In the church near by, but as many miss the usual and customary mark of stone, a movement is on foot fah money to be raised by popular sub- scription, also a fund for the mainten- ance of the grave.
 It has been seven years since he was buried there and Mrs. Nye and family removed from that section
 Mrs. Yves noble acceptance and brave manner of meeting the reversals of fortune after her husbands death. command the highest respect and honor from all, for the money left by Mir. Nye was lost In the failure of an Asheville bank soon after his death, and Buck Shoals his home, was sold for song, Mrs. Nye realizing nothing therefrom.
 Those who have tte matter of this monument in charge. ask the hearty cooperation of the men and women of the press of America in the raising of the necessary funds and in placing the matter before the public, that all may know of the movement and have an opportunity to contribute. No begging will be done and we feel that none will be required to elicit a ready and lib- eral response from the National Edito- rial Association.
 Mrs. Ransier then spoke of the va rious newspaper articles appearing rom time to time since tLe inaugura- tl0n Of the vb iurtd descriptions of the condition of the neglected grave and entered into private and personal matters of the family in very offensive manner. She further stated that these were wholly unauthorized by the Nye Memorial As- sociation and appealed to the press to assist in meeting these attacks bv correct statement of the authorized movement. She gave an account of the work already accomplished by the as- sociation and closed by saving that Mrs. Nye was with friends and old neighbors in AsheviIle.
 Mrs. Ransier's address was followed by a glowing eulogy of the loved hum orlst by the popular editor and nlat- form speaker Joe Mitchell Chapple, of Ihe National Magazine whose stirring words, interrupted by rounds of an plause from the vast audience vas faI- lowed by hearty and unanimous en- dorsement of Mrs. Ransier and tbe Nuo Memorial work
 resolution presented by Mir ~ u Robbins, of Maine. a vice president of the National Editorial Association providing for a contribution of s1oo rom the associations treasury for the memorial fund, was carried bv vote.