The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-04
MONUMENT AT MONTERREY.
For II Years the Memorial to Com
modore SIoat Has Been Building.

The women's clubs of Los Angeles
have sent stone to be incorporated in
the Sloat memorial in course of con-
struction at Monterey. Of the sixty
six counties of the state but thirty-two
have responded to the request of the
Sloat Monument association to donate
a granite or marble block for the base
of the proposed monument comment
Grating a deed that probably saved
California to the United States. The
stone sent by the Los Angeles county
ladies is of peerless granite; is of reg
ulation size and weighs $500 pounds.
On its face is chiseled the date of the
raising of the flag by Commodore Sloat
and also of the decision of the people
to enter the sisterhood of states. The
cost of the stone will be $40, but by
the time it finds it's permanent resting
place the expense attached to it's in
stallation will be fully $500. This money
has been raised by the women's clubs
of the county and the project required
only fair representation to insure
abundant funds.
The monument, which is to comment
crate the landing of Commodore Sloat
on July z 1876, was commenced seven
teen years ago, and is being erected on
the military reservation which marks
the spot of Commodore Sloat's landing.
At that time, with a company of ma
rineS, Sloat pulled down the Mexican
flag, replacing it with the stars and
stripes.
There is a symbolical meaning to
everything connected with the Sloat
monument The site is just fifty feet
square, to mark the golden jubilee. or
the fftieth anniversary of Commodore
Sloat's hosting the American flag and
taking possession of California at Mon
terey on July 7, 1896 and the laying of
the corner stone on July Z, 1896 by the
Grand Lodge of Masons of California.
hrcA to 49, no
to represent the twenty-four hours of
the day.. The stones are four feet in
length, to represent the length of a
sailors watch of four hours when on
duty: and two feet wide and two feet
III thickness. representing the dog
watch" of two hours each. when the
watches on shiDboard are changed.
There are three courses. as COmmo-
dore SlOat was a master Mason of the
third degree. and the face wall being
six feet high, which is the full length of
a man. The pedestal will be thirteen
feet in height, standing upon an upper
base Of one foot. the number thirteen
representing the number of stripes in
the flag and the original number of
states in the Union. On the sides of
the pedestal are to be placed the bronze
medallions of DIR. William Maxwell
Wood. his fleet surgeon; Commodore
Stockton, Captain John c. Fremont
and a view of the raising of the Ameri-
can flag on the custom house. The
heignl OF the bronze statue OF COM
modore Sloat is to be eleven feet, and
he represented as standing by a cap
stan on the quarter deck of his flag
ship Savannah, and pointing to the
staff where the flag was to be raised.
eleven guns being a commodore's sa-
lutte. Upon the base of the monument
are to be mounted four guns of the old
ship Independence which once formed
a part of the Pacific squadron under
Commodore Sloat and Stockton, which
are now at Mare Island navy yard. re-
served and marked subject to order.