The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-02-02
STATUE OF MAHASkA
FORMER oskALoosA BOY OF.
FERs NATIVE CITY A HAND
SOME GIFT.

A large statue Oh ClleI
will be the gift of James Depew Ed
mundson, Of Des Moines, to the city
of Oskaloosa, if the city will provide
q pedestal for the bronze cast.
Mr.. Edmundson is travelling in Italy
and wrote from Florence Offering the
work of art to the city for erection in
the public square.
The bronze is to be cast especially
for the city Of Oskaloosa and the moa-
cling will be done by an American
artist in Italy from photographs of
the portrait Of the Indian chief now in
possession of the State Historical
Society at Des Moines.
The offer was entirely voluntary
and was made by Mr.. Edmundson in
appreciation of the city where he was
born and raised. The gentleman,
now a millionaire business man OF
Des Moines, is remembered by old
residents of Oskaloosa a a school
mate of oohn f. Lacey and Others
prominent in affairs Of the city and
the state, as a pupil in the school OF
Professor A. Hull. Mr.. Edmundsor
is a son of William Edmunson, who
was the first sheriff of Mahaska coun'
ty, and served at the same time, from
1874 to 1850, as the first justice Of
the peace in this then new county.
Mr.. Edmundson writes:
''To the Honorable Mayor and the
Common Council of the City Of o.
kaloosa, Iowa.-Gentlemen:-
81 submit to you the following
proposition: If you will erect in
the public square in Oskaloosa a
suitable pedestal, l will erect there
on a statue, not less than v
feet in height, of 'Mahaska, n
time Chief of the Sacs and Fox
Tribes of Indians, and for whom
Mahaska county was named.
Should my proposition meet with
favorable consideration, / beg TO
assure you that l would erect a
statue that would be a work of art,
and an ornament to the city. |
will also say that l will submit to
your inspection a design of the pro-
posed statue, and that your APPROX
al should be a condition precedent
to it's adoption.
II shall hope to hear from you al
as early a date as may be practi-
cable, and before I sail for home,
in case of your accepting my prop
esition. 1t would facilitate matters
if I could be advised Of it while in
Europe. 1 shall probably sail for
home about the middle of March
and you may count on its taking a
letter at least fifteen days to
reach me. My permanent Euro
pean address is Naples, care Of
Messrs. Thomas Cook G. Son.
con reaching home / shall take
pleasure in consulting with you as
to further "details. 1t may interest
you to know, If you are not already
advised of the fact, that there Is a
work in the library of the State
Historical Society of Des Moines
which contains a portrait of Chief
Mahaska which / should expect to
get photographed for the use Of
the artist making the statue. The
artist will be a native born citizen
Of the United States, although
the statue will probably be made in
Italy.
Trusting 1 may hear from you
at an early date, 1 remain,
Most respectfully,
81. d. Edmundson."
"P. ST. enclose a sketch Of a
e~pedestal, which an artist friend
suggests would be suitable for such
a statue. You Of course are at lib
erty to discard it entirely, or to
modify it as you may deem desir-
able" T.
The city council proposes to inter
est the board of supervisors in thu
matter and If possible secure all
through that body in the cost Of thu
pedestal. If this fails. 1T is prot"Sl,
that the pedestal will be erected b!
popular subscription, as the city /
scarcely able to afford the cost
! the base, even to secure the statue.