Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-17
photograph by Frank J.. Cuilen)

Photograph by Frank ]. Cuilen) '.'
will be fair and just enough to realize what
have done for Washington and will build
a monument to remember me by"
That prophecy from the lips of wound
ed, half-broken- hearted man, driven from
the city he regenerated, has. come true
sooner than he expected The men who
bounded him from Washington did invite
him back within twenty years and gave
him an enthusiastic reception, He was
escorted from the railway station up Penn
sylvania avenue to his hotel by such
procession as attends President on his
way to the inauguration; public meetings
were held in his honor; eulogies were pro-
nounced upon his character and achieve
ments, and now, in less than thirty years
from the date of his exile, his statue a
splendid, heroic figure and an accurate por-
trait of the Man of Action, is finished and
ready to be sent to the foundry to be
cast in imperishable bronze. Few men ever
did more for their fellow townsmen; few
were ever prosecuted with such relentless
and vindictive persistency, but within a
very short period his hitterest enemies were
willing to admit that he was their bene-
factor and are glad to contribute money to
pay for his monument. Some of the
largest property holders who were most
friendly with Gov. Shepherd and profited
most from his enterprises and farsighted-
monument fund.
Mr.. Dunbar's Model.
The model of the statue stands in the
studio of e. S. j. Dunbar, the sculptor. out
near the filtration plant. 1t has been
finally inspected and accepted by the COM
mittee, which is now considering propo-
sitions from the various foundries to cast
it in bronze. 1t represents Alexander r.
q as a in hy,ci
garb. No toga would fit him. A frock coat
would be out of place on the statue of
man whose life was given to labor and not
to parade or recreation. The sculptor has
caught a happy expresSion-one that the
governor used to wear when he was en-
gagged in some congenial employment. No
lines have been erased from his rugged
face and his strong personality is mani
fest in his features. He wears cutaWay
coat, loose collar, a four-in-han tie,
and holds a scroll bearing a map of the
city of Washington, half unrolled, in his
hand.
1t was Crosby S. Noyes who suggested the
erection of monument the day after the
announcement of Gov Shepherds death,
and two days later the Commissioners of
the District of Columbia appointed him
chairman of committee "to take steps for
suitable memorial" Thomas W. Smith
president of the board of trade; w. F. GUIDE
president of the Business Meas Association:
John +. Wilkins and Frank A Munsey
were associated with him. with Franklin T.
Howe secretary.
A mass meeting was held at the Airing
ton Hotel to give expression to the uni
veTsal sorrow and regret at the death of
Gov. Shepherd. 1t was extraordinary
manifestation of the changed sentiment Of
the community. Many of those who attend
ed had been his persistent opponents and
detractors; some of those who were first to
do him honor had been most active in
bringing about his downfall. Everybody
applauded the proposition for a monument.
Ttnra 1ie-ca inc ycia IT,.
population of the District of Columbia
agreed that he deserved the honor of stand
ing before future generations as It's first
citizen.
A popular subscription was opened be-
tween $1,000 and $4,000 was raised and
committee consisting of S. II. Kauffmann
James r. Fitch. Brainard H. Warner w.
p. Van Wickle, w. V. Cox, Charles J. Bell
and Crosby s. Noyes, was appointed to Sc
lect a design and superintend the cree
ton of monument.
Selecting the Model.
A circular letter was sent to several of
the best sculptors in the United States. in
wiling them to participate in a competition.
Nine designs and models were submitted,
from which the committee unanimously Sc
lected one which 1t considered the best
likeness and the most artistic. The re-
port of the committee says:
THE designs submitted were numbered
from one TO nine, no mark or sign on either
of them indicating by whom it was SUBJ
mitted; neither had the members of the
committee any knowledge as to the price
proposed to be charged for either. After
careful examination. but without the ex-
preston of any opinion as to preference, It
was decided that the choice should be In
dicated by each member of the committee
writing on secret ballot the number Of the
model which he considered best of those
submitted. The result of this ballot was
the unanimous choice of the design marked
nine as being the best representative
figure of it's subject It is quite remarsk-
able also, that the committee was unani-
NOUS with one exception, as to the second
choice. and unanimous as to the third
choice. although, as is stated the designs
and models were all anonymous, and the
balloting was secret.
Upon the adoption OF the report the en-