The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-10-02
.SULTANA SURVIVORS.
Plans Nearly Completed for the Mon
ument to the Memory Of the
Victims.

Ex-Sheriff ]. ]. Zaiser has just re-
turned from a meeting of the Sultana
monument commission and reports
that architects are now at work on de-
signs for the selection of the commits
sion as soon as possible The meet
ing was held in Pittsburg Saturday,
September %, after which a tour of
the granite regions was made and al
SO several large cities visited for the
purpose of deciding on the style of
monument and the material to be
used.
After the meeting the commission
went to New York where they visited
the bronze metal plants, and inspect
ed the many different styles of monu-
ments. While there Mr. Zaiser was
fortunate in meeting several old
friends who took them in tow during
their brief stay. They visited Boston
on the same mission. going from there
to Burlington, VT, and up to Barry,
VT, which is in the midst of the gran
lite region. They spent several days
among the quarries and saw granite
of every shade While there they
took the opportunity of visiting the
Green Mountains and one of the party
cut cane which he took home with
him.
While they were travelling solely on
business with very limited time they
report the trip one of the most in
teresting and one well worth taking.
They travelled altogether at night,
making observations through the day
and by so doing made the trip in
record breaking time.
The monument is to be erected in
memory of the men of Ohio who lost
their lives in the explosion of the i'll
fated steamer Sultana by which 100
lives were wiped out, and only 500
escaped
Of the 100, fully two-thirds were
from Ohio, the rest being from Indi-
ana, Michigan, Tennessee and one
man from New York.
All the states represented are con-
templating similar memorials but as
Ohio had the largest representation,
they have been waiting for this state
to make the initiative For this pur-
pose the sum of $4,000 has been ap-
propriated and as soon as our monu.
ment is completed, the rest will make
an effort to have their legislatures
make similar legislation in honor OF
their dead
The monument will be erected in
the southwest corner of the state
house grounds in triangular space
made by the walks and will face High
street. 1t will be of granite and will
be lS by IA feet at thesbase and %
feet in height. On one side will be a
bronze plate showing the Sultana in
the explosion. Facing this and stand
ing on a pedestal at the base will be
a figure of grief. On the opposite side
will be-a bronze tablet with the names
Of all the Ohio comrades who lost
their lives in the explosion inscribed.
This is all that has been definitely
decided on, but for the summit an urn
shaped ornament of bronze with an
ever burning light signifying that
ther memory will ever be kept alive,
has been spoken of, but this will be
definitely decided on receipt of the
plans on which several New York
architects are now working, and will
be submitted to the inspection of the
commission as soon as possible Work
will be started on the monument early
next spring and will be hurried to
completion
The men who have been honored by
this trust by their appointment to the
commission are all well qualified, all
having rendered their services during
the war, while two of them were
among the fortunate few who escaped
from the ill-fated steamer alive.
They are DIR. w. p. Madden, of
Xenia, and ex-Sheriff John ]. Zaiser
of this city, who are the survivors, and
L. ]. Cutter of Marietta, o., who was
captured during the war and thrown
into one of the southern prisons. He
is now county commissioner of Wash
ington county.