The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-27
MONUMENTUNVEIED
CITIZENS or PRATTvILLE HONOR
 CONFEDERATE DEAD.
Fifteen Hundred Persons, Gathered from Different Parts of the County, Witnessed the In- teresting and Impress
 i've Ceremony.


 Prattville. octl 26.--(Special )-This Is holiday here. Prattville business Is nearly all suspended today for the unveiling of the Confederate monu- ment on Factory Street near the Coun- ty Court House. Not less than I,500 persons witnessed the ceremonies. gath cred from different parts of this coun- ty and some from the adjoining coun. ties.
 At 10 o'clock, the crowd which was expected to be in the parade, gath. cred on the vacant lot near the Bap- tist Church and another crowd gath- cred at the monument. The parade consisted of fifty or sixty Confederate Veterans, Knights of Pythias. odd Fellows school children, carriages con- taining Nthe officers and members of the United Daughters of the Confeder- scy, and carriages containing the city and county officers, orator of the day, and thirteen pretty young ladies.
 Hon. G. C. Spieener. marshal of the day announced the first number of the program. the song Beautiful Riv- er," sung by the school children and as many of the audience as would join in. Rev. J. P. McCann read a portion of Scripture and Rev. l.. L. Gwaltney lead in prayer. referring touchingly to the patriotism of the dead this monument was intended to commemorate. He said in his prayer that the Daughters of the Confederacy did not die from broken bones and gunshot wounds. but from broken hearts and toll.
 Mrs. Julia A. Pratt. President of the Merrill E. Pratt Chapter of Unit ed Daughters of the Confederacy, then read q short sketch of history of the United Daughters In Alabama. This sketch was replete with good sayings Akay ..R L ~ss&w. 1 l.. this paper that 1t had been said by an author that sentiment has ever been the finer fiber of our Southern people.
 We rejoice that this strain is stlf a part of our heredity. May our peo- pie never lose this distinguishing trait nor become so commercia1ized past and to its history, Posterity should see that the valor. heroism and deeds of the confederacy be never lost to memory, but rather be chanted along with the plans of all ages"
 She spoke of the time eleven months ago when the local chapter of U. D. c. determined to build the monument unveiled today; 1t appeared a huge task, but by continuous work it has for it is more than half paid out and these good women are willing work CTS to complete the job.
 The veterans present then formed in line around the monument cIasping hands. while the school children and others sang Dixie. the veil was re- moved, revealing an Italian marble statue of Confederate soldier in the attitude of parade rest. fThis statue rested on . pedestal of gray Georgia marble. The whole figure being about thirty feet high and well proportioned.
 Hon. Mac A. Smith at this time in- troduced in choice language the ora tor of the day. Gen. John w. A. Sam ford, of Montgomery. The General was in best of trim and spoke in his usual clear voice, and was heard by nearly all of that largei audience. The speech was we'll received and often applauded for it's reference to the old Confederate veterans. He referred to the time nearly fifty years ago when town. and saw school children from the same building in line as he has seen today. The speaker said patriot. ism was next to Godliness, Tn its con. there could be no slavery, and liberty can never die
 The thirteen young ladies arranged themselves around the monument. the one representing the United States with Old Glory. the one representing the Confederate States with the flag of the Lost Cause. and all the others wore small flags of the United States Each bore beautiful wreath of flowers which was deposited on the monument after they sang "Tenting on the Old Camp Ground"
 More than es0 was contributed by those present by voluntary offering to the final payment of the monument. The box containing the papers. pho- tos, names of the members af the local | chapters of U. D. C., was then sealed and deposited in the vault prepared for that purpose and dramatically seal- ed with cement