Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-08
BENNINGTON
MONUMENT
IS UNVEILED
MEMORY OF NAVAL HEROES
H0N0RED
SHAFT MARKS GRAVES ON POINT
Iona
Admiral Goodrich Delivers Address,
Reviewing Details of Disaster
and History of the
Statue
BY Associated Press.

| BY Associated Press
| SAN DIEGO, Jan. Tn the presene ),
of thousands, including the officers anu
sailors of the Pacific squadron ana GU
zens of san Diego and of other Southern
california cities, who had gathered mere
to witness the ceremony, the memorial
| monument to the Bennington deao was
unveiled this afternoon at the Nallondi
cemetery on top of Point Iona
The plain shaft stands within the plot
where are buried the most of those VINO
lost their lives in the disaster tna'
marked the morning hours or july Il, lSV0,
and is composed of seventy-four SLABS u
San Diego county granite roughly
dressed, and towering sixty feet above
the concrete base, capped by pyramid
of polished granite. The national ceme-
terry is almost at the top of the pronon
tory, so that the monument looks IN one
direction out over the Pacific and on the
other over the waters of the bay
Early this morning the launches COM
menced running from this side or the pay
landing passengers from here at the quar-
antine station and at RoseVille' from
which the ascent to the cemetery is pos
sible. but by no means easy.
Sailors in from Warships
At noon the navy launches, towing
strings of row boats came in from tina
battleship Nebraska and the armored
cruiser California, anchored off Coronado
and other similar strings OF boats mace
the same trip from the flagship Charles
ton and the cruiser Chicago, anchored
off the fort, while the torpedo boat de-
stroyers Preble and Perry also furnished
their quota.
Two battalions of sailors and one of
marines had been assigned to join the
local militia, one of the naval reserve,
and the two companies of soldiers at Fort
Rosecrans to form a military escort from
the fort to the cemetery. Besides these
there were hundreds of sailors from the
ships who attended the ceremonies with
out being assigned to the escort.
After the procession had wound its way
up the side of Point Iona, and had filed
through the cemetery enclosure, the
public was admitted, filling every foot or
space within and much outside.
Right Rev Joseph H. Johnson, bishop
of the southern diocese of the Episcopal
church in California, invoked the divins
blessing, and music was supplied by the
choir of st. Pauls Episcopal church.
The principal address was made by
Rear Admiral Goodrich. commandant at
the Brooklyn navy yard, who was the
commander of the Pacific squadron at
the time of the accident on the Benning-
ton. He reviewed the history of the mon
ument and what II concentrated.
legnhth ftllyith allie CMFWCMFWYP
When Admiral Goodrich had finished
the unwilling took place, consisting of the
dropping of the national ensign, which
had been draped over the two tablets on
the face of the monument. On one OF
these was inscribed; ITO the Bennington
dead" and on the other Erected by the
officers and men of the Pacific squadron.
to the memory of those who lost their
lives in the performance of duty"
AS the flags dropped the soldiers pre-
scented arms, and three ruffIes and flour
ishes on the drums started the minute
guns on board the Charleston and Chi
cago, which were fired regularly through
the remainder of the services.
A second address was given by Col.
r. V. Dodge, president of the Bennington
Memorial association, and closing ad
dress and benediction by Bishop Johnson.
The graves were decorated with wreaths,
presented by the children of Point Iona
homestead the wreaths intended for
those who were buried elsewhere being
laid at the base of the monument. Three
volleys, fired over the decorated graves,
one by the representatives of the army,
one by the navy and one by the marine
corps, closed the ceremony.