The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-02-15
Florida Should Honor
DR.. Tohn Gorrie.

The Journal has previously advo-
Gated the proposition to select DR..
John Gorrie as the subject for one of
the two statues of distinguished citi-
zens to which Florida is entitled in
the hall of fame at Washington We
are glad therefore TO see the position
endorsed by the current Issue OF Ice, a
monthly ice and cold storage journal
published in Atlanta. That journal
says:
The people of Florida have a signal
opportunity 10 do honor to the mem
DRY OF the states greatest son, IL
greatness be judged by the value OF
a mans life to his fellow men. There
IS a movement on foot in that state
to place statue of DIR. John Gorrie IN
Statuary Hall, at Washington, where
each state is afforded an opportunity
to perpetuate the memory OF two IA
Vorite sons.
Georgia has set the example by
passing by a long and distinguished
line of military heroes and political
statesmen and selecting as one Of her
two subjects DR.. Crawford W. Long,
the discoYerer of anaeStheSia. Her
sister state can do no better than
place near this benefactor of his fell
low man that other SOUtherner who
pioneered another and hardly less
important field, the inventor of the
process of ice making and refrigera-
lion.
Like many other inventors, DR.. Cor
RE received no pecUniary returns from
his work. Nor did his family after
mis- death participate in substantial
rewards from the fruits of his genius.
A monument erected by the Southern
Ice Exchange to his memory is today
MI that has been given to DR.. GOrrie,
dead, for the services performed by
the living man.
The people of his state should GER
tainly go on record as being anxious
to honor the Floridian whose life-wOrk
meant so much to the people of his
own state particularly, and to the bal
ance of mankind in these modern
times of refrigeration.
Whether or not the industry of to-
day is based upon the discoveries OF
DR.. GOrrie is not the question. That
he was the pioneer in the line no man
has successfully disputed. To him is
due the honor, and Florida will do
herself honor in honorins him. If her
politicians will forget their petty bick.
Join in this movement il will be very
much TO their credit and to the credit
of the state. There are victories in
science far more important than any
won in war, and the Woodworking,
studious physician in an isolated COM
munity. straining every nerve and
exerting every effort to alleviate pain.
won just such a victory. He was not
working for gain and was not disap-
pointed when his discovery profited
him nothing in a financial way. He
had served his people well, and now
they have an opportunity to honor all
that is left, his immortal name.
When the next legislature assem-
bles, those who favor the proposition
TO. place DR.. Gorrie's statue in that
hall of fame should present the mat
ter to our representatives at ITALIA
hassee and urge the selection of this
distinguished Floridian. No invention
or discovery, with the exception of
that OF anaesthesia, has been of great
er comfort to the human race than
the process of making artificial ice
and Florida Will be honoring herself
by honoring the man who is respon-
Sible for it.