Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-16
Baker Memorial Fountain
Gift to City Of Augusta.

The granite drinking fountain pre-
scented to the city of Augusta by the
heirs of the late Orville Dewey Baker
has been placed in position in Market
square and is an enduring memorial to
Joseph Baker and Orville Dewey Ba-
ier. two of the most DISTINGUISHED
members of the legal profession in
New England. The fountain is seven
ect, four inches in height and weighs
nearly 10 tons. The sub-base weighs
two tons, the drinking basin seven tons
md the die and tablet three quarters
of ton. The foundation weighs 10
-ons. The bronze tablet upon the die is
handsome piece of workmanship and
ontains the inscriptions: I'm memory
of Joseph Baker and Orville Dewey
Baker Presented to the City of Au-
5usta by the Heirs Of Orville Dewey
Baker, 1903" Water is discharged into
The basins from bronze rosette on
'ither side of the tablet and Overhows
'nto the drinking basin below for
he use of animals. A smaller rosette
n front gives space for faucet, which
discharged into a small basin below
provided with a bronze cup and chain,
iipHi WHICH lIC tifltSIy lIdtelGT HldY
rink. Underneath the entire fountain
/ small cellar has been constructed and
lere are located the pipes and faucets
~ which the entire flow of water may
be regulated. The work upon the foun-
tain is now all completed except the
placing of the drinking cup and chain
and the pipe connections for the wa
ter.
The late Orville Dewey Baker before
his death had partly made arrange
ments for drinking fountain to be
placed in Market square in memory Of
his father, the late Joseph Baker and
had considered plans for the same
along the lines of the present fountain.
The Hailowell Granite Co. constructed
the fountain and =. the designing was
done under the direction of Charles B.
Paine. one of the stockholders of the
company, who sought to carry out the
original ideas of Mr.. Baker. The heirs
Of Orville Dewey Baker by whom the
fountain is presented to the city are,
Mrs. A. S. Rice, New York; Mrs. A. E.
Buck, Atlanta, Ga: Mrs. F. Va. Ham,
Anacosta Wash; Sanford A. Baker,
Chicago; Mrs. r. w Dunn, Waterville;
Mrs. L. 6. Dudley Augusta; Mrs. Eliz-
aheth> f. Huntington, Norwich, Ct;
Henry B. Lewis, China Mrs Della L.
Glddirgs, Boston. 81 .e.
Joseph Baker, the father of Orville
Dewey Baker was born at Bloomfield
now Skowhegan, June %, 1912 and died
at Augusta Nov. 90. 1884, He nro~c~ei
for college partly at China academy
and entered Bowdoin at. the age of 20,
graduating with the class of &c. He
came to Augusta as assistant principal
in the High school and completed the
study CT law in this city with Villa 40
s. McCobb and Vose & Lancaster. He
was admitted to the bar in August 1889
and after his admission opened an Of
flee in Augusta. He became the law
partner of tSewall Lancaster nine years
later The elder Baker was an inti-
mate friend of the late James G. Blaine
and III 1854 in company with Mr.. Blaine
purchased the Kennehec Journal of
William Fl. Simpson. He returned to
the practice of law after a short ex-
pe1ience as an editor and publisher and
the remainder of his life was devoted
TO the practice of his profession in
which he was the recognized leader of
the kennehec bar of that day. He was
member of both branches of the city
government, was in the State Senate in
1887 and the House of Representatives