Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-04-25
FINE SILVER SERVICE.
To Be Presented to Batt|eship
Mississippi BY State.
SNIP GOES UP RIVER TO NATcHEz
Program contempiates Cruise Up
"The Father Of Waters BY Its
Great Fighting Namesake-Jeffer-
son Davis Likeness or Centerpiece.

more dtttlltloH Dt'Vil ot'l"$'u I"
the coming presentation Of the mag
nificent silver service to be gwen by
the State OF Mississippi to the gigan-
tic battlcship bearing that name. In
which the older ships of the Navy have
figured This unusal notice is gen
orally regarded as being due To the "N-
traordinary interest which the cit
Zens of the state have gwen to the
event. and to the proposed trip Of the
Mississippi up the Father OF Waters
to NatcheZ.
On account of the inalflity to have
the service completed earlier in the
Spring the presentation ceremonies
have been postponed from time TO
time The present arrangement Is
to have the ceremony occur on June
|. The designers work on the siXty
two pieces, composing this elaborate
service of silver, was finished some
time ago. but the manufacturers are
working over time at the establish
ment in Philadelphia, where the ser
vice Is being made. in order to have
it completed in time to accommodate
the officials in charge OF the presenta-
ton.
he SlAty WV IbtCtS oiV w N'''s
$1,000 The main utensil will be
punch bowl of seven and half gal
Ions capacity. 1t will be deliberately
decorated and will bear on one side
of it an etching of the new Mississippi
and on the other an etching OF the old
Mississippi. The contrast between the
wooden ship that did valiant service
in her day and her wonderful steel
successor that could easily destroy
feet of vessels like the old Mississippi
is brought ont in this etching in a
striking way.
The design which has caused the
most comment, however. is that to be
found on the center piece of the set.
II Is the one which bears a likeness
of Jeffefson Davis. the famous Missis-
;:ippian, who was elected President OF
the Confederate States OF America
and served his state in distinguished
CAPACITIES. On one side of the cen
terpiece is to Re an etching of Beau
yoir," the home of the late Mr. Davis
Beneath this is to be etched bust
in medallion relief Of Mr.. Davis in
citizens costume On the opposite
side is Icing etched a representation
of the old capital at Jackson. while
beneath 1t will be placed a bust OF DE
Soto. the Spaniard who discovered
fhe Mississippi River.
In the original design the bust OF
De Soto was placed under THE etch-
ing .of "Beauvoir" Inasmuch there
was nothing in the design under the
etching of the Capital. its symetry
was imperfect. At the suggestiOnof
IF C.
sssippi, the head of the committee OF
design, change was made. The pic
ture of Mr.. Davis. as he was accus-
toned to appear at his home during
the latter years of his life. was placed
under "BeauvOir'' and the De Soto
medallion was transferred to the OppO-
site side.
The large waiter in which the
Euncn bowl will be placed will bear
an etching representing the first
French settlement at Biloxi in 1899.
The waiter of the water pitcher will
have an etching representing the ad-
vent of the American flag at Natchez
in 1897. Another large piece. to be
added to the service. will bear the
etching of the discovery of the Mis-
sissippi. This etching will be a re-
production OF the large painting In the
corridor Of the Horse OF ReEresSn-
tativcs in the National Capitol show
ing De Soto advancing to strike the
waters with his sword. The other
pieces in the set will he adorned
with many minor designs and en-
blems. some representing historical
events
In presenting a silver service 10
the Mississippi the State is following
the precedent established years ago.
Oniv ten states have failed to pre-
sent the officers Of the ships named
after them with silver services. al
though in many instances the state
Legislatures have not made appro-
rria,ions for that purpose. as was
the case in Mississippi. but pa'ri-
o; C citizens in the various common
ycalths have raised large sums to buy
the service The states which have
not given services are Massachusetts,
New HamJ'zhirc. New Jersey. North
Idaho. Kansas. Minnesota Nebra ska.
Carolina and Wes; Virginia.
The amount spent for this purpose
bv the various states has varied from
81. 900 TO $25.60o. The most coFtly
service WAS that presented by the
state OF Pennsylvania whose legisla-
ture spent $25.o0O for the purpose.
The Maine is particularly proud of It's
servicc tecause IL belonged to the
Maine that went down In Havana
harbor
The value Of the varicuS services.
presented by the states. or its citt
zcnS. to the ships in the navy Is ~
follows:
Alabama 1920; California 5000 {:
Colorado 5000: Connecticut $s.6"":
Illinois 5000: Kentucky 5000: Low
isiana SI5.ooe, Maine Si.o2s: Missouri
sIo.oao Montana $500: New York
! $4,000: Oregon 81 .2s5: Ohio $1,000.
PENNSYLVANIA $c5.ooo: Rhode Island
81 S,a. South Dakota $1,000: Texas