The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-10-29
WILLIAM T.. CURTIS WRITES OF
MONUMENTS.
Figure of the Comanche Leader, De-
signed by dorado Taft, Rests In
Kentucky City.
FOUNTAIN GIFT OF ID. A. II.

On the 18th of May last foun-
tain, surmounted by a statue of an
Indian chieftain, was dedicated to
the memory OF Paducah, a chief of
the Comanche nation, in the public
square of the Kentucky city which
bears his name. II WAS the gift of
the Daughters of the American Revo-
luton of that state; it was designed
by dorado Taft, OF Chicago, aud ex-
ecuted in silver gray Cherokee
Georgia marble by Charles ]. Multi
gan. The base carries on each of the
four sides a lichen basin suggesting
In design the most archaic form OF
art, that IN which the aboriginal
craftsman stroye to copy the simple
forms OF nature about him. On the
top of the pedestal is a narrow frieze
of Indian pattern symbolicai of that
period of art when man created de-
signs from his own fancy instead OF
copying objects about him. Upon
this pedestal crouches the aborigine
himself, his arms clasplng his shield.
The figure is expressive of the
strength Of the Indian, his stealth
and power.
At the ceremonies of the dedica-
ton the fountain was presented to
the City of Paducah In behalf Of the
chapter OF the Daughters of the
American Revolution in an eloquent
address of Sanders A. Fowler, and
Mayor Smith accepted it in behalf of
the municipality. Mrs. Sally Mar
shall Hardy. of Louisville, vice-presi-
dent general of the National ID. A. r.,
and Charles X. Wheeler delivered ad-
dresses. and dorado Taft, who was
introduced and received with enthu-
siasm, spoke briefly, expressing his
appreciation OF the manner in which
his work had been received.
Veng little i known about Padu-
cab, except that he was closely identi- |
fed with General George Rogers |
Clark. Some writer's say that he was
his body servant. The name Padu- |
cab or Padouca was attached to a
band of the Comanche nation, and |
there seems to be some question as /
to whether the town of Paducah was |
named after a tribe or a man. How |
ever. ii IL hoped that the dedication |
of this monument will bring out his |
torical facts thhat are unknown or a |
matter Of controversy.
Pontiac.
In the corridor of the Southern |
hotel OF ST. Louis is a tablet of
bronze with a conventional profile |
bust of an Indian in has relief, bear |
ing the following Inscriptions:
o o o o o o o o o o o o o |
o Near this spot was buried o.
q by his friend Governor st. Ange o
o PONTIAC. O.
o the Great Chief of the Ottawas. o
o Killed at Cahokia. H., O
o April, 1863. o.
o This memorial was erected o.
o by o.
o the st. Louis Chapter of the o.
o Daughters of the American O.
o Revolution o.
o In the year 1900. O.
o o o o o o o o 0 o o o o O o o o I
Pontiac ranks high among Indian |
chieftains, although there has always |
been a difference of opinion as to his
sincerity and honesty. He was born |
about 1920; his mother was an Ojib- |
way and his father a Miami. The |
alliance of the Mlamis. Ojibways and |
Pottawatomies with the Ottawas gave |
him an opportunity to crafty his am
bition and he ultimately became chief |
of the allied tribes. with thousands \
of warriors and an extensive jurisdic- |
ton. His summer home was on an I
island at the entrance of Lake st. /
Clair. Mich. He is said to have been 7.
almost white, and for that reason has /,
often been claimed as a half-breed (
His physical strength and endurance,
his courage ard nerve, his cruelty !,
and cunning, his determination and |
persistence, united with great execu- !
tive ability and rare Judgment, made !
him one of the most dangerous and
powerful OF the Indian leaders during
those troublesome times in the mid
die part of the eighteenth century.
when the British and the French
were struggling to control the great
lakes. II is evident that he fought
on both sides and accepted rewards
from both.