The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-01
SILVER SERVICE
 ON EXHIBITION Mississippians Visit Costly Gift
 At PaScagouIa
READY TO BE PRESENTED
Mrs. Eunice Lockwood Is Main Fac tor In Securing the Splendid Gift For the Battleship Through
 Personal Effort.

Pascagoula, Miss, May 3t.-No king s crown or jewels were more carefully guarded than the costly silver service which is to be presented to the battle ship Mississippi off Horn Island tomor- row. It was placed on exhibition here today where it can be viewed by every one in spite of the precautions which are being taken to insure it's safety.
 All today it was the center of an ad- miring throng of Mississippians, thous- ands of whom are iocking to the gulf coast to take part in the festivities at- tendant upon it's presentation to the bat tleship which bears the. name of their state. All the more interest in the ser vice is evinced because many among the thousands who have come to the gulf coast for this event were contrib utors to the fund which made the pur- chase of the service possible.
 A notable incident in connection with the collection of the subscriptions Is the fact that they were collected largely by Mrs. Eunice Miller Lockwood, a daughter of the Lieutenant Miller who commanded the Confederate shore bat teries at Port Hudson, which sank the old battleship Mississippi during the civil war Mrs: Lockwood was determined that as many Mississippians as possible should contribute toward the purchase of the silver service and collections were taken here, there and everywhere, little school children contributing their dimes and cents with all the enthusiasm that
 
 Sixty-three pieces compose the silver service. The aggregate weight Is 24oO ounces. The service was designed and executed at a cost of s7200.
 massive and beautifully wrought punch bowl is the pricnipal piece in the service. It has capacity of 45 pints and weighs 352 ounces. Two figures, in full modelled relief of Victory, hold ing in outstretched hands a laurel wreath, form the handles of the bowl. The new battleship Mississippi, sur mounted by the American eagle, with the name of the ship and the seal of the navy department below, Is the dec- | oration of the obverse. Above this rep resentation is & graven magnolia, the
  ing the states principal product. Upon the reverse is q picture of the old bat ] tleship Mississippi, which was built al the Philadelphia navy yard and launched May 5, 1S4l. This ship was destroyed 1 by the Confederate forces at Port Hud. son, on the Mississippi river.
 The punch bowl rests on a round waiter, which carries an etched scene showing the first French settlement al l Biloxi Miss, and the landing of Iber- vile in 1699 Twenty -four silver punch cups are the other pieces accompanying the bowl. These cups are decorated with the seal of the navy on the out side and the seal of the state of E1s- sissippi on the bottom. The punch ladle bears the seal of the navy department and the head of George Washington in bas relief at the end of the handle, with the name of the vessel gracefully en- graved along the handle.
 The centerpiece, for fruits or flowers, with the conventional dolphin handles, carries the American eagle on the ob- verse and reverse and also the typical emblems, the magnolia and cotton boil. Upon the obverse Is a picture of Jeffer- son Davis old home, Beauvoir, and be- low it @ picture of the only president of the Confederacy. The old state cap. itol building at Jackson and a likeness or Hernando de Soto, the discoverer of the Mississippi river, are borne on the reverse.
 Other pieces are the large oval waiter for the silver tea service, the tea set consisting of six pieces-hot water ket- tie, coffee pot, tea pot, sugar bowl, waste bowl and cream pitcher; a loving cup, to be used in connection with the cen- terpiece as flower vase; water pitcher and tray; a 22-inch oval meat platter, 14-inch round entree platter, pair of cake dishes, pair of bread trays, four compotes on stands, four low round dishes for olives, a salad bowl with fork and spoon, an ice bowl with serving spoon, one humidor with a capacity of 300 cigars. fish dish 26la inches long and d silver plate.
 The service will remain on exhibition here until tomorrow when 1t will be taken out to the battleship.