Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-02-17
CORNERSTONE OF
LINCOLN MEMORIAL
LAID BY PRESIDENT WITH FIT.
TING CEREMONY AT HoDe-
ENvILLE, KENTUCKY.
MANY NoTABLES PRESENT
SLAVE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS
TAKES PART.

Hodgenville, KY, Feb. 13.-Hence
forth the birthplace of Abraham Lin
coin is to be marked by pile OF
stone. The emancipation of race
and, more than that, liberator of the
thought of nation, builded his OWL
monument in the heart of the world
and appropriately the physical struc
ture which has now found begin
ming at the place where Lincoln first
saw the light, takes the simpler
name of a memorial. 1t is to be a
simple but classic building of gran
lite, but is hoped it may be completed
some time next fall, when the then
President William H. Taft will officl-
ate in dedicating it as the present
president, Theodore Roosevelt, yes
terday officiated in laying its founda-
ton stone.
The cornerstone laying took place
after appropriate forensic ceremonies
which were participated in by Presi-
dent Roosevelt; Governor Wilson OF
Kentucky; former Governor Folk OF
Missouri. president of the Lincoln
Farm association; Secretary of War
Wright, who spoke as an ex-confed-
crate soldier; General James Grant
Wilson of New York, who represent
ed the union soldiers; |. T. Montgom-
cry of Mississippi, negro and an ex-
slave With one exception, the ora
tors represented not only conflicting
sides in the great struggle, but the
present generation as we'll; the two
political parties, and the white and
black races as we'll as different sec
lions of the country spoke from the
same platform and with the same flag
fiuttering over them. There were
six or eight thousand people present.
Many had come from Louisville and
other Kentucky centers, as well as
from far away states. The bulk Of
the assembly was composed, however,
of country folk. There was a notable
absence of negroes in the crowd, but
those present were wedged in among
the whites. showing that none had
been kept away by race prejudice.
The exercises were conducted under
wide-spreading open sided tent,
which had been erected alongside the
cabin in which Lincoln was born, 100
years ago.
President Roosevelt and party ar
olO 81
five minutes afterwards Governor
Wilson called the assemblage togeth-
er and introduced Rev. DIR. E. l.. Pow
ell, if the First Christian church of
Louisville, who delivered the prayer.
On the speakers platform, besides
the participants in the exercises,
were Mrs. Roosevelt, Miss Roosevelt,
Mrs. Augustus E. Wilson. Captain A.
w. Butt, DR.. Rixey and others. Com
mencing with Governor wilson's ad-
dress, the speaking began at one
O'Clock and concluded by 2:45, and
a few minutes afterwards the visitors
had begun their rough carriage ride
back to Hodgenville.
deferentially received. He was fire.
quently interrupted by applause. The
other speakers were also literally
applauded. Mr.. Roosevelt aroused
special enthusiasm when he mounted
chair and gave the crowd a better
opportunity to see and hear him. In
the main. he confined himself closely
to his manuscript, but at the begin
ming departed from it to make reply
to complimentary illusions to him.
self by Governor Folk.
The cornerstone remained suspend
ed in the air in the grasp of a big
derrick erected beside the tent while
the oratory was in progress, and i'm
mediately afterward was lowered in
to its place at the signal from the
president, who applied the first trowel
full of mortar that will hold it in its
place during the coming centuries
Skilfully concealed under the stone
was laid a metallic box containing
copies of the constitution of the Unit
ed States and other important histor
ic documents, some of which were
placed in it by the president, and
others by other members of the party.
Among the contributors to this treas
ure were an aged negro. Isaac T.
of Mound Bayou, Miss.
who is said to have been slave OF
Jefferson Davis, president of the con-
federacy. who like Lincoln. was a ma
tive of Kentucky. To Montgomery
was assigned the appropriate task of
in the box copy of Lin