The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1909-10-13
entire struggle for our NationaI IL

ONES from England, IS OF al!the sub
jects in history the most painful for
an Englishman to think about. 1t
was conceived in oppression and car
red on in iniquity and folly, and
was ended IN shame and disaster.
But, my friends, to those of our
countrymen who stood the piyations
and spFerings of that period, We owe
lasting debt of gratitude. They
secured for US the greatest of all
lands and it is with much pride after
IS5 years of the white mans su-
supremacy in this country, We still
have the greatest and most blessed
of all lands.
We are developing so fast it is al
most impossible to keep pace with
what is transpiring in our country.
We see American inventors flying
the air with biplanes, monoplanes,
aeorplanes, plain-planes and other
planes, which makes US more dizzy
to think about, than it does the ayi-
tator to operate them. And we have
DR.. Cook and Commander Peary,
both Americans, claiming to have
stood on the very apex of the earth
and gotten & a slice off the North
Pole" So that in this year of 1909
it shall be written that men began
to fly in the clouds and feel them
selves at home in the fartherest cor
ner of the globe. And the flag that
now autters upon the icy solitude of
the North star is the stars and
stripes.
And it is with pleasure that we
note that in all the early achieve
ments which have gone forward to
make our country great, the 100
men who participated in the battle
of Point Pleasant bore conspicuous
part. They were the flower of Vir-
Sinia's young men, and many of
them scarcely laid down their arms
until the surrender of Lord Corn
wallis at Yorktown. During the
years succeeding the Revolution many
of them became noted in the coun-
ellis of the state and nation, and to-
day prominent descendants of that
battle may be found in every state
of our union. And our hearts fill
with pride when we see so many Of
the descendants of that battle in our
midst today. who are here honoring
their distinguished dead.
This magnificent Granite shaft
standing Sc feet high, which is to be
unveiled here tomorrow, will in time
crumble and fall and pass away, but
the great struggle which took place
on this battle ground will continue
to live as long as men write the his
tory of our country.
And now, my fellow citizens, as
you have lain aside the cares and
responsibilities of your own homes,
and have come here to enjoy this
Home Coming week, you can per-
ceive that the old town is not what
it was as our forefatherS knew it.
They only knew and realized that
nature had made it a beautiful place
for the habitaticn of man. They
saw the two majestic rivers which
flow at our feet, and our fertile val
leys and beautiful hills which nature
has located here, and thereupon they
called the place Point Pleasant, a
lovely and musical name, and | sin
cerely trust that you will find by
your stay with US, that they made
no mistakes in the name, for it is
Down in this beautiful valley,
Round which the rivers flow,
Enwrapped in Autumn grandeur,
Our town with welcome glowS.
With this sentiment, my friends,
l trust this may be Homecoming
in the trueSt sense ofthe word home.
How glad we are to return to our old
home after a long absence. How