Evening star., 1909-04-25
BEARS FACE OF DAVIS
Unique Silver Service for Bat.
tleship Mississippi.
STATE PAYS $1,000 FOR IT
Presentation Ceremonies Expected to
Take Place June l.
COMPOSED OF sIXTY.rWO PIECES
Design Introduces Interesting Scenes
Of Historical Value-Etched
Into Metal.

postponed from tlfne 10 time. Inc pres.
ent arrangement is to have the ceremony
occur June I.
i The designers work on the sixty-two
pieces composing this elaborate service
of silver vas finished some time ago.
but the manufacturers are working over
time at the establishment in Philadelphia.
| where the service is being made, In or
commodate the ofYicials In charge Of the
| presentation.
sixty-Two Pieces in It.
The sixty-two pieces are to cost 1890
The main utensil will be q punch bowl
of seven and half gallons capacity.
| 1t will be deliberately decorated and
will bear on one side OF 1t 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 q feet Of vessels like the
old Mississippi, is brought out in this
| etching In a striking way,
| The design which has caused the most
| comment however. is that to be found
on the centerpiece Of the set. It is the
one which bears q likeness Of Jefferson
Davis the famous Mfssissippian who was
elected president Of the Confederate states
of America, and served his state in dis
| tinguished capacities.
| On one side Of the centerpiece 10 to
be, an etching Of Beauvoir, 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 10 to be etched q
representation OF the old capitol at jack
son. Beneath 1t will be placed q bust of
De Soto, the Spaniard who discovered the
Mississippi river.
Change in Design.
In the original design the bust of De
Soto was placed under the etching OF
Beauvoir. Inasmuch as there was moth
ing in the design under the etching Of the
capitol. Its symmetry was imperfect.
At the suggestion OF Eunice Miller Lock
wood OF Mississippi. head Of the COM
mittee of design, change was made.
The picture of Mr.. Davis. as he was ac-
customed to appear at his home during
the latter years of his life, was placed
under Beauvoir and the De Soto me-
dallion was transferred to the opposite
side
The large waiter in which the punch
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 advent Of the American flag at Nat
chez in 1907.
Another large piece, to be added to the
service, will bear the etching Of the dis
covery Of the Mississippi. This etching
will be reproduction of the large paint
ing in the national Capitol. showing De
Sofa advancing to strike the waters with
his sword.
The other pieces in the set will be
adorned with many minor designs and
emblems, ,sOme representing historical
events.
Precedent IL Followed.
In presenting silver service to the
Mississippi the state is following the
precedent established years ago. Only
ten states have failed to present the Of
ficers Of the ships named after them with
a silver service, although in many in
stances the state legislatures have not
made appropriations for that purpose, as
was the case in Mississippi, but patriotic
citizens in the various commonwealths
have raised large sums to buy the service.
The states which have not given services
are Massa chusetts, Idaho. Kansas. Mime
sofa. Nebraska, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, North Carolina and West Vir-
ginia.
The amount spent for this purpose by
the various states has varied from 81 600
to $2jOOO. The most costly service was
that presented by the state Of Pennsyl-
vania. whose legislature spent 5000 for
the purpose. The Maine is particularly
proud of its service because 1t belonged
to the Maine that went down in Havana
harbor.
The value of the various services pre-
sented by the states or citsens to the
ships in the navy Is as follows:
Alabama, $500: California Sc. 900; Col
orado. 5000: Connecticut, IS, $50; Georgia,
10000; Indiana, $9.021; iowa. 5000:
illinois, dns 800; 100 Kentucky 5000 Louisi
10000: Oregon. 81 ,2s5: Ohio. $1,000: penn.
sylvania. $4,000: Rhode Island 81, $50;
South Dakota, 5000; Texas $S.O25; Ten
5000: Washington. s., 500 and Wiscon-
sin, S., 500.
d. A. r. Makes Gift.
From this it will be seen that the service
which the battleship Mississippi will
possess will compare most favorably with
those to be found on any vessel in tho
American navy.
Not only is the Mississippi to receive
sented to her officers two handsome silver
candelabra by the Daughters Of the
American Revolution in Mississippi. The
service Will be accepted on behalf of the
ofhcers of the Mississippi by Capt. John
c. Fremont.
Comment has been made that it will be
the son and namesake OF the first candi-
date for President of the republican party
who will accept the present Of the state
of Mississippi on behalf OF the battle
ship
Silver services are not the only highly
priced gifts to be found aboard ships of
the American navy. The Philadelphia
boasts Of clock, presented to 1t by the
citizens of the city OF Philadelphia. that
cost $4,000
A pair of steers horns given to the
Texas is regarded as particularly ap-.
propriate aboard that warship.
Several OF the warships are the proud
possessors OF gifts from the Chinese and
Japanese governments. OF these the
West Virginia boasts Of a base bali
trophy in the shape of a gold goblet.
worth $1,000, given to it by the Chinese
government.
The Virginia possesses a gold cup. also
presented by the Chinese government to
that ship as a foot ball trophy.
Miss Virginia Harris the only daughter
of Mr.. and Mrs. Winfield B. Harris OF
Bush River Neck. Md, was married to
j. Howard Richardson OF Old Baltimore
Farm. The ceremony was performed in
Grove Presbyterian Church by the pastor.
Rev. Thomas T. Brown, in the presence
of large assemblage.
III. NJ. Gilbert, who for some time has
had charge of the restaurant in Bernhei-
mer's Baltimore. has leased the Airing