The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-19
Voices of Great Concourse Raised in Intonation of Patriotic Hymn 'Ameri- ca,'' Accompanied by Chorus of German Sing ing Societies and Wheeler & Wilson Band.

Strew GarlandS at Feet of
 Benefactor- Davenport s
 Grafton.
 Many thousands of people as- senbied at the entrance of Beardsley park. this afternoon, and witnessed the imposing ceremonies that accom- panied the unveiling of the statue of James w. Beardsley, who some 30 years ago, by perseverance and much pleading, induced the city to receive the gift for which he is now honored. The statue. was seen to be a noble work, and those who knew it's proto- type in life said that it was wonder full representations of him in a char acterfstic and hfe-like pose The statue. which is by the famous sculp- tor, Neihaus, stands as if giving wei come to all who enter the park by the Noble avenue entrance 1t stands upon pedestal of pink granite which harmonfxes well with the coloring Of the bronze. -e-
 The concoyrse assembled was thor oughly representative of the city and its people Especially had the children come. whose happiness for a long time the benefactor had much in mind at the time his gift was made Nc
 
 imposing than that in which the little boys and girls from the public schools filed in hundreds. by the monument, strewing flowers as they passed The singing of the United, German Singing societies was a stately element of the occasion. as the voices of the chorus rolled upward in the grave melody Of '.The Lords Own Day" Most appro- .ing in the, woods which the chorus also sang. The Three Comrades" stirred all listeners, as it was given with the Accompaniment by the Wheeler & Wilson band.
 The stand, which had been erected by the park commissioners, was well ruled with city fathers, and those whose contributions to the monument in one way or another, entitled them to the special privilege Of seat in it was well, but not uncomfortably fill ed, as the admission to 1t had been entirely by ticket
 The ceremonies were brief After the Wheeler & Wilson band had closed Its rendition Of '-The Grand American Fantasia,'' and Rev. John DePeu had oQuently made by General Henry A. Bishop, the president of the day. This was followed by the unveiling of the statue by Park Commissioner George
 The treat of the afternoon was the oration by Hon. Daniel Davenport, which had been prepared with great care and was most inpressively deliv- cred, so that the audience was moved to serious consideration of the man whose name they had come to honor. MT. Davenport had made a careful ffnqutry into the ancestry of the bene- park. and into the records of the city relating to the gift All of the facts he had assembled were set forth illumi- mated by the views and conclusions of found. beginning in another column, upon this page.
 The surrender of the statue to the <city was made by President Fred Enos ceptance of the same was by Mayor Lee. The remarks of both were ap- propriately couched. Then followed the flower tribute by the children when sang "Ametdca-'' The sound was szyelled by the uplffted voices of the thrcng until perhaps 10000 people were singing the stirring hymn
 The arrangements seemed quite flawless. and were marked with the most Beautiful weather that can be imagined
 The statue was erected< by funds contributed by the city of Bridgeport and the people of Bridgeport The necessary amount, in the neighborhood of $12,0 900, was raised by a committee of the Board of Trade, whose members were Fred Enos. president. George w. Wheeler. Isaac W. Birdseye, Henry A. Bishop, Samuel H. Wheeler, Morris B. Beardsley, and Frederick Sailer. The statue was designed by Charles Henry Neihaus a world famous sculptor and its pedestal by Henry Bacon, who is a noted architect
 The concert. which was given by the Wheeler & Wilson band at the close of the dedication ceremonies, was heard by most of those who had come to see the unveiling