The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-02
Great Crowd, of Veterans and
Others Assemble for the
Celebration
SENATOR SWANSON
DELIVERS THE ADDRESS
Pays Beautiful Tribute to Gal
LIANT Soldiers-F'lags Pulled
from Handsome Statue by
Pretty Lass.

Especial to The Richmond Firginian.)
SURRY. VA, August 2.--Senator
Claude A. Swanson. who came here
to be the orator of the day at the un-
yelling Of the Surry county Confed-
crate monument, was given rousing
reception at the station by one of the
largest crowds that ever assembled
here. he was compelled to shade
hands with his friends and admirers
for many minutes before being allow
ed to leave the station platform.
The unwilling Of the monument
which was delayed two years by the
financial failure of the contractor, and
the presence OF the new senator at
tracted hundreds OF men. women and
children from this county and adjoin-
ing ones. The weather was ideal and
all arrangements for thu dedication Of
the monument were completed last
Saturday.
Many Prominent Men.
-W4thSenator Swanson came Secre-
tary to the Governor Ben r. Owen,
former Speaker of the House of Dele
gates w. d. Cardwell, Captain w. w.
Baker. State Fisheries Commissioner
WI Mcdonald Lee, Cunningham Hall,
Colonel Andrew Gray and a number
OF others Mr., Swanson arrived in
Richmond on an early morning South
ern train and then transferred to the
train which brought him here. He
was Joined In Petersburg by the other
distinguished men. The town Is filled
with celebrities, and on all sides the
faded gray of yesterday is In evidence,
and hoary headed and manned vete-
rams gather liz groups to tell of the
yalor of the Surry warriors.
The monument. which was pre-
sented to the county by the Memorial
Association. IL one of the handsomest
in the State. 1t has been universally
admired and pronounced a magnft1-
cent mblem OF the Confederate SOL
der.
After Senator Swanson's eulogy on
the Confederate soldier, which was
punctuated with tremendous out
bursts of applause and cheering. Miss
Eloise Bohannon, representing viz
ginia, and attended by twelve pretty
young ladies wearing gowns typical of
| as many southern states, pulled the
eilIxen chord which unveiled the statue
and marble PEDESTAL. The unveiling
was the signal for thunderous applause
from the immense throng around the
monument and front Of the county
court house.
Description of Monument.
The pedestal OF the monument is OF
Confederate gray granite, most of
which was quaried near Petersburg.
but the largest stone. the die. was
quarried In South Carolina. 1t is sur
mounted by white bronze figure of a
Confederate cayalryman at parade rest
with hands clasped on the hilt of his
drawn saber.
The height of the monument is about
twenty -one feet. and the base IL eight
and one half feet square. A graceful
Confederate battle flag is cut on the die
/ on the front. or north, side of the mon
ument. and below this are the words,
/ Our Heroes" and the years 1851 go
On the west Is the inscription: To the
Confederate Soldiers OF Surry County
On the south side are two lines from
one OF Armistead Gordon's beautiful
poems:
THAT we through life may not forget
TO love the thin gray. line. 49,. -..
on the east side are the words;
Erected by the Confederate Memorial
Association of Surry County A. d.
1909" A pile of twenty eight-inch
, shells is being placed opposite each
side of the monument.