The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-05-08
MEMORIALS ERECTED FOR
AMERICAS FAMOUS WOMEN
One Heroine Is Forgotton---No Monument to
Fishers Wife Whose Torch Guided
Columbus to Land.

/ Memphis. are preparing to erect
monument in honor OF those ladies III
that city.
First to Honor Mary Washington.
A year or so ago | gave a description
of the monument which was erected IN
1894 by the women Of this country in
honor Of Mary Ball Washington, the
mother of George Washington, over her
grave near the city of Fredericksburg,
and mentioned the fact that it is the
second monument raised IN her honor
! in the same place, the first having been
carried away in chips by relic hunting
vandals. Since then | have received
from a friend a very interesting ac-
count Of the eccentric career of the
man who built the first monument.
His name was Silas Z. Burrows, and
at the time he was a young and pros
porous merchant in the city Of New
/ York. In 1880, having learned that the
grave of Washington 5 mother was I'M
marked. he volunteered to provide
monument at his own expense, and
President Andrew jackson and the
members Of his cabinet went to Freder
icksburg with Mr.. Burrows to lay the
cornerstone 1t was during this trip
that Lieut.. Randolph, who had been dis
missed from the navy, attacked Jack
son and pulled his nose drawing blood.
Mr.. Burrows caught Randolph. dragged
him away from the President and threw
him over the rail of the vessel to the
wharf
The design of the Burrows monu-
ment was thought to be beautiful and
! appropriate, and it cost 10000
\ short time after its dedication
Peter Swartwout. collector Of customs
in the city of New York, and a great
friend of Andrew Jackson, was found
TO be defaulter, and Mr.. Burrows,
being one of his bondsmen, was com
PEELED to make good. This nearly
ruined him. and, selling out his business
in New York city. he went to South
America and afterward to China, where
ne recuperated his fortunes.
He was famous for his philanthropy.
One Of his whaIers, outward bound for
a three year cruise, met a disabled Rus
sian frigate, whose captain offered him
81 {, 600 to turn around and tow him in
safety to New York. He did So, but
Mr.. Burrows not only refused to accept
the reward. but raised fund to repair
j and provision the Russian ship.
4 another time there was a coal
combine to raise prices during severe
winter. He sent two ships loaded with
coal and sold the entire cargoes to the
poor at cost. At the time Mr.. Burrows
was building the monument he en-
ployed Capt. Vanderbilt (afterward
commodore) at $50 day to lighter
his Whaleships on their arrival in port.
During Mr.. Burrows residence in
South America William Henry Harri-
son. afterward President. was minister
to Colombia. Hearing that he was dis
appointed in his plans for returning to
the north. Mr.. Burrows offered him one
of .his vessels free of charge 10 convey
his family and himself to the United
States. The offer was gratefully ac-
cepted. Years attorward. when elected
to The presidency, Mr.. Harrison offered
Mr. Burrows the Office of minister to
Russia or any Office he would accept. y
month later Mr.. Harrison died.
Heroine of Waiting Island.
An American woman, and an aborl-
CINE, who has been thus far overlooked
in the distribution of honOrs and glory,
=, II