The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-02-15
MEMORIAL TO THE
HEROES OF MAINE
Beautiful Monument Raisec
by Popular Subscription
Is Dedicated.
(National News Association)

National News Association)
NEW YORK, Feb. 15.-Paying tri-
butte to the memory OF the heroes and
martyrs of the Spanish American war
and the sailors who persisted in the
destruction OF the battleship Maine,
thousands OF army and navy veterans
took part today in the cornerstone
laying of the National Maine monu-
ment in Columbus Circle. at the main
gateway to Contra; park.
The exercises both picturesque
and impressive. dedicated the monu-
ment Jointly to the 226 bluejackcts
who lost their lives in the fateful ex-
plosion of February Is, 1898. in Havan
harbor, ana to the soldiers who died
In the ensu s war.
Detachments of sailors and marines
from the Brooklyn Navy Yard. several
companies Of regulars from the forts
Of New York harbor and companies Of
militia of every regiment in the
Greater City participated in the cere-
mony.
The actual laying of the cornerstone
was by Rear-Admiral Leutse, COM
mandant of the Brooklyn Navy yard,
and the principal address OF the after
noon was delivered by Major-General
Daniel e. Sickles. who Is the only sur
viving corps commander of the Army
of the Potomac of 81.
Completed BY Fall.
Work on the monument will be con-
tinued steadily from now on, and it
10 expected that the work will be
completed early in the fall.
The idea Of erecting the Maine mon.
ument was originally suggested by
William Randolph Hearst. soon after
the disaster occurred. Through the
agencies Of his many newspapers that
are scattered across the continent, 1t
was not long before the publisher had
the clarion cry Of Remember the
Maine" ringing from coast.to-coast
from Maine to California and from
Alaska to Florida. A committee was
formed to take charge Of the Maine
Monument fund, consisting Of General
James Grant Wilson, chairman
George J. Gould. J. Edward Simmons
DR.. George +. Shrady. John w. Keller
and william Rapdolph Hearst.
The committee announced that
small and numerous contributions
would be much more appropriate than
4 few large ones in project Of this
kind. The movement met with instan
tane0us response in all parts Of the
country. Donations. large and small
and factories and private persons In
every state in the Union. and before .
year had elapsed over one million peo
pie had contributed q total Of $4,000
to the fund.
Site 10 Selected.
The greatest architects and sculp
tors in the country were invited t.
take part in a competition to secure
the best design for the monument
The first prize was won by Attillit
Piceirilli. sculptor. X. Van Buren, Ma
gonigle, architect. The north end o
Long Acre square was selected as tn,
original site for the monument bu
after the sculptor and architect hat
worked for several years in perfectins
giving permission to erect the monu
ment in Long Acre square could b,
found. A meeting of the monument
committee was held and resulted IL
the site Of the monument being chang
ed to Columbus Circle, the main en-
trance to Central Park. Application
for this site was made in 1909 bu
was held up until permission coult
be secured to remove number Of biz
trees that were in the way.
The project experienced continued
delays and obstacles. but in 1910, tn,
committee, with the assistance O
Park Commission Slower. succeeded il
inducing the art commission to &C
cept the monument and the desires
location. The commission exhibited
unusual enthusiasm. and held a mum
sidering several slight changes in tn
design that would make the monu
ment more complete and at the sam,
time cause no serious modification o
the original plan.
Plans were finally accepted OF
March Is. 1911. and the work Of clear
ing away the site and digging tn,
foundations began. 1t Is estimated
that the work will cost about 500,
before II il finished.