Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-12-13

years later. Col Edwards began to
see his way clear to provide the con
siderable sum of money the undertak-
ing would require-the creating in en-
during bronze a fitting figure in hero
ic size idealizing the true fighting
/ spirit of the West Virginianl
Bush-5rown's Rise to Eminence.
1 Mr. Bush-Brewn had meantime been
doing notable work in his art. and
growing in reputation to be esteemed
as one of Americas foremost soulp-
/ tors. His great equestrian statute of
General Meade, done for the Nation
and placed at Gettysburg, his equally
noble statute of General Reynolds,
commander of the Pennsylvania for
ces, placed also upon the same battle
/ field; of Mad" Anthony Wayne
astride his splendid horse marking
4 the camp of Washington at Valley
Forge; his Justinian GROWING the
court house of the Supreme Court OF
. Appeals in New York; his work for
the Union League Club of Philadel-
phia; his commission by the State of
Connecticut to create for them fit
( ting equestrian statute of General
Sedgewick to be placed at Gettys-
burg, together with numerous lesser
works but no whit less important in
themselves, had joined in giving him
the place of distinction in his art he
now occupies.
Finally the Contract For Statue
Made.
Finally, some FIVE years ago Col
Edwards invited Mr.. BushBrown to
visit him at his home in Kanawha
and there, along through the month of
August, plans were formulated for
the creation of this work of art, and
Mr.. Edwards entered into a written
contract with the sculptor and made
his first payment ON account The
first series of serious sketches and
models were then prepared by Bush
Brown and the development of the
statue began to go steadily forward
The following summer and again the
succeeding year. Mr.. BBushBrown
visited the mountain sections of West
Virginia, visiting Webster county
and Randolph county and parts OF
Greenbrier county, and other sections
of the State, with his kodak and
sketch book, meeting the people in
their homes and on court days and
gaining that familiarity the West Vir-
ginian mountaineer that he has new
so successfully portrayed,
Time Agreed On Five Years.
apportioned as the period through
which the work should proceed and
the payments be made, being the time
desired by the artist to complete the
work, and it was two years before
the artist and his friends were able
to decide upon just what form the
monument ought to take-it was a
gradual working out of the best pos
sible realization of ideals Finally,
the decision was made-the heroic
figure of the typical West Virginian
who saved and made the State.
During Past Year.
During the past year the splendid
figure-eight feet in height-has been
shown to friends in the studio of the
sculptor, now in Washington City, and
Mr.. Stolesburg, president of the I'm
ion League Club of Philadelphia, as
well as many others, declare it to be
Bush Browns greatest Worthwhile
it should not be forgotten that he has
himself devoted much time and tai
ent to the making of the statue.
through affection for his boyhood
I IL,
ideals embodied in the noble figure
an achievement of American art that
will attract the attention of the ma
ton and the world.
How Presented.
This statue is now the gift of Col
Edwards to the State of West Vir
ginia and her people. And he has
cho sen to present it through the in
strumentalities of the Grand Army
of the Republic and the Womans
Relief Corps, as the organizations
that more than any other represent
in their social froms the historic fight
ing forces of the State and Nation,
Matter of Noble Bronze Pedestal.
1t was at first the plan to erect the
statute upon plain brick and cement
pedestal, and then. at later time,
raise the money by popular subscrip-
ton to build fitting base for the
great figure, but upon reflection and
consultation, it was decided to build
now pedestal for the figure in ev-
cry way as worthy as what it was TO
bear and that in accordance with
most recent are achievements, the
pedestal should be of bronze 1t is now
building 1t bears upon either side
a tablet showing figures in base re-
lief appropriate to the sentiment the
sentiment the monument commemor-
ates with fitting inscriptions at eth
er end and the States motto Mon