The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1913-07-10
HIGHEST COLUMN IN
WORLD TO HONOR
MEMORY OF PERRY
Its Dedication Feature
of Centennial Cele-
bratiOn.
FLAG SHIP IN IT
Pery's Vessel, "Niagara,''
Has Been Raised to Take
Part in Program.
FLAG SHIP IN 1T

fut-ln-Bay, O.-The Perry CenJen-
NAL Celebration commemorative
Commodore Oliver Mazard Perry's
victory over the British on Lake Erie,
the campaign of General William
Henry Harrison and the one humid
red years of peace that will have en-
sued between the English speaking
nations since the signing of the
Treaty of Client, December "a, 1914,
was formally opened here yesterday.
III viii continue until October 5, with
celebrations at Toledo. Detroit, Chi
cago, Milwaukee, Buffalo. Erie, Pa,
and other lake ports, and Louisville,
Ky.
The centennial era began at day
break with a salute of II hundred
gums. Assembled in the bay were the
naval militia ships: Essex" of Ohio,
Jon Juenn de Austria" of Michigan,
"Dubuque" of Illinois, "Wolverinne"
of Pennsylvania and the United Stat
os revenue cutter "Morrill." Follow
ing the ceremonies yesterday these
boats prepared to leave for Erie, Pa,
where they will form the escort of
Perry's old flagship 'Niagara.'
which recently has been raised and
reiitted and which Will visit the cit
les on the Great Lakes holding Perry
celebrations this summer.
At 10 O'Clock a. m. the program
called for decoration of the graves of
the American and British officers
killed in the Battle of Lake Erie, by
the school children of Pue-in-Bay.
Simple religious services with music
by IA military and concert band and
prayer by the Rev. j. NJ. Forbes,
characterized this ceremony.
At l O'Clock p. m. the corner stone
of the magnificent Perry Memorial
was laid under the auspices of the
Ohio Grand Lodge of Masons. The
officers of the Grand Lodge partici-
pated in this ceremony in conjunc-
ton with the Ohio Commissioners and
The Inter-S State Board of the Perry's
Victory Centennial Commission.
The officers of the Grand Lodge
and the Commissioners representing
the National Government and the
York, Illinois. Michigan. Wisconsin,
Minnesota. Rhode Island, Kentucky,
and Louisiana, constituting the Inter
State board. We're escorted to the
site of the memorial by the Seventh
I OlIlIlltIlileI lGS II billSiiNS j 1iii fit' -
from Cleveland, Toledo and Sandus-
ky, numbering more than LOCO, one
company of the Ohio National Guards
and militiamen from ships in the
harbor.
Following this ceremony, the ora
torical program of the day was car
ried out in the large coliseum at u
INLAY, which was taxed to its full
~. - so,, I, ,,,r y a annnln
John H. Clarke, of Cleveland, presi-
dent of the Ohio Commission. form
ally presented the memorial reserva-
ton to Commodore George III. Worth
ington. president-general of the Inter
state board. The Interstate board
will complete the memorial, when II
will be transferred by then to the
national government. colonel Henry
Watterson, of Louisville, KY, was Sc
lected to deliver an address, and the
Grafton of the day was delivered by
former Senator John NJ. Whitehead
Of the Wisconsin, Commission.
A display of fireworks with fire
portraits and numerous elaborate SCI
pieces was on the program Tor las'
evening. Following this. a banquet
given by the Ohio Centennial Com
mission in honor of Ohio state OIL
Gals. members of the legislature, su
preme court, the Masonic fraternity
and other guests was held.
The principal feature OF the day
celebration was, of course. the laying
of the corner stone of the memorla
which is to be the permanent monu
ment to Perry's victory. When com
pleted. the memorial will consist o
a Doric column of granite $50 lee
high and AS feet in diameter, sur
mounted by a spectators gallery rea
ched by elecators, above whlcn VIII
tower an immense tripod holding
beacon light flashing it's rays aeav
onward, and visible for miles owe
Lake Erie. This column will stand II
the center of a PLACE 75S feet lon'
and 461 feet wide, which will rise il
a gradual ascent from the water
edge. With P~ut-in-Bay on one sid
and Lake Erie on the other-uo
height of twenve feet.
At one end of the plaza will be "a
historical museum containing relic
of American historical events, prln
cinally of the War of 1872, and at tn
other end. a building emblematic OF
century of peace between Great BIZ
tain and the United States.
This will be the highest monumen
in the world, excepting the Washing
ton monument at the national capita
and the highest column without eN
ception. 1t will cost approXlmatel
one million dollars, which is bein
contributed by the national govern
meut and the ten states affiliated i
this centennial.