The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1913-02-22
A MONUMENT FOR The Blue AND THE
GRAY AT FITZGERALD, GA.

II has taken ldlt d century Tor 0ppos-
/ inc sentiments of the North and South
/ to agree upon mutual memorial. The
first monument celebrating "the Blue
and the Cray" and thereby expressing
| a reunited country, is about to be erect
ed in the city of Fitzgerald, Georgia.
| The movement, of which the monument
is visible expression is yet less than a
year old, having been started last fall in
i, this Georgian city; but, says the Lead
er Enterprise lFitzgerald), it is "al-
ready receiving National encourage
ment and both sides of the Mason and
Dixon line are sending their contribu-
tions. The design of the monument has
been executed by the monumental ar
chitect, e. NJ. Viguesnay, of Americas,
Ca, who has succeeded in weaving to-
gether the expressions OF "peace in the
ranks of the Blue and the Gray
SAT the base, the monument is Sc
feet square, while its height is approx
mate Y l25 feet. It will stand at the in
tersection of Central avenue and Main
street, the geographical center of the
city. The four granite steps leading
from the ground to the entrance of the
monument typify the four years of war.
There are four doors, the art glass over
each door bearing an inscription-that
on the north to the Grand Army of the
Republic, that On the South to the Con-
federate Veterans, and those on the
east and west to the Daughters of the
Confederacy and the Womae's Relief
Corps.
"Inside the monument there will be
life-size statues of Jefferson Davis and
! Abraham Lincoln facing each other on
opposite sides, and glass cases for war
relics will occupy corresponding posi-
tions On the two opposite sides.
"The immense bronze statues over
the north sentrance represent Lee and
Grant shaking hands, and behind them
is the Spiritof Peace. Over the door on
the south viii be Southern and North
ern and Southern soldier supporting a
United States flag. The group on the
west portrays Opportunity and Progress.
while on the east the bronze statues re-
present Prosperity. The bronze work
of the monument will be executed by
the well-known sculptor, Frank G. Hib-
bard, of Chicago.
"The winged figure OF Peace on tor
of the monument is eighteen feet in
height, and she is holding aloft in one
baud palm branch ele in the other
she has aiealil u Tt15 s,ad oliye
ileaves."
Fitzgerald, as we are told by this To-
cal paper, though in the heart of the
South, was built "as Northern soldiers
town.; but al the presen5 time its pep
ulation sis about evenly divided be-
tween Yankees and Crackers hence
"a more fitting location could not have
been selected" It was in Fitzgerald
that the sBlue and Gray Association
came into existence and, observes ou
contemporary, "this is the logical place
for symbolizing peace and a reunited
country" We read finally:
"The monument will be constructed
of granite, bronze and glass, and the ap
proximately cost will be $I50,00O. The
funds for its construction will be raised
by contributions, and the committee in
charge of the work is now preparing to
launch a national campaign for this
purpose, and support will be forthcom :
ing from all oyer the country.
"Within few miles of Fitzgerald the
last scene of the war was played, Mr.
Jefferson Davis being captured near Ir-
winville, May 10, 1865. ."-LiteraryDigest