The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-06-26
Citizens of Baltimore Contribute
a Half-MiIIiop Dollars to Make
the Demonstration Notable

e Spangled Banner comes next Sept IL
n While Admiral Fletcher and his ilee
have been impressing the dignity oi
the United States Gag upon Mexico
leading citizens of Baltimore, headed
= 10y Mayor James H. Preston. have been
g perfecting elaborate plans for celebrat-
ing next fall, with week of events
the centennial of this same flag.
4 More than S500000 will be expended
\ on the celebration, which begins Sept.
, 6 and continues through Sept 10. The
governors of all the states have been
asked TO have the nag flown over every
public building all that week
Fort McHenry, over which floated
the particular star spangled banner
which inspired the song, is to be turn
ed over to the city as a public park in
an address by President Wilson. after
he and the governors and militia of
the states that formed the union in
1914 have escorted the original star
Il spangled banner To the fort.
Here also will be unveiled monu-
ment to General Armistead. who COM
the anthem. a Key memorial build
| ing will he dedicated, while 10000
children Of the public schools, formed
in human flag, will sing the national
| air To the accompaniment of Il band of
| 1900 musicians.
| other events of the week will be an
| industrial parade with 500 floats. an
| pS
geant with fifty floats, parade of
| 10000 men or fraternal orders with
| seventy-five allegorical floats, the UNI
yelling of tablets by historical socie-
| ties, colonial garden parties. floral au-
tOmobile parades, athletic events and |
rowing regatta.
Fort McHenry is To he bombarded |
pyrotechnically, while there will be
continuous display of fireworks along |
the eighteen miles OF the city's har- |
Dor and waterfront and the Key high
way, bust completed at cost of ST.
OOOUO0
The story of the birth of The Star
Spangled~ Banner" is one of the most
thrilling incidents of our national his
tory. Yet the real facts of the case
have been given but scant notice in
printed record, and really few Ameri-
cans of today are familiar with them.
Francis Scott Key, the author of the
great anthem, was the only son of
John Ross Key, an officer i'm the revo-
lutionary war He wasborn at Double
Pipe Creek, Frederick county, Mary
land, Aug. 9. 1880.
Although he wrote many excellent
poems and gained fame as an attorney
and statesman, he is known totposter-
ity almost entirely as the author of
The Star Spangled Banner"
lie married in 1S02 Mary TAYLOR
Lloyd of Annapolis Md. 70 them were
born eleven children. In 1904 he re-
moved from Frederick, where he prac-
ticed law, To Georgetown, where he
was appointed district attorney for the
district by President Andrew Jackson.
His house in Georgetown is still stand I
ing. {
1t was from this old house that Key I
set out, Sept. 4. 1914, To negotiate for
the release of DIR. William Beanes, one |
pf Keys most intimate friends, who, {
after having out Of the kindness of his I
heart for fallen foe cared for and !
'ured a number of British soldiers '
when wounded and helpless, was i'm re- 7
urn taken to the British fleet i'm the '
,hesapeake as a prisoner i'm revenge a
or his having sent away from his place @
some intoxicated Enalish soldiers who a
inn L.. n
md threatening the lives of his family
md servants. These men happened to y
% on the doctors grounds under the $
GLOWING circumstances: [
During the war Of 1914 Vice Admiral h
,ochrane entered Chesapeake bay and T.
oined Rear Admiral Cockburn, then "
in committing ravages upon &
he unprotected and peaceful settlers il
m the lower waters of the Chesapeake. r.
ADMIRAL Cochrane came from the West G
ndies and conveyed transports con- W
aiming under the leadership Of Gener- d
! Ross, 5000 British troops. the flower
( the Duke OF Wellington's army, +"
resh from their victories in the PENN iC
ular campaign. {,
lnded at Benedict force of 5000 G
1en under leadership of General Ross u
marched upon Washington. captured j
he city and burned the capitol, white
ouse and other public buildings %
caring that the Americans would re- "A
urn under cover of night and cut OFF n
is retreat, General Ross Immediately II
vacuated Washington and marched u
is men back to the Patuxent tt
On this march, on account of a very u
eVere storm, several of his men be- IL
anne detached from the command
ND, having obtained some liquor. they "
ot intoxicated, and. bent upon mis- IL
hief, wandered upon the property of W
)r. Beanes. n
n friend Of the doctor, Richard "
Vest. brought the tidings of the ply e'
lcian's danger To Key, and the attor- u
icy. having received permission from n
resident Madison to make the at te
empt. in company with Colonel John
;. Skinner, United States agent for eN
'arole of prisoners, at once set about eN
o secure the doctors release There w
vas urgent need of haste, as IL had 81
m Ias h.. t..