The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-07-24
MAcooNoueH CENTENNIAL
Congress Appropriates $4,000 for
Memorial at Verqennes

Vergennes, July 22.-The plans for
| the Marlborough centennial have
now assumed large proportions with
the announcement from Washington
| that the civil sundry bill has passed
both branches of Congress and con
tains an appropriation of $4,000 for
| the Vermont commission and $125,-
| 600 for Il similar commission of New
York State. These sums are to be
disbursed under the direction of the
war department and are to be used
| entirely for fitting memorials.
The $4,000 for the Vermont com
mission will be used 70. the erection
| of memorial to commemorate the
| fitting out of the fleet at Vergennes
which occurred in the summer of
1914, and in memory of the gallant
commander, Macdonough, and his CO.
patriots. The larger appropriation
win be used to erect a memorial in
the nature of a lighthouse on Cum
berland point overlooking the scene
of the memorable battle of Platts-
burgh bay.
The Vermont commission has lab
ored long and untlringly to bring
about ample funds for a suitable
memorial and is to be congratulated
on the success accomplished by inte.
esting Congress and obtaining the
appropriation. With the $4,000 which
was appropriated by the last Legisla-
ture, the State commission has
ample funds now to erect a monu-
ment at Vergennes that will be last
ing testimonial to the memory of the
intrepid commander Macdonough,
and his associates in the naval bat
ties of 1914.
The commission is now confronted
with a serious task OF raising the
necessary funds for the centennial.
nasmuch as the entire appropriation
both from Congress and the State
must be used wholly for the erection
of the memorial
The little city of Vergennes has al
ready appropriated $1,000 for this
purpose and the commission is en-
gagged now increasing this amount by
subscriptions from friends OF the
| project. Ne-monters both at home
and abroad. The success they have
already attained in this direction is
sufficient assurance that the neces-
sary amount will be raised and the
| celebration will be held as scheduled
The commission has decided that
it will take about $4,000 TO provide
/ creditable dedicatory exercises and
ceremonies for the centennial at
Nergennes and Fort Cassin. and to
properly entertain the distinguished
guests who will be present, including
President Wilson. the secretaries Of
the war and navy departments, COVER
nors and commissioners of neighbor-
ing States and our own State ofiici-
ais.
Now that the Macdonough commits
sion will receive $4,000 from the ma
tional Congress entirely for a mem
orial, it has decided not to use all of
the State appropriation for a monu-
ment, but viii reserve a portion of it
for necessary incidental expenses
with a view of asking the next Legis-
lature to grant the permission to use
this part of the reserved appropria-
ton for these expenses, a necessary
part of the dedication exercises.
To have available funds at once.
the commission is soliciting subscrip-
lions and pledges to provide financial
backing and in all probability it will
not be necessary to call on the sub
scribers to pay any part Of the
pledges. If the plans of the commits
sion are carried out successfully