Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-07-24
MACDONOUGH CENTENNIAL.


tennial have now assumed large proper
tions with the announcement from
Washington that the civil sundry bill
has passed both branches of Con-
gress and contains an appropriation of
S15, 200 for the Vermont commission
and S125, 900 for a similar commission of
New York State. These sums are to
be disbursed under the direction of the
war department and are to be used en-
tirely for fitting memorials.
The SIS, 600 for the Vermont commits
sion will be used for the erection of a
memorial to commemorate the fitting
out Of the fleet at Vergennes which oc-
Cured in the summer of 1914, and in
memory of the gallant commander,
Macdonough, and his co-patriots. The
larger appropriation will be used to
erect a memorial in the nature of
lighthouse on Cumberland point over
looking the scene of the memorable bat
tie of Plattsburg bay.
The Vermont commission has labored
long and untiringly to bring about am
pie funds for suitable memorial and is
to be congratulated on the success
accomplished by interesting Congress
and obtaining the appropriation. With
the $4,000 which was appropriated by
the last Legislature, the State commits
sion has ample funds now to erect
monument at Vergennes that will be
lasting testimonial to the memory of the
intrepid commander, Macdonough, and
his associates in the naval battles of
.1s14.
The commission is now confronted
with serious task Of raising the neces-
sary funds for the centennial, inasmuch
as the entire appropriation both from
Congress and the State must be used
wholly for the erection of the memorial
Thr little city of Vergennes has al
ready appropriated $1,000 for this pur-
pose and the commission is engaged
now increasing this amount by sub
scriptions from friends of the project,
Nermonters both at home and abroad
The success they have already attained
in this direction is sufficient assurance
that the necessary amount will be
raised and the celebration will be held
as scheduled
The commission has decided that it
will take about 81, 600 to provide credit
able dedicatory exercises and ceremo-
MES for the centennial at Vergennes and
Fort Cassin. and to properly entertain
the distinguished guests who will be
present, including President Wilson,
the secretaries of the war and navy de-
partments, governors and commission
ers of neighborng States and our own
State officials.
Now that the Macdonough commits
sion will receive Sl5,O from the ma
tional Congress entirely for a memorial,
it has decided not to use all of the
State appropriation for a monument.
but will reserve a portion Of it for nee
essary Incidental expenses with a view
of asking the next Legislature to grant
the permission to use this part of the
reserved appropriation for these eX-
penses, a necessary part of the dedica-
tion exercises.
To have available funds at once, the
commission is soliciting subscriptions
and pledges to provide financial back
ing, and in all probability it will not be
necessary to call on the subscribers to
pay any part of the pledges, if the
plans of the commission are carried out
successfully.
The program of the Macdonough
Centennial at Vergennes and Fort
Cassin, VT, Sunday, Monday and Tues
day, September 6, Z and s, is as follows /:
PATRIOTS DAY
Sunday, September 6, at Vergennes.
Afternoon: Mass meeting on the city
park; Musical Festival by a large
chorus; Historical Addresses; Biograph-
ical sketch of Commodore Macdonough
Evening: Band Concert in the city park.
NAVAL DAY.
Monday, September 7, at Vergennes.
Forenoon: Athletic contests and base
ball games; Exhibition drills by State
Malta and United States Cavalry
troops. Afternoon at Fort Cassin
Grand Naval Parade and Water Carni-
val under the direction of the Champlain
Yacht club; Historical Addresses by
prominent speakers on the site of the
old fort Evening at Vergennes: His
torical Pageants and fireworks, Band
Concert and festival.