The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-04-28
RUSSELL LANDS
TWO SIEGE GUNS
FOR MAYOR KACE
Congressman to Pay Freight
on Them as a Present to
the City.
EACH CANNON WEIGHS
MORE THAN HALF TON
"Busy Berthas" Will be Shipped
In Few Days-tO be in
Courthouse Park.

Congressman Joseph J. Russell has
obtained for the Cape two heavy siege
guns that will be placed in the Court
house park at the brow Of the ter
race overlooking Spanish and Themis
streets. Mayor Rage received let
ter from Washington yesterday to this
effect.
The cannon to be sent here are
about six or seven feet in length and
each weighs 1900 pounds. In reality
the cannon were probably siege guns
in the old days when the powder and
shot were crammed down the muzzle
instead of by means of brass cart
ridge.
The acquisition of the two cannon
for the Capc's Courthouse park results
from the negotiations conducted in the
last two weeks by Mayor Rage, who
wrote to Congressman Russell when he
was informed that Congressman Hens
ley had obtained pair of cannon for
Pennington.
The Mayor yesterday afternoon ex-
pressed complete satisfaction with the
prospects of the Civil War guns being
brought to this city, and declared he
feels sure that the City Council will
gladly accept them from the Govern
ment.
Congressman Russell's letter to the
Mayor follows:
''fiouse of Representatives,
Washington, d. c.
april 20, 1916.
Il have not yet heard from you
about the cannon, but from an account
! read in The Tribune, imagine that
YOU would much prefer the larger can
non, of which l wrote you. today
went to the War Department to exam
inc the two cannon, and feel sure that
you would not want the small cannon
that you would get from Rock Island,
as they are only about three feet long,
the same size at both ends, and in fact
hardly look like cannon; but the other,
they are six feet long, weighing about
1900 pounds each. They are fine look
ing guns, and when mounted according
to instructions that will be furnished,
they will be splendid ornaments for
your Courthouse yard.
Il was afraid to delay the securing
of these two cannon, as there is quite
a demand for them, and the Chief of
Ordnance said there might be danger
that | could not secure them later.
Hence thought best to order them at
once, and have done so. The authori-
ties advise me that the freight upon
the two will be about $25. If your
city authorities will accept this as u
donation from me, l will be glad to
pay the freight upon them myself.
These cannon are now selling
readily at $3.50 apiece to towns that
have not gotten authority from Con-
gress to donate them, and | am sure
that your people will greatly appre-
Ciate them. The Chief Of Ordnance
also assures me that these cannon will
not be recalled, as the others that were
obtained from the Navy Department.
Every truly yours,
loo PucSnIlu
Mayor Rage last night declared that
he will lay the complete correspon-
dence before the City Council at its
next meeting, when the proper steps
probably will be taken to authorize the
Mayor to accept the guns on behalf
of the city.
As soon as those preliminaries are
completed, the guns should be started
toward the Cape within a few days
and no doubt will be mounted in front
of the courthouse in less than a month.