Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-11-27

north part over which will be laid,
exactly as it should be, the approach.
and the rest of 1t will be unused and
kept as part of the approach. MIR.
May showed much interest in the
beauty of the Cemetery and in having
a proper way to the Memorial.
The eastern approach is one OF the
most impressive and beautiful parts
of the Memorial. BY planting and
grading the four terraces have been
made into, or given as well as can be,
the effect of one terrace. The three
lowest flights are straight with flag
stone walks leading to the foot of
each. The flight up the highest and
last terrace is elaborated. From a
landing of Monson slate two circling
flights Of steps rise on the
right and left. buttressed with wall
of weathered field stone with square
piers at the top and bottom. The
facing of the terrace between the
flights is also made of weathered
field stone built up far enough to
make wall about two feet high
above the level Of the driveway at
the top of the terrace. At the ends of
this wall /are similar piers. The
steps of all the flights are made in
part Of the old granite steps former
ly here and in part from granite TAX
en- from the Blaine Homestead lot.
The effect of this approach looked at
from the Cemetery toward the Me-
mortal and from the Memorial down
into the Cemetery and beyond is very
beautiful. On the opposite side of
the driveway from these two circling
flights just described are two short
flights leading up on to the mansion
terrace
The fundamental purpose of the
Memorial design with it's approaches,
with it's paintings, trees and shrub
berry was to guide the steps of the
visitor to a point at the foot of the
graves of Mr.. and Mrs. Blaine. And
to this point a flagstone walk leads
across the front of the mansion ter
race from the two flights of steps
leading up on to it,
MIR. Blaine was one of the most
democratic of men and liked simple
ity. In complete accord with these
marking his last resting place There
is no elaborate monument but the
visitor looks down upon full length
tablet of Monson slate. raised about
a foot from the ground and sloping
a little SO that the inscription may be
the more easily read. Around the
beveled edge of this tablet runs
vine of laurel, at once a fitting trib-
ute and commemorative the beauti-
full wreath of laurel laid by Governor
Milliken upon the casket of Mr.
Blaine, as mantled with roses it was
taken from the car in which it was
brought to Augusta on June 49,
On this tablet is this inscriptions:
JAMES GILLESPIE
BLAINE
SON OF
EPHRA1M LYON BLAINE and
MARIA GILLESPIE. mis- wife:
Eorn in West Brownsville,
Pennsylvania
January 81. 1880;
Died in Washington. d. C.
January 81, 1898:
Citizen of
Augusta IS54-1S93:
Member of Maine House of
Representatives 1S53-1S62:
Speaker. of the 4Oth and 41st
-eSlSldtuTeS lS0l-lStS.
Representative to
Congress 1S63-1S75:
Speaker Of the 41st, And and 43rd
Congresses 1S69-1S75:
United States Senator
1S76-1SS1:
Nominated for President
1854:
Secretary of State
of the United States
1881 and 1SS9-1S92:
= President of the First
Pan-American Conference
lSSy-1S9O
No words of encomlum. nothing but
historical fact. But how eloquent.
What achievement!
Over Mrs. Blaines grave is a sim
liar tablet but bordered with ivy.
this too fittingly emblematic and also
concentrating the ivy wreath laid
upon her rose covered casket by Gov
ernor Milliken as it also was taken
from the car.
The inscription is: