Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1922-12-21
WILL ERECT FINE
MONUMENTS HERE
FOR THE SOLDIERS

In cOmmemOration of the
soldiers of the Civil war and Of
/ the World war from Morgan
county, Mr.. Il. HI. Simpson of
] Detroit, Mich, is to give to this
county two monuments, and is
to bear every penny of the cost.
| Last week announcement was
made that Messrs. j. l.. Benjamin,
| representing the G. A. r., and Ken
| meth Longley the American Legion,
| together with John d. Erwin and f.
j. Arrick, had gone to Detroit at the
| invitation of Mr.. T. H. Simpson to
talk over the matter of two soldiers
monuments. They returned Friday
evening bringing back the good
news that Mr.. Simpson had assured
them he was to erect the monu-
ments. To show that he meant bus
mess he gave Mr.. Benjamin check
for $4,000, and Mr.. Longley like
amount, which is to go toward the
cost. In all it is estimated that each
monument will cost at least double
the sum, the cost of both being bet
ter than $2O,0O000.
For some time Mr. Simpson has
not been in the best of health-and
has been confined of late more or
less to his home, during which he
has given the monument PROPOSE
tion here much thought and study
Those who have any acquaintance
with Mr.. Simpson, have learned
that art and sculpture are among
his hobbies. During his extensive
travels abroad he has given such
things much attention, and he is a
real art critic. He had cuts, photo
graphs, drawings and small models
collected from various countries,
and asked the representatives from
this place to make their selection.
However, knowing that Mr. Simp-
son had given the subject such ex-
tensive study, they were more than
willing that he should make the
choice. But he would not do it,
though he pointed out the ones he
liked best He stated that since we
had no noted general or officer
from this place whom a statue
might represent, it was rather diff
ficult task to make an appropriate
selection.
represents a young man of that per-
iod holding set bayonet, and in his
face is pictured, wonderful force.
The World war monument shows
the "doughboy" in fierce action in
a bayonet charge The statues are
of what is termed heroic size and
are eight feet or so in height.
They are cast in bronze by the fa->
nf
II. 1t is the plan to have the G. A.
R. monument if possible placed on
boulder taken from Round Top"
from the Gettysburg battlefield. and
the American Legion monument to
rest on a shaft surmounted by a
slab of stone from the Argonne
battlefield. if it is possible to OBJ
tain it. If not, the cap to be cast
from war material-cannon, ETC..
secured from that battlefield. OF
course it will be necessary to go
through the war department to get
these foundations, and already Mr..
Simpson has taken up the matter
with President Harding.
Mr.. Simpson told our delegation
to erect the monuments here wher-
ever they deemed most fit. Here
again the committee ased for Mr..
Simpsons judgment, or suggestions.
He felt that the center of the public
square would be the proper place
for the G. A. r. monument, and the
head OF Main street, in the corner
of the common intersecting 10th
street, the place for the other mon
ument. Work on the monuments
will be pushed as fast as possible.
This is indeed another very gen.
erous act on the part of Mr.. Simp-
son. A number of years ago efforts
were started to erect a soldiers
monument here for the G. A. R.,
but during the World war the mat
ter was dropped, and then after the
World war there was different as
pect, but of late more or less monu-
ment agitation has been manifest.
While in Detroit the gentlemen
composing the committee from here
were shown every kind of attention.
They were met at the depot in Mr..
Simpsons handsome closed car, by
Mr. Simpsons private secretary.
Mr.. Arthur Jackson. who by the
way is a personal friend of Mr..
Longley. They stopped at the hotel
Statler, and one afternoon were en-
tertained at lunch at Mr.. Simpsons
beautiful home. Mr.. Simpson paid
all bills from the time our delega-
tion left here until their return.