New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-07-13
CITY LOOKS AHEAD
TO DEDICATION DAY
Preparing to Pay Tribute to
World War Martyrs

Mayor Weld will lay the corner
stone of the World War memorial
shaft In Walnut Hill park. Wednes-
day. July 20. advancing one step
farther toward realization a move
nlent begun more than three years
ago. once rejected and later ap-
proved by a unanimous vote Of the
common council.
Renewal of activity looking to the
construction of memorial began
soon after Mayor Weld presented his
first message to the common coun-
ell. IN which he declared:
Il want to ask the members of
the common council and every citi-
zen in our city to give thought and
study to the erection OF suitable
memorial to the World War soldiers
and sailors. Time is passing. and it
has been a we'll known fault with
our city to allow too much time to
go by before honoring the men who
gave their lives that We might live
in peace and security. Frankly. l
that l earnestly hope, during my adj
ministration, to find way to OBJ
tain sufficient money to carry such
a project through to completion"
At the suggestion of the mayor the
committee in charge of drafting the
original memorial plan which had
been rejected by the city meeting
board, again undertook the task of
bringing about memorial. The
plan which had been prepared by
Architect H. Van Buren, Magonigle
was revised in some detail and after
a series of meetings and conferences
the board OF finance and taxation
was asked to approve expenditure
of 100000 for a shaft. The vote
to do so was unanimous.
With nothing other than COM
mon council approval standing in
tn . way of erecting the shaft ru-
mo rings were heard Of dissension
among the councilmen. When the
proie ct came before that body the
memo rial committee was pleased to
learn its work was approved by |
unanim Gus vote. Shortly thereafter
the contract was awarded to the |
Hayes Construction Co. of this city
and excas alton began. Mayor Weld |
turned over the first spade of earth |
April 4 with simple but impressive
exercises in which veterans of three |
wars assisted.
The original design consisted of a /
mighty shaft, II feet in diameter, !
rising 30 feet from a circular plat
form eight feet in diameter placed
at the north side of the platform
which was enclosed by parapet
wall. Bronze plates containing the
name and rank of each dead soldier
or sailor were placed about the out
side of the wall. A bronze plate
d appropriately etched was on the
north side, the idea being that the |
north side would be the main ap-
proach
In the adopted plan the elements
of design are similar, but their re-
atfons are changed. The shaft has
been moved to the center of the 80
toot platform and a rostrum for
,peakerss upon patriotic occasions
has been, provided at its base. The
tablets have been changed
from the outside OF the wall to the
inside. A fight of steps has been
on the north side, lead
ing UP to the circular platform; in
The old design there was no access
from the north to this enclosure.
The level of the latter is not SO high
above the pool as before.
The parapet wall top on which
The tablets of Individual soldiers
will be placed is beveled forming a
reading desk. The tab
lets perpatuate in another form the
|dea OF individual tributes so touch
lngly carried out IN temporary ma
terials at the foot of the hill. In
der each tablet is a bronze rosette
to which the families and friends
may affix floral tributes.
The base of the shaft Is cylindri-
CAL Above it rises the fluted shaft
itself, draped in the flag with its
stripes and stars and surmounted by
two immense eagles in stone, who
seem to be rising heavenward bear
ing the flag in their talons. The
eagles are about IA feet high by
10 feet wide. The shaft will be
Illuminated by night.
The memorial is being erected by
a building committee of which
Arthur G. Ktmball is the chairman.
George H. Dyson is chairman of the
committee. After the shaft
is erected a fund will be maintained
for its upkeep, providing the neces-
sary money for pointing the stone,
etc.
Discussing his plan, Architect
Magonigle explains
I'm conclusion let me say that this
memorial as designed and described