New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-06-27
SHIT It Willow Brook Park Formally Accepted
By Mayor Weld IN Behalf Of City At Patriotic
Exercises Lieut. Gov. Brainard Echoes
Rooseveks Plea For Preparedness.

ices . memorial to the veterans Of
the Spanish American war. With
perfect weather, but with a slight
breeze tanning the trees In Willow
Brook park. just enough to keep the
dozen or more flags waving at
though in pride Of the exercises,
thousands OF New Britainites gath
cred In Memorial field to do honor
10 the veterans Of 1898.
The act OF unwilling the memorial
was performed BY Mrs. Sarah H.
Alagson. widow Of Samuel Masson.
who was the first commander Of A.
G. Hammond camp. United Spanish
American War Veterans.
Although 1t seems but yesterday
since tho bugles blew at the state
armory and the volunteers from New
Britain shouldered their knapsacks
aud marched out to help free the op-
pressed people Of Cuba. the years
lave left their traces on the surviv-
ing veterans. Those who marched
back Saturday bravely and en-
Enthusiastically to the music Of flfe
and drum corps showed gray hairs
and In many cases stopped shoulders
and tagging feet. In some cases it was
hard to distinguish between the vet
Grams Of the war with Spain and
those sturdy warriors Of still another
generation, the survivors Of the &.
\. II.
Alongside Of these. the American
Legion boys seemed like mere in
fants, and in truth many Of them
were mere infants, some yet unborn
when the world was startled by the
blowing up Of the battleship Maine
in Havana Harbor. while those who
fought at Gettysburg for the preser-
Walton Of the Union proudly display
I'd the bronze buttons Of the G. A.
b. as they too paid tribute to COM
rades of another period.
Parade Best In Years
Z The parade was one of the larg-
est. most colorful and best New Brit
ain has seen for some years.
The parade started promptly at
e:8o o'clock with Col. ". W. Bullen
az marshal and Capt. Alfred H. Gris-
wfld as chief OF staff. 1t was COM
p ed Of the local military colnpan-
ieS. men who saw service In the
army and navy during the world war.
including many members OF Eddy
Glover post. American Legion, the
Mystic Shrine. the Arab Patrol Of the
Shrine, Boy Scouts. members Of the
police department and members of
the DE department. There were
several bands and drum corps. Word
vas received earlier IN the day that
the Putnam Phalanx could not par
6cipate.
2 Those in the reviewing stand at
city hall as the parade passed includ-
Cd:
Lieutenant Governor and Mrs. J.
Edwin Brainard, Mayor and Mrs
Gardner c. Weld. State Department
Commander and Mrs. Kenneth +.
Cramer. Rev. J. Leo Sullivan Of
North Haven. East Department Com
mander Charles W. Newton of Hart
ford. State Finance Commissioner
Edward F. Hall, Ike T. Hills, gener-
Il chairman Of A. G. Hammond
camp, L. S. W. ", Past Department
Commander Theodore Johnson, A.
". Piper and Joe Van Rosencrance
of Jersey City. n. j.. state depart
ment commander Of the Spanish
Var Veterans in that state.
{ The program and addresses at Me-
mortal field were in charge Of Attor-
neg Charles H. Mitchell. who was a
sergeant of the list New York Vol
unteer infantry. which participated
in the charge of San Juan hill. In
opening the exercises. Mr.. Mitchell
explained the significance of the
monument and said 1t stood for 4
vision of American ideals which
turned the democracy OF America
against the absolute monarchy of
Spain.
War to Free Oppressed People
Alderman W. H. Judd, chairman
Of the committee Of the common
council under whose guidance the
memorial was erected. told of New
Br1tain's part In the memorial. He
+, On the 18th OF April. 1898. an i'm
portant event in the worlds history
ana In the history of the United
states occurred, the declaration of
war between Spain and the United
States.
To-day we are gathered to dedi-
cate memorial to the soldiers and
sailors who fought In that short but
very important war. 1t has been a
great privilege to me to have been
the chairman Of the committee in
charge of the erection of this me-
mortal. My only regret is that the /
veterans Of the Spanish
war should have been compelled 10
wait over % years before a suitable
memorial was erected by the city of 7
New Britain.
I'm my mind. 100 little is said and
Of the Importance of the .
Spanish war. as 1t is one of the out .
standing wars Of the world. Fought .
by volunteers. i war; not Of conquest .
or Of gain. but to free an oppressed
people from bondage and a tyrau-
meal government; q war that did
much to cement relations between
the north and the south. And, as
always, we were seeking peace, JUS
tice, and liberty for all. A war that.
TO my mind, marked the beginning
OF a period which was to make the
United States the worlds greatest
and most powerful nation.
MY part In this program today is
he report of the committee in !
charge of building the memorial. The
memorial II almost q New Britain I.
product. The architects are u. X.
Perry and Earl Bishop of New Brit 1
ain; the general contractor. William
H. Allen Co, of New Britain; the !
sculptors for the bronze work are i
Professor Eberhard OF Yale and Pro-
lessor MARITIME of New Haven. Tho .
total cost. including roadway on the
bridge and planning and grading is
about $4,000 and the memorial is