Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2017 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Chicago Tribune September 6, 1898 MONUMENT TO THE ST. JOSEPH FIREMEN IS UNVEILED. Figure in Heroic Bronze Perpetuates the Valor of Michigan Men Who Lost Their Lives in the Benton Harbor Disaster. St. Joseph, Mich., Sept. 5. - [Special.] - The largest crowd ever in St. Joseph was present today at the unveiling of the firemen's monument. Two years ago tonight YORE'S Opera House at Ben- ton Harbor burned to the ground. At the first alarm the St. Joseph Fire department responded, and no sooner had it arrived than a falling wall crushed the life out of five of their members, as well as six from Benton Harbor. The St. Joseph victims were SILAS F. WATSON, FRANK SEAVER, ED GANGE, ARTHUR C. HILL, and ROBERT L. ROFE. The monument is the work of the Harrison Granite company of Adrian, Mich., and was paid for by sub- scriptions from firemen of every State and Terri- tory in the union. The pedestal and foundation of this memorial are of granite, and the statue proper, which represents a fireman holding a little child in his arms, is of bronze. The monument is near the heart of the city and is situated on the bluff in Lake Front Park, overlooking Lake Michi- gan. An iron railing surrounds the whole structure. Electric lights furnish illumination at night. The parade preceding the unveiling of the monu- ment was nearly a mile long. CAPTAIN CLARK of the Oregon sat in his carriage near the monument, and everybody was anxious to get a view of the great war hero. Addresses were made by prominent speak- ers and the exercises throughout were impressive. The number of people who witnessed the unveiling is estimated at 18,000. The whaleback Christopher Columbus brought an excursion of nearly 4,000 people, and all the railroads brought in large crowds. ========================================================================== If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access more of our growing collection of FREE online information by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/ ==========================================================================