Today in Johnson City History, Monday, September 16, 2024
Wilder monument, North Side School safety, and for "Get Involved!" it's Assassination Infatuation: Beyond Ford’s Theatre
Saturday, September 16, 1899: One hundred and twenty-five years ago today, The Atlanta Journal reported news with a dateline of Chattanooga. Readers learned that “The program for the dedication of the Wilder monument and the Indiana monument of the Wilder brigade, September 19th, 20th and 21st, have been completed, and although the program has not yet been given out, the events for the several days are known.
“On the morning of the 19th, Tuesday, specials trains will arrive from Louisville, Ky., and Cincinnati, O., bearing members of the Wilder brigade of Indiana and Illinois, who will meet at those places and come to Chattanooga in a body. It is expected that at least 2,000 citizens will come from these two places, Governor Mount, of Indiana, and his staff, will come with the party from Louisville, and Governor Tanner and his staff will come with the party from Cincinnati.
“On the evening of the 19th a reception will be tendered to Governor Mount, Governor Taner and the Wilder brigade, at the auditorium. A number of speeches will be made by the prominent members of the party.
“At 10 o’clock in the morning of the 20th the Indiana monument will be dedicated o the battlefield at the sight of the Wilder brigade monument. Governor Mount, General Boynton, and others, will speak.
“At 2:30 in the afternoon the ceremony of dedicating the Wilder brigade monument will take place.
“On the 21st, in the morning the G. A. R. and Confederate Veterans will keep open house in their halls to entertain the visitors.”
“At 7:30 that night and until 9:30 a campfire in honor of the visitors will be held. Parties will return home, leaving Chattanooga at 10:30 p. m. on the 21st.
“The Wilder monument is built throughout of Chicamauga limestone, quarried in the vicinity of the park. The masonry is rock-face, finely molded and bush hammered.
“In general dimensions the tower is 85 feet high from base to the top of the flag staff. The base is 19 feet square at the water table, and the main shaft, which is cylindrical in form, is 16 feet in diameter, with an interior space for staircase, tapering from 10 feet in diameter at the bottom to 9 feet and 5 inches in diameter at the top.
“The monument is relieved by a hammered-dressed cornice, above which are massive corbels supporting the parapet of the observatory. The parapet is surmounted by hammer-dressed crenelations or battlements.
“Windows or loops are out in the four quarters at regular intervals, and provision has been made for the erection of a spiral stairway of metal or stone, by which to reach the observatory at the top of the monument.
“A steel safe will be provided and imbedded in the masonry, in which will be deposited all the archives of the Wilder Brigade association.
“An ornamental wrought iron gate has been provided for the entrance. The original plan of the monument was made by Mr. Harry Hargraves, of Johnson City, Tenn., and the monument was built to a height of 60 feet. This plan was afterwards modified and the monument finished in accordance with designs drawn by Mr. Edward Betts, engineer of the National Park.
“The monument throughout is medieval in character, and is among the best and most massive monuments erected in Chicamauga Park.”
General Wilder played an important role in the history of Johnson City. From 1884 to 1892, Gen. John T. “Wilder helped promote and construct the Charleston, Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad while living in Johnson City, Tennessee. While in Johnson City, Wilder developed the booming industrial suburb of Carnegie, named in honor of fellow industrialist Andrew Carnegie, and a host of iron-making and railroad-related manufacturing facilities. Iron ore was brought to Johnson City via the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad, and Wilder constructed a popular 166-room hotel near Johnson City named the Cloudland Hotel near the summit of Roan Mountain to serve tourists via this scenic narrow gauge railway line.” (Source: Wikipedia.)
The G. A. R. was a fraternal organization that was composed of veterans of the Union Army, Union Navy and Marines who were in the Civil War.
The Atlanta Journal is now published as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Tuesday, September 16, 1924: A century ago today, the Johnson City Chronicle reported “There is a rumor current that the local telephone company may connect with the new central energy switch board (sic) during the present month. Wiring of large office buildings and apartments for the new system has been going on for some days, and the installation of the new instruments is now ready to be taken up.
“Part of the connections have been made on ‘half tap’ with the new board, and when these are all installed, the cut over will take place with the removal of insulations and the disconnections from the old board, this to be done during the night, and probably late on some Saturday, due to the lighter (indecipherable) on Sunday.”
Sunday, September 16, 1934: Ninety years ago today, the Johnson City Press informed readers news about North Side School. “Our safety patrol has been on duty since the second day of school and is made up of an enthusiastic group of boys. William Scott is our major; Dick Edwards, Jimmie Pangle, and Charles Roller are captains. The following boys are patrolmen: Walter White Hannah, Nelson Andrews, Edward Fine, A. W. Gilmer, Wade Vance, Garrett Blackwell, George Allyn Miller, Sam Hankle, and Bill Shayton.”
If you’re looking for a way to “Get Involved!” and learn some interesting facts at the same time, consider going to “Assassination Infatuation: Beyond Ford’s Theatre”. This unique event is coming up soon, so mark your calendars now for Thursday, September 19 at the Fischman Gallery in downtown Johnson City. Sponsored by the Johnson City Play Reading Collective, the show is a travelogue of historical locations in and around Washington, D.C. all of which are related to the Lincoln assassination of 1865. With twelve stops on the tour, we’ll visit Mary Surratt’s Tavern and Dr. Samuel Mudd’s Home, just to name a couple. Come prepared expecting a quirky and memorable presentation style! Mystery guests, original music, food – even complimentary event merchandise – will definitely make this a history lesson to remember! It’s not your grandmother’s travelogue – join us on September 19 at 7:00. 133 N. Commerce Street. A $5 donation is appreciated. For more information about this incomparable event, email Rebecca Edmisten at edmistenr@jcschools.org
Truly, it takes several people to put together something like you’ve just read. I express profound appreciation to Heidi Dulebohn and Stephanie McClellan Houk for their thoughts and encouragement.
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