The Shelbyville Democrat, May 10, 1923

Article was typed as it was worded in the newspaper.

FOUNTAIN OPERATED FIRST TIME WEDNESDAY

AMERICAN FLAG WILL BE MOUNTED AS CROWN PIECE ON HEADS OF THREE CHILDREN

WATER WAS FLOWING

Many Commented on Beauty of Centerpiece of Art in Public Square

Objects Represent Ideals of Contributor

Water flowed into the bowls of the Joseph Memorial Fountain in the center of the public square for the first time Wednesday evening and the finishing touches on the beautiful monument were being placed today by the electricians in mounting and wiring the ornamental posts that complete the design. The first operation of the fountain Wednesday evening attracted many persons who viewed the extraordinary work of art which was started more than a year ago.

Arrangements have been made by the city officials for the large globe at the very top of the fountain to contain an American flag that will be lighted each night as the crown piece of the monument. The electricians expected to complete their work on the memorial by this evening with a possibility of having all lights burning.

The copper figures of three children were set in place Wednesday afternoon and the bas-relief plates were attached to the sides of the second bowl to which is mounted the standard piece. Water runs from under the feet of the three children filling the first or upper bowl and flowing into the second bowl. Faces of the children are embossed on the bas-relief tablets and from their mouths, the water flows to the next lower bowl and then into the principal bowl at the base.

George H. Honig, of Evansville, Ind., who designed the complete fountain and sculptured the objects, state that three children and the bas-relief sculpturing represent characteristics of the late Julius Joseph, who donated the money for the fountain and are symbols of his life. Mr. Joseph was a great lover of children and took an enthusiastic interest in games and sports. The three children in the monument group are exemplary of clean, outdoor life and the naïve spirit of play that is inherent in every child.

The bas-relief designs represent four seasons of the year and two mid-season. Spring, summer, autumn and winter are shown and intermingled are the faces of two children who stand for the mid-season periods. A very striking likeness to the late Mr. Joseph is contained in the bas-relief on the south side of the fountain and the copper plate designating the year of construction and the name of the contributor is placed on the north side.

Goodwin & Jones, monument dealers of this city, furnished the granite for the fountain, which is one of the outstanding parts of beauty in the memorial. Hiram Peters, cement contractor, performed the concrete work on the monument and as a special tribute to the work of Mr. Peters, a statement was made by Mr. Honig Wednesday evening in which he said the quality of the concrete work was the best he had ever known. As an example he said that ordinary concrete work with which he had had experience had only required four minutes to drill but that the concrete work on the Joseph fountain had taken from fifteen to twenty minutes for drilling.