The above illustration is a gateway leading into the beautiful cemetery at East Bloomfield, this county. It is one of the finest pieces of work ever undertaken by W. G. Potter & Son, and they have the satisfaction of being assured by Mr. Elton, one of the wealthiest men of Connecticut, that he is more than pleased with the execution of the contract. We copy a description of the work from the East Bloomfield Herald:
In the Elton memorial arch or gateway, recently completed, East Bloomfield possesses one of the most elaborate memorials ever erected in this state. A fitting tribute to a beloved and noble wife, it is, as well, a magnificent contribution to the beauty of Elton Park and this community. The arch is of splendid design and construction, a credit to the architect and to the workmen who laid brick upon brick and stone upon stone for is upbuilding. Its proportions are excellent. It neither overshadows or is overshadowed by the other features of the simple yet beautiful park in which it stands. Its position is undoubtedly the best that could have been chosen, all things being considered.
The arch covers a ground space thirty-two feet long and eleven feet wide and stands seventeen feet high. The design is in some degree taken from an entrance in England, and is of the Roman Doric order. The opening is nine feet wide and ten feet high, being formed by beautiful Doric columns of granite, of which the lower one-third is polished, carrying above a handsome moulded lentle inscribed as follows:
"In Memoriam. Charlotte Augusta Steele Elton. Loved, Remembered and Honored. A. D. 1840-1899" (facing the street.) "Dedication. This park is named in memory of Charlotte Augusta Steele Elton, daughter of Hiram and Nancy Steele Elton, wife of James S. Elton. 1847-1904" (facing the park.)
At the side of the columns are brick pilastered piers, and above all is a heavily moulded cap course carrying twenty-seven members of moulding, crowned by a brick course carrying four elaborate urns and a beautifully carved finial stone, on both sides of which appear the words "Elton Park".
Built out from the center piers on each side are heavy, yet perfectly symmetrical, walls about thirteen feet long and six feet six inches high, ending in face piers about three feet square. These will, probably in time, be surmounted by lamps of handsome design or appropriate pieces of statuary. In the face of each pier is securely set a table of beautiful pink Westerly granite on which are the following inscriptions:
"Name Elton Park adopted by trustees of the Congregational Society, January 3d, 1901. Ashman B. Gauss, John S. Hamlin, Henry G. Steele, Sparrow Mayo, Frank Munson, Arthur Buell, Frank Forsyth, H. E. Wheeler, 2nd, Harry G. Chapin." (East pier).
"Land donated by Benjamin Keyes to First Congregational Society of Bloomfield, October 1st, 1798. Park founded 1847, William Bradley, Charles C. Murphy, Citizen's Committee, Soldiers' Monument erected by citizens of East Bloomfield, 1868. Memorial arch erected by James S. Elton, May, 1904." (west pier).
The base course of the arch is of a light shade of red and beautifully mottled, being worked in such a manner as to bring out its most pleasing qualities. The center columns and caps and the central pier caps are also of the same material. Above the granite base comes the brick work, laid with white joints. The coping stone and cap courses above the pier and column caps are of white oolitic stone, and these are heavily moulded and cut to a degree of accuracy which is indeed surprising.
Griggs & Hunt, of Waterbury, Conn. are the architects of the Elton Arch, and W. G. Potter & Son, of Geneva, the contracting builders, their part of the work being done under the direction of Mr. C. B. Potter.
In a letter dated July 10th, Mr. Elton says that his present plan is to have this memorial gateway dedicated in October, probably on the birthday of Mrs. Elton.