The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-11-29
OUR WASHINGTON SPECIAL.

Last Wedne sday was gala day for Wash
ington, and the whole city was in holiday at
tire, draped in flags and alive with military
During the war the National Capital wit
messed many large gatherings Of military
but for several years there has been no such
display here as that on the present occasion
the unvelling of the Thomas statute. The
city was filled with visitors, most of whom
had been connected with some branch of ser,
vice in the war, and all united in one grand
demonstration in honor Of a commander and
a man who was much respected and loved
In the great procession were q majority o.
the prominent volunteer officers of the wal
now living, together with nearly all the
officers of the regular army. Generals Sher-
man, 1fancocE, Mcdowell, schofeld, Augul
and Crook, with their staffs. were in the line
Generals Sheridan and Howard being the
only absentees. There were corps and vet
eran organizations too numerous to men,
ton. Several Virginia militia companies
Joined in doing honor to a son of the Old
Dominion who at great sacrifice of inclna
ton had the courage to stand by the Union
when his friends and neighbors were leav-
ing it. One of the finest appearing and
handsomcst equipped organizations in the
line was the Richmond Blues.
The statue Of Gen. Thomas ia of bronze
standing on a pedestal of granite, the whole
about 16 feet high. The General is repre-
sented as having suddenly checked his
horse on the summit of slight activity to
make an observation, and he sits with loos-
ened rein and hat off, surveying the field
with searching eye. The horse looks abroad
with head raised high in the air, swelling
neck and chest, and forefeet firmly planted
on strip of rock. The face of General
Thomas is expressive, and the head well
modelled. The intent expression, as he
looks with firmly compressed jaw, and with
that intense interest which imparts earnest
ness to the entire figure, is well rendered
The figure of the horse is especially good
anatomically and has careful veining. The
whole work is about twice life-size and cost
100000. Nearly six years ago the Society
of the Army of the Cumberland contracted
with Mr.. Ward, the artist, for the statue
and about six months ago he completed the
design in plaster, from which it was cast by
Burean Bros. d Heaton, of Philadelphia
the same that cast the statutes of Generals
Scott, Mcpherson, Green and Rawlins. II
weighs 1900 pounds. The site selected for
its erection is the spot where the salute oi
800 hundred guns was fired April Sd, 1865
in honor of the surrender of Lees army
The statue faces south, the line of vision be,
ing directly toward Arlington, the home oi
Gen. Lee.
While devoting so much Of this letter tC
the Thomas bushes, will continue lal
enough to tell an anecdote which has never
at least "hardly ever" been in print. Du
ring lull in the storm of war, in which tn,
Army Of the Cumberland was almost en-
tirely shrouded, private soldier OF a west
tern regiment made application for fur
Tough which was refused. Not content with
the disapproval of his immediate superiors
he persisted and finally got himself and hi
application before General Thomas, to whom
he made personal appeal. The Gen. listened
patiently to the rugged IIooser, and theI
told him that it was impossible tu grant hi
request. "But," expostulated the soldier
81 am a married man." $50 am /, ,"repliec
the General. "But," persisted the volunteer
al haven't seen NY wife for more than
year" "And /" said the General, "hav
not seen my wife for over two years." "Ah,
rctorted the simple backwoodsman, m an
not that sort Of man, General" The mex
| day this representative son Of the grea
northwest, was on his way home with zap
proved George II. Thomas, Major Genera
Commanding" on the back of his furlough
1t seems that Gen. Adams is not gcttin
the affairs with the Ute Indians cleare
up so well after all. His success in restor
ing the captiyes, and in other Preliminarie
promised exceedingly well, but now that hi
commission address themselves toNhe tas
Of finding out which of the redskins are tn
murderous they don't progress much. Tn
Indians make very. bad witnesses and eithe
lie outright or plead ignorance. Some {
them don't even know that anyone has bee
killed. Even old Chief Ourny, who under
took to assist In finding out the facts, seem
to have no power to get the truth, and bC
sides things have taken such a tlirn that h
appears to be out OF patience with Adam
and talks about trip to Washington wit
the other chiefs. These Indian witnessC
are as bad as Jim Anderson, Mrs. Jenl
and the rest of the louisiana liars that "
had here. Secretary Shurz has little to sa
at present, but evidently he begins to fea
that as the savages have banded together |
shield each other, force alone will brin
them TO terms. The guilty ones certAinl
should be punished.
General Walker is getting on finely wit
his arrangements for taking the next censu
and there seems good reasons for his conf
dence that it will prove a more valuable co
lection of statistics than was ever bciol
gathered. The most important reform pre-
posed is the completion of the work With
the single month ofJune, 1880, while in tn
large cities it is hoped to do the business u
within fortnight. This will of itself elm
nate great mass of blunders that were ur
avoidable under the old system, which kcI
the work dragging along nearly halfa yea
The States are divided into districts accord
ing to size, etc, the smallest comprising b.
one district, and the largest-NeW York
eleven.
A meeting Of the GreenbAck or Nations
COMMITTEES, together with other leaders
As orsaaizasieH has bsSA esllSd 70 eoovSp