The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-12-17
ARLINGTON.
The Story of the Estate Willed by
Washington to George Wash
ington GUSTS.

The Arlington estate, by the latest
turn of the legal wheel, has been
taken out of the possession of the
Government and declared the right
ful property OF the son of Mary Ran
doIph Lee, who received it from
George Washington Gusts, to whom
it had been willed by Washington.
Washington by his will bequeathed
Arlington to George Washington
Parke Curtis and bis heirs forever
Gusts was the adopted son OF General
Washington. He died in 1855. and
by his will left the property to his
daughter and only child, Mary Ran
dolph Lee, who became the wife OF
Robert E Lee. After her death he
provided that all the property should
go to her eldest son, George Washing
ton Gusts Lee, and to his heirs for
ever. Shortly before her death Mrs.
Lee and her son endeavorad to maze
q compromise vito the Government,
and offered to surrender her title and
that of her heirs for the sum OF
$300,0O0. Her petition gave rise 10
an angry debate in the Senate, and
nothing was done. Mrs. Lee died in
1873, and her son, who brought suit
for ejectment, again offered to COM
promise. He presented q memorial
to Congress, which sets forth the
principal points in the case. The
memorial states how. in September,
1868, three tax commissioners for the
insurrectionary district OF Virginia
fixed the sum of $92.07 as the
amount of tax due and payable to Che
United States upon the Arlington
estate, which was valued upon the
land books of Virginia for the year
1860 at $34 100. For the non pay
ment of the tax the estate became
forfeited to the United States, and
commissioners advertised it for sale.
The sale took place on the 18th OF
January, 1864, when, no person
bidding On equal to the taxes then
accrued, and the estate having been
selected under the direction OF the
Government and in pursuance of
President Lincoln's proclamation Of
January 6, 1864, for government use,
for war, military, charitable and ed
vocational purposes, the commits.
sioners bid it in for the sum of $26. 800.
The Arlington estate to-day is much
more beautiful than it was when in
the possession of the Lee family. A
large amount OF money has been
expended On it by the Government
and numerous drives and carriage
ways have been cut through the
grounds. The view OF Washington,
with the Capitol and many other
interesting points, from the portioo
of the mansion ia superb. The 200
acres around the mansion are set
apart for burial purposes and inclosed
by substantial stone wall. Tho
number of interments IN 1872 were :
United States officers. ......... 60
United Ststes soldiers (white)...... Il. 76l
United States soldiers (colored).... 39l
Contrabsnds. .............. ,794
Confederate officers. 80. IL
Confederate soldiers."..... ......"".. BIG
Total. .............. .......''....,... 10. S4J
Since then a large quantity oil
relics has been removed, SO that at
present the inserments are probably
IL 900. Of this number 4,077 are
unknown. The remainder of the
properly is occupied by what is called
the Freedmen's villages. About 100
colcred families reside there, and pay
rent by performing each year GER
tain amount of work, under the di-
reotion OF the commsndsnt OF the
peat. Seventeen acres have been
given by Act of Congress to Maria G.
Syphax and her heirs forever. She
Waa former slave of Parke Gusts,
and the story is told that there are
some stray drops OF blood in the
family OF the Sphaxes. The Fort
Whipple Reservation, as it is called
portion OF the Arlington estate. and
included in the suit-Was set apart in
1872. 1t is used for the instruction OF
the Signal Service Corps 1t would
be, on many accounts, very awkward
to relinquish property which has
been put to such special uses. Gusts
Lee who now has his hands greatly
strengthened. may, however, be less
inclined to compromise measures
than he vas in 1873.