The Washington critic., 1890-04-03
THE OLD LEE ESTATE.
IT'S PROPOSED CONVERSION INTO
AN EXPERIMENTAL FARM.

1dea--A Bill to BE introduced.
The proposition to convert the 800
acres of Government land on the old
Lee or Arlington estate into an agri-
cultural experiment station and farm,
and to erect an amphitheatre in the Ma
tional Cemetery there, and Memorial
Bridge across the Potomac. published
exclusively in The CRITIc, is meeting
with great favor among the citizens,
Grand Army men, Legislators and
others. A bill covering the project will
be introduced in Congress next week.
A CRlTfc reporter met Mr.. James Z.
Clements, who, on Saturday last, called
the attention of several members of Con
gress to the Arlington estate, as men
toned at length in the columns of this
paper of that date, and asked him If he
had anything further to say concerning
the improving, utilizing and beautify-
ing of that reservation. In reply Mr..
Clements said that the U. 8. Congress
did not seem to recognize the intrinsic
and historic value of this beauti-
tul and large estate. In this reser-
walton, containing LOO acres, only
about 300 acres were used for
Fort Myer and National Cemetery
purposes, leaving 800 acres for which
the people of the county had been taxed
to pay $150,000. running waste into
deep gullies and chasms and growing up
into brambles and briers, with the ex-
Ception of about 100 acres occupied by
the Freedman Village, a settlement Of
colored people, who the Government
had allowed to settle there during the
Civil war and who, expecting every year
to be evicted by Uncle Sam, had made
no improvements. and the village be-
coming more and more delapidated
every year, until now 1t could not be
surpassed for dinginess and squallor In
probably any section of the world
civilized or although It is
in sight of the Capital of the United
States and within two miles of the White
House. He said some of these colored
people were honorable and Industrious,
and when the Government ordered them
off they should be paid fair value for
any buildings OF other improvements
they had erected thereon. He thought
an appropriation of 100000 would be
sufficient for this. Mr.. Clements said
many of the people were willing and
anxious to move off this reservation and
only waited the word ego" from the
Government. They felt that it was
better to get themselves little homes of
their own than it was to live on this
reservation in feeling at all times of
anxiety and suspense. Many of them
have moved off, but others from Wash
ington City and other parts of the
country crowd in and fill up the ranks,
consequently Freedman's Village is
more thickly settled o.day than at any
time since the war.
Mr.. Clements said he thought the
time had now arrived for the United
States Government to put to useful
purpose this surplus 800 acres of the
Arlington estate. That Secretary of
Agriculture Rusk had his eye upon it,
and as the Agricultural Department had
lately been dignifed by making its chief
Cabinet officer, he felt something
would have to be done to give that high
official more room to advance the inter-
ests of agriculture, and certainly If
there was any branch of industry that
needed encouragement at this time it
was the agricultural interests. He said
the farmers of the country had
clamored for the creation of
the office of Secretary of Agri-
culture;" now they had it, and now
they were looking to see what he was
going to do, Therefore, he did not
think 1t would be just the thing to shut
the Secretary up in small brick build
ing in the confines of the city, but
thought the farmers of our country
would rejoice to know that the Secretary
had handsome experimental farm OF
500 acres area, on which he was forcing
the products of this country to grow in
their greatest splendor and perfection
This would become great visiting
place for the agriculturists of the coun,
try, and would have strong tendency
to inspire them to greater efforts and
stimulate by showing them the perfec'
tions of their avocations.
II think" he said, 'the farmers OF
the whole country would favor this
idea, and. if Congressman want to dc
something for their farmer friends
whom they all profess to love, let them
pass law giving to the Secretary Of
Agriculture this surplus 800 acres, and
vote him $50,000 to put it in order
The remaining 800 acres could be lef
in charge of the Secretary of Wal
forever, as the national burial ground
for deceased Union soldiers. bopt
every farmer and promoter of the
noble science of agriculture will write
the Committees on Agriculture of th,
Senate and House of Representative.
concerning this very important matter.
Being asked about the cemetery
grounds, Mr.. Clements said: There die
pnt conro m ha apyr i'm prOyap,apt Upiut
on. They were Just being kept up.
new road around and among the grave
was being cut now and then, but Jhert
was nothing to indicate that this wa!
great nation and that there lay thou
sands of its heroic defenders sleepin!
the sleep that knows no waking III
thought Congress could do no noble
nor more grateful act than to build
grand amphitheatre-like hall OF larg
and graceful proportions in which Il
hold burial services of departed war
riors and for commemorative service
now held on every 30th of May, tina
day being known as Decoration Day
and set apart by Congress as lega
holiday. Every Grand Army man an,
lover of his country, regardless of part
or politics, would applaud the action o
Congress in building such structure
In regard to the Memorial Bridg
Mr.. Clements said: "Well, there shoul
be a bridge over the river there, whethe
you call it Memorial Bridge, "ArlinG
ton Bridge" or Christopher Columbu
Bridge" He thought 1t ought to b
commenced right away, so that it coul
be completed. named and dedicated |
1902; that people were bound to Wis
this nation in great numbers frol