Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-29
GEN. akANr.s TOME.
Latsie Indication OF the Memorial % BE
Erected.

AAS<Ae Anohceuou OF the Memorial % Be
Erected.
Correspondents Of The Evening Star
NEW YORK, August ~, 1891
II the average Washingtonian could visit the
tomb Of Gen. Grant today and compare the
conditions and surroundings with those at Ar
iington he would not be surprised that feeling
has developed that a mistake was made in the
selection of a location for the resting place Of
this great warrior and statesman. 1t is now
over seven years since Gen. Grants remains
were entombed at Riverside Park with great
pageant and great promises. And the WASH
ingtonian who compares the conditions and
surroundings there today with those Of beauti-
full, well-ordered, quiet Arlington can but 20
away with feelings Of sadness mingled with in
dignation. A miserable little brick vault. from
the cracks of which grass is growing; a dirty,
uncared-for street through which to reach the
entrance, SO called, 80 the park; a fight Of
rough wooden steps, sidewalks covered in
places with the drift of recent raiustorms,
grounds strewn with stones and mortar and
lime barrels and framework which surround q
score of granite blocks shipped here as q
promise of the magnificent structure which has
not yet appeared; peanut shells, cigar stumps
and soiied American flag floating from o
stumpy pole, the whole watched over bv an
officer in gray uniform; these are the character
istics and surroundings OF the resting place Of
Gen. Grant, as 1 saw them today. Strange con-
trast with our beautiful Arlington, where
flowers and flags. well-kept grounds quiet and
orderly surroundings, the companiouship OF
thousands who gave their lives for the country
ana the whole guarded by men uniformed in
blue, not gray.
To those familiar with Arlington and its sur.
roundings the contrast is painful. Instead Of
the noble forest under whose bouehs are scat
tered headstones and monuments in honor Of
beloved dead of all ranks, but equally honored,
You find here hillock with an occasional tree.
instead OF the beautiful driveways through
Fort Myer you reach Riverside through i'll
Kept streets. over whose sidewalks the recent
rains have left coatings of soil.
Instead OF the wel-kept grounds. the per-
rune OF flowers and the glimpse of blue uni
forms, You find trampled common, guiltless Of
care or foral decorations, guarded by men
uniformed in gray and wearing the badge, not
OF the nation, but OF single city OF single
state.
which lend an air of solemnity to the sacred
ground where thousands Of dead heroes sleep
you 1nd the hustle and confusion incident to q
picnic ground, You hear the clank Of glasses at
eating and drinking establishments hard by,
the scream and rumble of railroad trains which
pass just below and find the banks of the river
few hundred feet away lined with amateur
fishermen and hesprinkled with barges loaded
with refuse from the great city.
Instead Of the noble monuments to honored
dead you find merely little brick vault TO
which the remains have been consigned. and
near by hole in the ground with perhaps a
score of blocks Of granite laid in position as the
only evidence of good faith upon the part Of
those who promised a magnificent resting place
for the nations greatest general and President
And all tins more than seven years after these
promises had been made and the location deter
mined upon because Of those promises.
Perhaps another seven years will make good
the long delayed surroundings which were
promised seven years ago. L asked the gray
coated guardian who ambled back and forth on
Knoll a hundred feet away from the door Of
the tomb what was being done in the way Of
putting things In order?
They are at work every day now" he an
swered. They are laying stones over there.
you see.
There we're some evidences Of work being
actually in progress; mortar beds, discarded
frame work from heavy granite blocks and the
paraphernalia of stone yard scattered promis-
cuously about a few feet distant from the tomb