Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-30
NATIONAL MEM ORIALS
Interesting Suggestions in Secretary
Lamont's Report.
EQUESTRIAN STATUES IN WASHINGTON
Recommendations Concerning
Matters of Local Interest.
THE LYDECKER TUNNEL


Secretary Lamonts interest in the well
fare of the national capital is indicated by
the following extracts from his annual re-
port, to be submitted to Congress Monday:
1.-The reservation on the north side Of
Pennsylvania avenue between 9TH and Sth
streets northwest has been designated as the
site for the equestrian statue of General
Hancock, the contract for which calls for its
delivery before April, 1896. The reservation
at the intersection of Pennsylvania avenue
and E street has been selected for the statue
of General Sheridan, also under contract to
be completed during the present fiscal year.
The statue of General Logan, to be located
in Iowa circle under the terms of the con-
tract is to be delivered before December,
1898. In the last report of the department
it was stated that the site for the statue to
General Sherman had been selected at the
east front of the Capitol, north of Green
ough's statue of Washington, and ii was
recommended that a site for a statue to Gen.
Grant be reserved in the corresponding plat
south Of the statue of Washington. In max
ing the appropriation for the statue to Gen.
Sherman, Congress, however. specifically
prescribed that it should not be erected on
the site designated This necesstates the
selection of another site. The recommends
ton that Congress provide the appropria-
ton for memorial at the national capital
worthy to perpetuate the memory of Gen.
Grant is renewed.
with the prospect so we'll assured that in
time Washington will rank with the most
notable cities of the world in its open-air
memorials and statues, and with the undis-
guised fact that our present statues are Of
varying degrees of beauty, and, in some in
stances, of Indifferent merit, 1 beg to re-
peat a suggestion In the last report for a
change in the method of supervising the
erection of such memorials. 1t is again sug-
gested that the President be authorized to
appoint permanent commission selected
from the citizens of the country best quail
fled to pass on questions of art involved, to
whom shall be intrusted the selection Of de-
signs and sites for the future monuments Of
the capital
The United States Soldiers Home.
THE number of inmates on the roll of the
United States Soldiers Home at Washing
ton on September 20, 1895, was I.O02 de-
crease of 63 compared with the previous
year. The sources of revenue during the
year were: General court-martial fines, SOL
2sS; deserters and dishonorabiy discharged
men. $5o,223; interest on permanent fund,
s1sS12 and proceeds of monthly deduction
OF 121z cents from the pay of the army,
<S7,5O. The need of a commodious hall for
concerts. meetings and amusements will
be supplied in due season by the completion
Of a building now in course of cons,ruc-
ton, with an auditorium for $50 people, at
the cost of $4,000.
Hall Of Records.
THE State, War and Navy building, az
the most recent of the important federal
buildings at the capital, was designed with
a view to supply room adequate for office
purposes, and for the general preservation
of the records of these departments for
many years to come. But it is already un-
equal to present demands, and several
bureaus of this department have been
hana Of
the rapid accumulation of records and pa
pers. l recommend the construction of q
building specially designed for the preserva-
ton of the records of all the departments
which are not required for frequent use
Such a building, centrally located, fireprcof,
and with all the appliances for the safe
partment the full use of its own rooms for
the transaction of business, while removing
many important records from the danger
Of fire or destruction TO which they are in
some instances, now exposed.
Washington Water Supply.
"An act of Congress approved March 2
1895, which relates to the increase of the
water supply of the city Of Washington, di-
reefs that the unfinished tunnel conduit
between tn, distributing and Howard Uni
versity reselN oirs shall be tested to deter
mine the amount of it's leakage, and that a
full and detailed report shall be prepared
and submitted to Congress on the first Mon
day IN DECEMBER, 1888. on Inc 1edSlDfnty
and propriety of completing the tunnel con-
duit as now projected and the new reser-
voir. and upon the probable effect on the
water supply of the city when all of such
proposed works, as well as the work of in
creasing the height of the dam at the
Great Falls of The Potomac, shall have
been completed. 1t further provides that
should the &C mpletion of the tunnel conduit
be deemed inadvisable, some other plan for
bringing tie increased water supply from
Georgetown to Washington shall be sub
mitted. This investigation and report were
to be made by the officer having charge OF
the Washington aQueduct and the water
supply of the city, with Gen. Thomas l..
Casey, U. S. A, retired, as consulting en-
by the opinion Of the chief of engineers
and made to the Secretary of War; who is
directed to transmit the same to Congress,
with his views thereon.
THE required report has been received
under date of October 30, 1895. but the in
formation on the subject is not conclusive
or sufficient to permit such consideration
as it's very great Importance demands. 1t
has, therefore teen determined, upon the
recommendation of the chief of engineers,
to obtain the Judgment of board of ex-
perts before submitting the views OF the
department to Congress. as required by the
law The delay will not be great nor dis
but, on the contrary, is ex-
tremely desirable. The unexpended bal
mentioned win be sufficient to cover the
cost CT the further Investigations desired.
An Arlington Memorial Bridge.
Improved means of communication be-
tween Washington and the Virginia shore
must very soon be provided. Another bridge
is Lot only a conceded necessity to the
population of both sides of the Potomac
and as an approach TO the national ceme-
terry at Arlington. but also as military
convenience to bring the principal garrison
of the national capital within easy reach OF
it's streets and public buildings.
Twice 1 have submitted the suggestion
that such structure can easily be made
the most. impressive of the worlds memo
rails to heroism. The natural advantages
of the site are unsurpassed. The region is
associated with war as no other region OF
our country, and the site is distinctly ma
tional. Such a memorial bridge. ornament
ed with statues of our greatest warriors,
with symbolical figures Of the strong quail
ties that warfare brings into play, and with
representations of the crucial events in ma
t:onal history, would be the same incom-
parable memorial to the greatness of a
Peaceful people aroused by war as our sim
Gle shaft to Washington Is the worthest
IN which