The evening times., 1895-11-30

In his annual report to the President,
which has Just been submitted, the sccre-
tary of War makes an exhaustive showing
OF the operations OF the Department for the
past year.
ply he says: sl.-l.
IAN act OF Congress approved March
2, 1895, which relates to the increase Of
the water supply OF the City of Washington.
directs that the unfinished tunnel con-
duit between the distributing and Howard
University reservoirs shall be tested to
determine the amount of its leakage. and
that q full and detailed report shall be
prepared and submitted TO Congress on
the first day of December, 1895. 1t fur
ther provides that should the condition or
the tunnel conduit be deemed advisable,
some other plan for bringing the increased
water supply from Georgetown to wash
ngton shall be submitted.
The required report has been received,
but the information on the subject is not
conclusive or sufficient to permit such con-
sidcration as its very great Importance de-
mands. 1t has therefore been determined,
upon the recommendation OF the chief OF
engineers, To obtain the Judgment OF a
board OF experts before submitting the
views OF the department to Congress, as re-
Quired by the law.
EQUESTRIAN STATUES.
1.-THE reservation on the north side OF
PENNSYLVANIA avenue, between Seventh and
Eighth streets northwest. has been desig-
mated as the site for the equestria n statue OF
Gen. Hancock. the contract for which calls
| f,ri ito oil hef nriI 1896
1.-THE reservation at tue Intersection OF
Pennsylvania avenue and L street has been
selected for the statue OF Gen. Sheridan,
also under contract TO be completed during
the present fiscal year.
1.-The statue OF Gen. Logan, to be located
In Iowa Circle, under the terms OF the con-
tract Ia to be delivered before December,
1898.
'In the last report of the Department
1t was stated that the site for the statue
To Gen. Sherman had been selected at the
east front of the Capitol, north OF Green'
ough's statue OF Washington, and 1t was
recommended that a site for statue To
Gen. Grant be reserved In the correspund-
ing plat south u1 the statue Of " ashngton.
In making the appropriation for the statue
TO Gen. Sherman, Congress, hnwcvcr, spe-
officially prescribed that 1t should not be
erected on the site designated. This neces'
states the selection of another site. Tne
recommendation that Congress provide the
appropriation for memorial at the Ma.
tionai Capital Ia perpetuate the memory OF
Gen. Grant is renewed.
~ beg to repeat a suggestion in the last
report fur change in the method OF
supervising the erection of such memorials.
IL Is again suggested that the President
be authorized To- appoint permanent com
mission, selected from the citizens or the
country best qualified tn pass on questions
oh. lf.rN
the selection or designs and sites for the
future monuments nf the capital.
THE SOLDIERS HOME.
THE number of inmates on the roll
of the United States Soldiers Home at
Washington on September 80, 1895, was
1,O02, a decrease OF 63 compared with the
previous year. The need OF a commodious
hail for concerts, meetings and amuse-
ments will be supplied In due season by
the completion of a building now in course
of construction, with an auditorium for
$50 people, at the cost OF $4,000.
''Inprovef means or commu nication be-
tween Washington and The Virginia shore
must very soon be provided. Another
bridge is not only a conceded necessity TO
the population OF both sides OF the Po-
tomac and as IN approach 10 The nation
al cemetery at Arlington, but also as n
military convenience to bring the prin-
cipai garrison of the National Capital with
In easy reach OF its streets and public
buildings.
Twice | have submitted the suggestion
that such a structure can easily be made the
most impressive of the worlds memorials
to heroism. The natural advantages OF
the site are unsurpassed. The region is
associated with war as no other region of
onr country, and the site is distinctly ma
tional. Such niemorialbridge, ornamented
with statues of our greatest warriors, with
symboical figures of the strong qualities
that warfare brings into play, and with
representations of the crucial events In
national history. would be the same incom-
parable memorial to the greatness of a
peaceful people aroused by war as our single
shaft 20 Washington is the worthiest mon
unient to individual greatness which human
genius has yet executed. 1t is not proposed
that the enibellishment of the bridge shal
now be provided for, but 1t is urged that its
ultimate memorial character shall be con-
sidered In the first designs and earliest ap-
propriations.
"Tbe records OF the personnel Of the
Revolutionary Army, ON which work was
begun in September, 1894, lave been in
deXed and arranged for use. The progress
made in indeXing and arranging similar
records OF the war OF 1872 insures the
completion of this work by the. end of the
year.
HALL OF RECORDS.
''Tbe State, War, and Navy building
as the most recent of the important Federal
buildings at the capital, Is already un-
equal to present demand, and several bu-
rcaus of this Department have been forced
TO rent outside quarters because of the
rapid accumulation of records and papers.
/ recommend the construction of d build
ing especially designed for the preservation
of the records of all the Departments which
are not required for frequent use."
Among other lamentations the Sec
retary renews that OF last year for author
ity to compel civilians TO testify before mil
itary general courts when such evidence is
necessary. He also advises change In the
system of selecting bureau chiefs.
The total cost or the pu blication OF the Of