Evening star., 1896-02-20
HONOR TO THE DEAD
The Confederate Monument to Be
Dedicated in New York.
GIFT OF CHARLES BROADWAY ROUSS
A Grand Parade by 100000 Vet
erans in Blue and Gray.
0 V E r T 81. b B r A V E
0 V e r T 81 b B r A V E

Auo ulNeilluS OF the cOnIeuer6te mOnu-
ment In Mt. Hope cemetery, near New
York city,next Decoration day, is to be made
great event.
Great interest is felt in the matter not
only in New York city, but throughout the
United States, and especially in the south.
It is anticipated that on this occasion the
veteran survivors Of both the northern and
southern armies will march together to
participate in the ceremonies.
Col. A. g. Dickinson, an influential citi-
zen of New York. who represents Mr..
Charles Broadway Rouss. the donor Of the
greater portion of the funds which made
| the building of the monument possible, at
the request of ssme leading citizens OF
New York city, whose sympathies We're not
with the south during the great struggle,
has been in communica tion with Gen.
Walker. command .der-in- chief of the Grand
Army of the Republic, and from the in
formation he has received feels warranted
in saying that in the proposed parade there
Will be not less than 5000 veterans from
among those who composed the armies of
the south, and that these will be escorted
by $1,000 boys in blue
The former will, it is expected, be COM
posed OF the confederate camp in New
York and the confederates living in that
city. together with delega tions from the
confederate camps of the SOUTH and the
escort will comprise the .%ew York state
troops, detachments from the United States
army and navy and distinguished ex-Union
veterans.
The parade will be a magnificent one as
| the business men Of the city have assured
| the committee of arrangements that they
are willing to contribute to the extent of
several hundred thousand dollars to make
| 1t success, and to entertain the visiting
confederates during the festivities, which
are expected to last two days.
Site of the Monument.
| The site of the monument will be in the
midst of a handsome plat of 1900 square
| feet, located in the most desirable part of
Mount Hope Cemetery Association, and
| the gift of the Mount Hope Cemetery Asso-
| caticn.
The monument as designed will be sixty
feet high, and it will be simple and sym
| metrical. The shaft is to be forty-seven
| feet high, and will weigh fifty-six tons
| The pedestal will be thirteen feet high and
| composed of three stones weighing about
| seventy-five tons, making the total weight
! of the monument over 13O tons. The
material will be of the best Vermont
granite, and the cost will be $1,000
| Of this Mr.. Rouss contributed 5000
and Tainter & Co., the contractors, the
balance. The cemetery in which the
monument is to be placed is one of the
| most beautiful cities for the dead near
New York, and is within fifty minutes of
| the city hall and easily accessible
AS cCHlInaluef OF the confederate camp
| of New York Col. Dickinson some time go
| found that the burial of some of the
! veterans and their families WAS becoming
serious matter. as many of them were
| In Straitened circumstances. The camp
! was anxious to provide a burial ground
| for them, but it had money in its treas
| ury. This condition of affairs was a
source of great anxiety to Col. Dickinson,
| ard one day he mentioned the matter to
| Mr.. Rouss, asking him If he would help 10
| build a confederate monument. Col. Dick
| inson explained to Mr.. Rouss that il a
! monument could be secured he could get
| a much more desirable lot than if there
| was no probability Of one being placed
! therein. and Mr.. Rouss at once approved
| OF the idea and announced his willingness
| to give any sum for the object that Col
Dickinson might name.
But for Mr.. Rouss.'' says Col Dickin-
| son, Il could have done but little There
| were many demands upon me- esand l was
| at the end Of my row. But Rouss never
| fails to come to time when he can heIp
| the old veterans who wore the gray He
| Is always helping some of the poor fellows
| who fought with him in Virginia and the
| south never makes an appeal to him that
! goes unanswered. He Is q wonderful man.
| Busy as he is all the time, he has a heart
fun of sympathy for the unfortunate, and
| he has set many a broken-d down confedl-
| crate upon his feet again and started him
on the road to prosperity. 1t makes no
uifference what mistakes or follies man
has been guilty of, If he wants to turn over
new leaf and wants bread and work
RouSs VIII give him a chance"
How 1t Started.
After some further conversation between
Col. Dickinson and Mr.. Rouss on the sub
ject, the latter asked if $1,000 would do any
good toward securing the proposed monu-
ment, and Col Dickinson replied that that
sum would pay for just such monument
as the confederates desired, and that he
could not permit him to pay any more. So
1t was settled that Mr.. Rouss' donation
should be $1,000, and this was promptly
placed in Col. Dickinsons hands, and the
monument contracted for
The matter of the burial ground and mon
ument for the confederate dead has been
| managed by Col. Dickinson from its CON-
ception. Col. Dickinson was a southern sol.
der, native Of Virginia, and his accom-
plsfed and noble wife was a Kentuckian.
deseendent Of the Marshalls. He was
the adjutant general and the right arm of
Gen. John Bankhead Magruder In his
famous campaigns on the peninsula of Vir-
ginia and in Texas To him was due ,nucb
OF the success, If not the conception of the
wonderful battle of Galveston. After the
war Col Dickinson went to New York to
seek his fortune. Although business en-
terprises induced him to spend much of his
time IN the west Indies and in South Amer
lca, he retained his residence in New Yorl,
After achieving fame and fortune he re-.
tired from active business Intending to
seek rest and quiet, but his strong charac-
content
idleness, and his public spirit enlisted him
IN many public enterprises. Without being
a politician or an office seeker he v,aS
drawn into politics in peculiar way. and
IN a way which elicits the warm syr1na thy
OF southern people. Noting the large ele
ment OF confederate soldiers and of south
ern sympa thizers living in New York. he
conceived the idea of concentrating the
southern Influence. To effect this Dmrnose
ne took an active part in establishing two
associations. '"o
Confederate Associations.
Inc first was a confederate biyouac of
which he is the president, and which has
served the purpose Of giving aid and COM
Tort to many confederate soldiers and So
curing the respect Of the people Of New
York.
The second association is strictly polit,ca,
and has become an important factor in
New York politics. 1t is known as the
Southern Democratic Club, and numbers
2V,oO0 voters. OF this club Col. Dickinson
IS likewise president The liberaIitv of
New York politics has often been a source
OF surprise and congratulation. The south
mas reaped the benefits without understand
ing how it came about. 1t is largely due
| to the organization and concentration of
southern influence through the Southern
Democratic Club.
To the influence of the two institutions