The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-06-17
RELICS OF THE REVOLUTION.
A Place to Preserve Them to be Con
structed in Washington.

structed in Washington
washington Correspondence OF the Phil
adelphia Tines.)
A magnificent work has been started
by the society of the Daughters of the
American Revolution, and when 1t is
complete there will be at the capital a
memorial Of which succeeding genera
tions may we'll be proud. 1t is proposed
that an imposing hall be erected in a
fashionable part of the city, building
of handsome appearance and beauty Of
architectural design-one that will be
among the most interesting sights Of the
rational capital, and which will serve
for the double purpose of headquarters
of the society and place where relics of
Revolutionary days may be preserved.
This work is undertaken entirely by
women and when finished will be fit
ting monument to the patriotism and
energy of the women of A merica.
The society of tho Daughters OF the
American Revolution is national in it's
scope, and numbers about IS, 900 MEM
bers in it's ranks. Its headquarters and
its president general are in Washington,
and throughout the various states are
regents and chapters embodying the de-
soendants of Revolutionary heroes all
over the land. Maine and Texas, Florida
and Oregon are as much interested in tho
work of the society as those women who
orm the chapters in the District. 1t
was the feeling that the society must
have home, that it's Importance made
it fitting that 1t should reside in house
appropriate to its dignity, that first gave
birth to the idea of Continental hail."
The first suggestion in the matter was
made by the lnte Mrs. Harrison, first
wife of ex-President Harrison, who was
the president general of the order. In
90 tober. 1873, it was proposed by one Of
the women ct meeting of officers. the
idea being given by Mrs. Harrison, that
the society found in Washington a memo
rial hall in which the records Of the Or
ganization could be preserved.
The following year it was suggested
that the society erect hall which
"should be the best building ever owned
by women. The fairest marbles from
Vermont and Tennessee, the most endur-
ing GRANTEES from Massachusetts and the
Virginias should combine for strength
in its contraction" That the Daughters
are determined to carry out the project
is easily to be seen.
Mrs. Adlai Stevenson, who 1s the
present president general Of the order, Is
much interested in The matter and work.
ing to carry the matter through to sue
cess. There is now fund of between
$4,000 and $1,000 on hand, which can be
applied at once to the building, but the
proposition is that not spade be put in
the ground till a large part of the needed
fund be held FOR ready use. The hall will
not be built by mourning any debt, and
will stand fully paid for when the last
stone is laid.
just what the building will cost can
not be accurately calculated, for the mat
ter is not yet clearly worked up to that
point But it Is estimated that the sum
needed will be about 5000, 600 or $3.50, 900.
With such large sum the building can
not but be a most imposing structure,
and 1T is proposed TO make it not a small
club house, but large and magnificent
edifoe in the colonial style, with pillars
around the front.
Several lots have boon recently inspect
ed for the purpose Of selecting site,
$50, 600 being the sum which will be ex-
pended for ground. But, though the ex-
act situation has not been decided upon,
it will be in the northwest and in the
best OF neighborhoods. 1t has been
thought possible that it may be placed
near the White House and fronting ON
Lafayette square, a situation which
would be most convenient. A corner
near Farragut square has also been in
spected, and several other localities about
in that neighborhood, bat it will yet be
some weeks before the site can be fully
determined upon. But it is known that
it will be west of Fourteenth street. east
of Eighteenth and north of Pennsylvania
avenue.
The hall will be fireproof, and the plan
which has been suggested by Mrs. De B.
Randolph Keim Foutiiues corner build
ing with plenty of room for additions in
the future. Mrs. Keim, who is one of
the committee of the hall, has, Of course,
only offered her plan as a ground work
on which the lines can be modified by
the official action OF the board, and the
sketch made by her has not yet been
passed upon by the society. The plan
cOntemplates a STRUCTURE about three
stories high, the five pillars at the en-
trance being symbolic OF the five points
of our star which figures SO prominently
in the national flag.
Within the hall will be committee
iooiA4o, SiofhA IooluF, ldrk0 library, q
cham Der for relics of the Revolutionary
period, and also a large hall which will
be capable of seating at least 1000 people.
This latter chamber will be used for
the annual meetings OF the Daughters,
which take place on the 22d Of each Feb
ruary, and will also be source of reve-
nue. by rentals, it being the intention to
have it used for concerts, balls and assem-
blies.
The most interesting feature will be
the chamber which will hold the relics.
The women on this committee are
among the most prominent in the coun-
try, Mrs. Mckee and Mrs. Levi P. Nor
ton of New York being two of the num-
Der. Many relics have been gathered by
the society and are now stored in the
national museum, and many others have
been promised and Will be sent as soon
as There is place in which they can be
put. just as the Battle A hbey is to be a
memorial of the Confederate cause, so
Continental hall is to keep fresh the
memory of our early ancestors, and here
will be seen everything which can be
found connected with the history of Revo-
lutionary times. Some of the rooms will
be entirely furnished in colonial styles
and there are row in the possession of the
Daughters many cid spinning wheel s
AID other out -of-date articles of the past,