The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-09-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.
When General Sheridan Selected His
Srave-A Place For q Comrade.
1mmigration's Decline,
Especial Correspondence.I

Mt Arlington" one of the employees Of
Arlington cemetery said to me recently,
Though that impression prevails very
largely. Hundreds of other officers and
soldiers have done the same thing and
there are today in the books ut Airing
ton records of sites selected by at least
90 ex-officers and ex-soldiers who want
to be buried there, which is their right
If they desire. All that has to be done
is to select the site. Tho government
pays all the expenses Of inter1nent, digs
the grave, places regulation monu-
ment on it and keeps the grave in order
OF course when it is preferred tho regu-
lation monument is not insisted on and
the privilege is allowed of having any
kind of monument Mt the expense of
those who are to occupy tho grave or
their family or friends.
How Sheridan Chose His Grave.
"Thero is frequent inquiry made in
regard to the site selected by General
Sheridan, and upon which tho handsome
monument, which is one Of the many
attractions Of tho cemetery, has been
placed, from the fact that it is on tho
front of the mansion instead of in tho
rear or side of it, as arc the other graves.
This is explained by tho fact that Gen
eral Sheridan himself selected it. His
reason for resting where he does was
that that particular point is i'll full view
from his residence OH Rhode Island ave-
nue.. 1t is besides the only site which
can be seen from the west windows of
the house where his family reside. 1t
was this, rather than that he was OK
elusive i'll his desires, that caused the
selection. Major Gregory of the en-
gineer corps, who was buried beside
him few weeks ago, then captain.
was at that time on his staff. They
were together when tho sit, was select
ed. After General Sheridan, who had
selected the site by viewing it from ono
OF the upper rooms of his residence had
indicated it to tho superintendent of
that cemetery and n record was made of
the exact location, Major Gregory re-
marked in n pleasant way:
General, how would you like COM
pany?
General Sheridan turned to him and
replied, Nothing would suit mo better
and if you want me will stake out a
claim for you so that we can rest to-
gether.
Reserve q Place For Gregory"
Thank you, general, replied Major
Gregory, though an likely to como
here first. Major Gregory was rather
unwell that day, though as it tr;lnspircd
his illness was but brief immediately
General Sheridan turned to the superin-
tendent and said, pointing to the
ground: Reserve place right here for
Gregory. We got along very nicely to-
gether in life, and don think we will
quarrel after death. Anyhow we arc
both willing to risk it.
II remember about 10 or 10 wears ago
gentleman who is very prominent in
Official l1fo now and was rs prominent
III congressional life then, and who
gained great distinction in army life.
driving over to Arlington early one
morning from hotel in tho city where
he was stopping, and. after looking
about where somo soldiers from his sec
ton OF the country had been buried, Sc
lected the site for his grave and Ind a
record Of the location entered upon tho
books. He said he had had Fremont
ton that he would soon die and preferred
to mako his selection while no was in
possession of his full powers Well the
grave is here when he has uso for it,
but from the looks of things it will be
many year before he will need it. He
told me several times since that he
would be SO nicely fixed among his
silent comrades and friends at Airing
ton that all fears of death had passed
away; that the trip over to Arlington
that morning had thoroughly cured
him.
The Check In Immigration.
Tho decisive check which the flow of