The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-10-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
bow Kate Chase Sprague Saved Her Old
Home-A Parade That Caused tho
Monuments Completion.
[Speclal OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES


Mrs Kate Chase Spraguc, who is
said to have succeeded finally in raisina
tho money necessary to save the old
Chase house Mt Washington from sale
under mortgage, spent several months
i'll New York two years ago trying to
accomplish this result. 1t was believed
then that certain members of the Ohio
society might subscribe money enough
to secure tho house from sale, but for
ono reason or another that plan fell
through just when it looked most like
coming to n successful ending. Mrs
Sprague was at that timo indefatignblc
Ill her efforts to secure the necessary
subscriptions and sho spent tho greater
part of every day down in the business
portion Of tho city going from one office
to another i'll the hopo of bringing the
various schemes for her relief to a final
issue. Tho old Chase country place is
situated OH tho outskirts of Washington.
and 1t is said that tho property will be
very valuable within few years, rs
Washington is growing rapidly in its
direction. Then Mrs. Spraguo believes
that 1t will not only mako n comfortable
estate for her and her daughters, but
will also repay whatever advances have
been made to secure tho property from
foreclosure. Mrs Spraguos means arc
Mt present very limited and she has an
invalid daughter One Of her daughters,
who acted for awhile In Richard Mans
fields company, soon gave up the stage
and is now married. Mrs. Sprague, who,
by tho way, calls herself Mrs Chase
Sprague, is still slight and youthful in
figure.
The District Militia and the Monument.
mot many know it, but tho District
militia is entitled to tho credit of hay
ing the Washington monument oom-
pleted, remarked an old official at tho
capitol to Star reporter. "As every
one knows, or should know, the monu-
mcnt was an unfinished shaft for nearly
30 years Many prominent persons
thought that an arch would BIO a better
work. and some urged that the unfln-
ished structure should be turned into
one leg of an arch and another erected.
Others were strongly opposed to tho To-
cation, and 1t was very seriously urged
that the site should DO changed Sen
ator Morrill, led tho movement for the
arch idea, and in it he had the support
of many who thought they were arts
tically inclined, and who thought the
day for shafts had passed away. In 1876,
the centennial year. the District militia
was stronger than it was ever before or
since. AT that time the idea of soldicry
was parades. brass bands and tho like
Tho modern idea of organizing soldier
companies to spend their leisure time
shooting rifles at a mark III the rifle
ranges had not boon dreamed of. On
the 22d OF February, 1876. there was a
parade of soldiers. The parade that day
was particularly good one. and rs a
result there was enthusiasm all along
Pennsylvania avenue
Sunset" Cox's Prompt Action.
Congress was in session, and as SEN
ators and representatives were on their
way to the capitol that morning they
could not escape the enthusiasm caused
by the militia parade Samuel S. Cox
OF New York Sunset rs no was ia
miliarly called-and General B. T. But
Ter were members of the house Of repre-
sentatives, and 1t was often said of
them that if they were joined i'll favor
OF any measure, which was seldom, for
1T was General Butler who christened
Cox Shoe Fly they could carry it
through regardless of whether the house
wanted to pass it or not. Soon after NJ
, irving at the capitol Mr.. Cox, who had
witnessed tho parade, and joyfully, for
he took n special delight i'll patriotic
parades, was asked, in general con-
versation, if he did not think it was
time that there should be some move
ment looking toward completing tho
Washington monument. He replied,
es, and think 1t should be done to-
day. In less than ten minutes he had
drafted n resolution directing that tho
work should be resumed.
General Butler had his ears opened
when Mr.. Cox sent the resolution to
the speakers desk to be read, and on
hearing it he indicated to his personal
followers that it was right and proper
This was sufficient and In less than
half an hour it was passed The senate
soon concurTed, and the work began
very shortly, though it took some years
TO complete it. 1t was the Washington
birthday parade of tho District militin
that did tho business, and Mr.. Cox told
several among them, myself included
that he had no thought of the monu-
ment until he had seen the parade and
was enthused by its influence
Future Marriages of Veterans.
Pension Commissioner Evans proposes
in tho annual report which he has Just
made that congress pass law providing
that future marriages to veterans of the
civil war shall create no right to pen
sion This leads writer in the Phila-