Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-25
The HOudOm Statue.
St. Louis, June q, 1897,

St. Louis, June a. 1897.
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
Possibly your readers may be interested
to know that we have here in st. Louis
very solid souvenir of Richmond and Nir-
ginia In the shape of bronze reproduce
ton of Houdon's Washington" which
for "a hundred years has stood in the
rotunda of your Capitol building. ours
is one of the five made by the late VIII
liam j. HUBBARD about 1878. Another or
them-the first executed-is at the Vir-
ginia Military Institute. and HUBBARD re-
ceived $4,000 for II. Another is in New
Orleans, the third in Cincinnati, the
fourth somewhere in the South, being the
property of Rev. DR.. Laws, for some time
president of our State University at Co.
lumbia. By a series of happy accidents
st. Louis is the owner OF the fifth or
these invaluable duplicates, which has
stood in our beautiful Lafayette Park for
twenty-five years-long enough, 1 am
ashamed 10 say tC be practically Tor
gotten, for when last autumn friend or
mine made certain inquiries concerning
it he found to his surprise that very few
people knew we had such a treasure, and
fewer still appreciated its unique Nalue.
Having nothing better TO DO during the
winter. my friend set himself TO the
pleasant task of talking up the neg
ected statue, making. | believe, ten or
twelve addresses to clubs. societies. pub
lie schools. &c. The result. ] am glad TO
say, has repaid him for his labor OF love
and bronze Washington has since recelv-
ed the popular attention II so richly ue-
serves The ladies of the Society OF the
Daughters of the American Revolution
have taken it in charge. and have applied
TO the Park Commissioners for permission
10 make some necessary changes in the
position of the figure, which Is now al
F! too high an elevation TO be properly seen
! The permission will doubtless be granted
| and the work done as soon as circum
| stances permit. When ii Is, st. Louis
| will have shown her appreciation OF q
| statue which from an historic point OF
view. is worth all her other statues. pup
| lie and private, put together, and she mas
| a number of very good ones.
| All this by way of Introduction to q sim
| gle question. which, l trust, Will not be
! considered impairment: When does Vir-
| ginia propose TO show her appreciation OF
| Houdon's priceless original by putting IL
| in a proper place? More than fifty years
| ago when | was visiting Richmond, my
uncle the late General Charles Dimmock,
| often spoke of the dangers TO which this
| statue was constantly exposed in It's
present quarters He told me that during
| his long residence in your historic city ne
| had repeatedly called the attention OF the
| Legislature and the State officials TO the
necessity OF removing 1t from the Capitol
| altogether. as II never could be made
| safe there.
His idea was to erect a suitable fireprooi
| pavilion in the Capitol grounds, where II
| would be even more accessible 10 the pub
lie than ii is now. and at the same time
| be protected from the accidents which
constantly threaten il in the rotunda. OF
course. nothing has been done. though
am told that the Capitol has been on fire
eight times during these fifty-odd years
| III the next fire should involve the de-
| struction OF the best likeness of George
| Washington extant. Virginia would re-
| pent too late her criminal carelessness IN
| this matter. Canovas Washington. In the
State House at Raleigh, was thus de-
! stroyed, but the Houdon is far better
| likeness. and. therefore. far more vaiu-
| able. The whole country has a deep In
| terest In the preservation OF the only
statue OF it's father done from his living
! body. and II harm comes TO IL through
| neglect of proper precautions. Virginia
| will surely be held responsible.
There is. l think, a Society OF the
| Daughters of the American Revolution
In Richmond am entirely sure that II
thesA ladies would annaai ia tha State