The times., 1901-05-12

An addition to the notable monuments
in Rock Creek Church yard is the recent
" completed vault erected by Thomas H.
Aldrich. II is 2 handsome structure Of
white marble, the floor and ceiling Of the
interior being Of mosaic. Facing the
small. circular-headed entrance are the
inches. twenty-one in number, for the re
ception Of urns containing the ashes Of
the deceased.
Facing the gate of Rock Creek Gene
terry is a Celtic cross upon which is the
following inscription
To the Glory of God
And in Memory OF
JOHN BRADFORD,
Our Great BenefacJor.
Who Gave 20 the Church This
Glebe Of 100 Acres. 4. d. l1l9.
This is said TO be the first Celtic cross
erected in America. 1t was exhibited at
the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia
in 1876 and was purchased by the Commit
tee of Rock Creek Church yard, who
caused the above inscription to be cut
upon it and erected it in memory Of John
Bradford Several Celtic crosses have
since been erected in the cemetery, some
Of more elaborate design than the original
one.
The mausoleum Of the Van Ness family
in Oak Hill is a reproduction OF the beau
tiful Temple of Vesta at Rome. The mon
ument of Edwin NJ Stanton, Secretary of
War in President Lincolns Cabinet, also
in Oak Hill, is a grey granite shaft about
twenty feet high taDering from base to
summit like a slender pyramid. 1t bears
the plain inscription:
Edwin " Stanton.
Born December 70, 1914
Died December q. 1862.
In the Congressional Cemetery are 100
cenotaphs to dead Congressman, stretch
ing in long monotonous rows, all of them
with two exceptions OF a uniform shape
and size, and erected at Government ex-
pense Some of the stones mark the ac-
tuaI burying place of the defunct states
men, but others. like those commemoTa-
tive of Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams,
and Thaddeus Stevens. merely stand in
honor Of those distinguished names. Since
1876 the practice Of erecting cenotaphs, be-
gun in 1895, has been abandoned.
When the cemetery was established in
1S0S its projectors thought it would be a
good idea to secure the interment in the
new cemetery OF Congressman who passed
away while serving their country in
Washington. So 400 burial sites were set
apart for the free interment Of Congress
men dying away from home, and the place
was named the Congressional Cemetery.
As methods Of transportation improved
and the families OF the deceased found
opportunity 20 take the bodies home for
interment, the practice fell into disuse,
and ultimately law was enacted pro-
Viding that a cenOtaph should be erected
IN the cemetery 10 every Congressman
who died in Office. and for number OF
years this custom was followed.
In 1876 a law was enacted providing
that no cenotaph should be erected un-
less interment was made in the cemetery.
AS the Congressional functions Of the
cemetery seemed TO have Iapsed the trust
ees are now asking the Government to
d eed TO them the remainder Of the ~
lots that they may be sold, and this viii
probably be done by the next Congress.
The ccnotaphs are plain blocks Of ma
sonry covered with cement. Each is in
scribed with the name Of the dead man,
the State he represented in the House or
Senate, and the date Of his death Some
Of the inscriptions are now illegible. The
oldest decipherable Is on a cenOtaph in
memory Of Andrew 7. Butler. a Senator
from the State Of South Carolina, who
died in 1886 AS stated, all the cenOtaphs
are OF uniform size and shape. except in
two instances. one is a marble m0nu-
ment TO Elbridge Gerry, Of MaSsachu-
sets. Vice President Of the United States
and famous in Revolutionary history. It
j. pyramld-shapeG pile. about twice the
height Of the other cenotaphs, surmOunt-
ed by an Urn containing a representation
OF an undyiug flame.
The other is q monument to George
clinton, OF New York. also Vice PrCsi-
dent and active IN the war Of 1872. one
side presents a bold profile likeness OF
Clinton, cut in marble beneath which is
the following inscription:
To the memory Of George Clinton lie was
born lH the state Of New York on the 2Gth Of
july. hss and died az the city Of Washington,
10Th of April, ISL. in the seventy-third year Of
lis age tie was soldier and statesman Of the
Revolution, eminent IN counsel distinguished in
war he filed with Uuexampled usefulness,
p1iitE, ana ability, among many either high
of1cc5, those Ot Governor al his native State
and Of Vice President oi the United States.
While hc lived his virtue wisdorp and valor
were the pride the ornament. and The security
of his country, and when be- died be left an
lllustrious example Of a weil-speut life worthy
of al imitation.
Is Afection1tely Dedicated by His Children.
Among the cenotaphs is one 10 Push
-ha, ChoctaW chief who, the in
scription states, died Of Group" in the
Eiytieth year Of his age, while visiting
Washington in 1S5 Beneath this inscrip-
tion IS the statement that the red chief
tain IN his last breath desired the big
guns to be fired over him He had .he
salute he desired.
Somewhere IN the same burial ground
y The resting place OF Writ, the gifted
author Of the British Spy" His remains
months. His friends and the members
OF the Washington Bar had promised TO
erect suitable monument provided his
burial was permitted in the cemetery,
but the pledge was unredeemed, and the
remains were. after a long delay. placed
IN obscure grave
william Pinkncy Of Maryland, one Of
The most eminent orators Of his age,
having been esteemed by many the su-
peri9r Of Patrick Henry, also Les buried
IN Congressional Cemetery.
FefhapS the most remarkable monu-
mcnt 70 the dead IN Washington is that
erected at Arlington 70 the memory OF
the dead soldiers, 2.llI ~ number who
feli on the battlefelds OF Bull Run and
the road 10 the Rappahannock and whose
remains could not be identified The in
seriptlon upon this tomb reads as follows.
Beneath this stone ropose the bones Of two
thousand one hundred and eleven unknown SOL
dters, gathered after the war from the fields Of
Bull Run and the route 10 the Ruppahannock
Their remains could not be identified but their
names and deaths are recorded IN the archives Of
their country, and its grateful citizens honor
them as Of their noble srHIy of martyrs May
they rest in peace September. A d. 1886.