Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-10
''ARcH OF,,FHE UNION"
A Beginning bf The Memorial
Bridge.
CORNER srHBrE DONATED
PRESENTATION EXERCISES AT
CAMP ROOSEVELT.
Remarks by Secretary Root, James
McHugh, Commissioner Macfarland
and others-origin Of Project.

| is to serve as the corner stone of the Me-
| mortal bridge across the Potomac river to
! the heights of Arlington was formally pre-
| sented to the Grand Army of the Republ C
| by the Journeymen Stone Cutters Union of
| Washington and dedicated with appropriate
| exercises late yesterday afternoon The
mammoth block, weighing more than seven
tens was hauled into the ellipse Of Camp
| Roosevelt on the White lot, and was the
center of very interesting ceremonies The
Secretary Of War, Mr.. EAihu Root, pre-
| sided at the gathering, and speeches were
delivered by him. by Mr.. James McHugh
on behalf Of the union by Mr.. Henry B. F.
| Macfarland Of the board Of Commission
ers on behalf Of the District of Columbia,
by Mr.. J. E. Ewell Of Buffalo, N Y, on be-
half of the Grand Army, and by Represen-
tative Warnock of Ohio on behalf of Con-
| gress.
The exercises were patriotic in character
| throughout. The project Of building a
memorial bridge to be dedicated to the SOL
| diers and sailors of the civil war was
| lauded in terms Of enthusiastic praise The
| prediction was frequently made that it
| would not be long before the bridge be-
| came reality.
The exercises were opened by Mr. B. H.
| Warner, cha irnan Of the citizens commit
| tee, after selection had been rendered by
the United States Engineers Band from
| washington BARRACKS. MT. w arner intro
! duced the presiding officer, Secretary Root.
Secretary Roots Remarks.
Mr.. Root said that for more than sixteen
| years the plan to build a memorial bridge
had dragged slowly along. He ventured to
say, however. that ultimately the great and
patriotic project would find It's fruition
The bridge will be, as it was planned, q
memorial indeed; it will be a connecting
| ink hptyu IA fyIrn ORC pofj Of fbo
| country by joining the capital city whe re
Lincoln lived and wrought, with the heights
| Of Arlington. from which still look down
| and across the Potomac the stately COL
umns of the ancestral home of the Lees.
| The bridge will be fitting representative
| Of the union Of all the states.
| at is appropriate" continued Secretary
| Root, that the first stone for that great
| arch should be the voluntary contribution
| of a representative association of the labor
| ing men of the United States. This is the
! capital city Of the iaboring men of man
| kind. The mission of the country governed
| here is to raise not merely the few to emf
hence and power, but to raise all mankind
those who labor with their hands equally
| with those who work with their brains.
| This country strives to bring them all to a
higher scale of happiness. comfort and edu-
| cation and all that ennobles life.
| 1t is fitting, eminently fitting, that the
| presentation Of this great corner stone
| should be made during an encampment Of
| the Grand Army of the Republic, for the
| bridge which will be built from it will be
| the fruition Of the sacrifices, the labors
| the dangers and the devotion Of the men
| who fought those wonderful battles of 1861
| to 1863.
Where the laboring men have started
| where the Grand Army of the Republic has
| given approval, the Congress of the United
| States may be depended upon to do its duty.
| Before many years there will be a great
| avenue stretching from the Capitol to the
| Washington monument. Then the wide ex-
! nS ~ - 10,
| to fitting memorial of Lincoln, overlook
| ing the Potomac. From the Lincoln memo
| rial it will lead into the archway of stone
spanning the river and reaching to the
| heights Of Arlington. Then, indeed, will
| there be a fitting show Of the recognition
| and appreciation Of the American people Of
| the services of the men who fought under
| Lincoln and preserved the Union estab-
| lished by Washington"
| Mr.. Root was constantly interrupted by
| applause. and al the conclusion Of his pa
| triotic utterances there was an outburst Of
| enthusiasm.
Speech Of Presentation.
The Secretary then presented Mr.. Nc
| Hugh, who is national secretary-treasurer
| of the Stone Cutters Union, who made the
speech of presentation. Mr.. McHugh re-
counted briefly the history of the stone
! cutters Of America. He recited the great
| occasions In which they have taken a
1
| national structures the corner stones OF
| which have been presented by the cutters
union. Mr. McHugh closed by calling at
| tention to the services rendered by mem
| bers Of the Stone Cutters Union during
the civil war, and pointed to torn battle
flag carried by the District men.
| And there, bless his old gray hairs,
| stands the man who carried the flag during
| that great conflict" said the speaker, point
| ing to an elderly gentleman in the fringe OF
| the surrounding crowd. The man was Mr.
| To, I,y Z, 1T 10 ami M
| siastically cheered. and was called to the
| platform. Secretary Root called for three
| cheers. and led them
Mr.. Root next presented Master frankie
| McHugh, son OF the national secretary
| OF the union, who recited The star
Spangled Banner" In very effective man
| ner.
The Presidents Letter.
| Then the presiding officer read a letter of
| regret from President Roosevelt in which
| he said:
MY Dear Mr.. Root: 1 deeply regret that
| 1t Is not possible for me to be present this
| afternoon at the presentation by the Jour-
| neymen Stone Cutters Association OF the
| District of Columbia, representing the Ia
| boring men of our country, to the Grand
| Army of the Republic of a corner stone Tor
the proposed memorial bridge.
| 1t Is most gratifying that the proJect 10
erect this splendid memorial to the soldiers
| and sailors Of the civil war has been re-
|
| have great pleasure in sending best wishes
for the success Of the exercises this after
| noon" -, It.
Commissioner Macfarland's Remarks.
Commissioner Macfanand was next intro
duced He made a, brief address. character
izing the dedication of the corner stone as
the most significant event OF most signin-
cant week. He SAID it was appropriate that
the corner stone Of the1bridge should come
from the people Of the District Of Columbia
and from such good citizens as he knew the
stone cutters to be. Mr.. mcfarland re-
| ferred feelingly to the qualification the late
| President Mckinley would have felt were
he present at theCexsEcises. for the Me-
him. ,.ts.
The Stone Accepted.
Mr.. Root next rfestnted Mr.. Joseph E.
Ewen of Buffalo fHe Judge advocate of the
| New York Departmental the G. A. r.. who
| came as the representative OF General Ell
! torrance, the commander-in-ch1ef to &C
| cept the corner stone. Mr.. Ewell made a
| happy talk and evoked much enthusiasm. .
The last speaker Of the afternoon was
| Representative Warnock Of Ohio Mr.. Root
| said it was fitting that Mr.. Warnock should
| be heard from. because at the last session
| of Congress he had made a speech In be-