Evening star., 1902-01-21
THE FORT STEVENS PLAT
BILL FOR IT'S PRESERVATION AS A
PUBLIC PARK.
Executive Committee
Authorizes Presentation of the
Measure to Congress.


the current session of congfess, and which
is designed to preserve asf a public park
the Fort Stevens plat north of the city,
was read to the executive committee of the
Fort Stevens Battlefield Park Association
last night. When the measure had been
generally discussed it was formally ap-
proved, and a committee WAS authorized
to present the bill to the committees on
military affairs of the two houses of Con-
gress.
President Thomas NJ. Vincent, Secretary A.
S. Perham, Col. John McEAroy, Gen. Mar
Gus ]. Wright and Messrs. w. V. Cox, G..
H. Slaybaugh, L. P. Williams, Hannibal
D. Norton, Charles V. Pettys, John A.
Campbell, S. E. Chamberlain, John Wolff,
William L. Bramhall, Edward L. Kline,
Lewis c. White. S. E. Chamberlain and
Edward w. Whitaker.
Mr.. Cox explained the attitude of the
park commission, and announced that in a
supplemental report the commission is to
recommend the preservation of Fort Ste
vens and all the other forts which formed
the line Of defenses about the capital dur
ing the war of 1861.
The Maps Agree.
"The commissions maps of that part of
the District are almost similar to our maps
and follow the line of the battle of July II
and -, 1864" said Mr.. Cox. They even go
further than our maps, for they will rec
ommend that the area of Fort Totten-the
right Of the federal line in the engage
ment-be enlarged so as to include the lofty
hilltops near the Soldiers Home They also
follow the old fort line around to and
across the Anacostia, near where Barney
planted his guns on August "a, 1874 and
opposed the advance Of the British on
Washington, and on until the Potomac is
reached"
Approved by Generals Wallace and
McCOOk.
The discussion was continued by Gen.
Wright, Secretary Perham, Col. McElroy
and others. Gen. Wright expressed his
unqualified approval Of the measure, and
indicated his hope that the lines of both
armies should be suitably marked. Gen.
Vincent replied that 1t was intended to rec
ognize both sides. The president and sec
retary were then requested to gather and
index all the literature available on the
engagement before Washington and the
movements of the troops which led to the
encounter. The reading of two letters
closed the meeting. One was from Gen.
Lew Wallace, in which he accepted ap-
pointment to the legislative committee, and
promised to support the movement heartily.
The other came from Gen. McCook who
commanded the Union forces during the
battle, and who offered to visit the site
particular points.
Gen. Wilson on the Legfslatiye Com
mittee.
Gen. Wilson was elected member of the
legislative committee of the association,
since his knowledge Of the, subject of the
defenses of Washington In 1864 will be of
great assistance in perfecting the bill and
answering the inquiries of the congress
sional committees.
Mr.. VIM. L. Bramhall said: "The Lincoln
memorial proposed by the park commission
will not initiate against Fort Stevens.
Whatever memorial is erected to Lincoln
cannot affect or eliminate Lincoln's conpec-
tion with the contest at Fort Stevens. He
was there on the spot 1t is the central
point of interest of that contest. 1t is the
center Of the defenses of Washington III
1864"
Mr.. Lewis c.. White noted that the asso-
citation is trying to wrest from oblivion
this historic point" and Gen. Vincent did
not think the association should consider
the propositions as at all in conflict. In
fact" he said, "the association will assist
the park commission and the commission
will assist the association, as 1t has already
done, to a remarkable and unexpected eX-
tent. In the end our labors will bear fruit.
In a very few years all the forts around
Washington will be marked. We will first
preserve the most important point, Fort
Stevens, and use that as the stimulus for
properly preserving all those points and
marking them"
In the course Of the meeting Capt LOCKER
spoke as follows: II should like very much
to feel that this action, If it is successful
and 1 am sure 1t will be-will have as one
of it's fruits the preservation Of the other
forts. The Fort Stevens site has been
mentioned, also Fort Totten. l know Of
three or four others; Fort Boyer, on the
western side of the River road northwest of
Tenleytown. and Fort Stanton, both Of
which are in fairly good preservation. One
also is on the property Of Mr.. Glover on
Ridge road, hidden by little grove, with
the most beautiful view In the entire Dis
trict nearby. historically it Is very i'm
portant that the whole line should be pre-
served There should be series of tablets
erected which visitors can trace up. We
cannot well understand how 1t will be look
ed at in the time to come. We can do 1t,
but hereafter it will be impossible; the forts
will have disappeared. First and most inl.
portant is the site where Lincoln Stood"
The association passed resolutions Ie-
questing the Secretary of War to have
erected on Battle Ground cemetery, near
Brightwood, where the Union soldiers killed
in the engagement at Fort Stevens are
buried, small pavilion to be used on the
occasions of Decoration day exercises. The
Secretary Of War will also be requested to
have sign placed conspicuousy in front
Of the cemetery in order that passing WIS.,
ffnrc kt,ou hxy,