Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-24
GENERAL G. M. DODGE, OF coUN-
GIL BLUFFS, TALKS OF
WAR DAYS.
STATUES In WASHINGTON
New Memorial to General Grant Now
Under Construction-WiI Be An
Elegant Tribute-AI Iowa Regi.
ments Were in His Army.
[BY H. J. MAHIN.1
Washington Bureau OF the Courier.

L
General Greenville M. Dodge of
Council Bluffs, Iowa and New York
| City, is in Washington for a weeks
visit with Senator Allison. General
Dodge's familiar countenance is usu
ally seen in Washington several times
during the winter and he is welcomed
|, in all circles. General Dodge is liv-
ing in New York just now because he
has found it advisable to have head
office there to take charge of his many
railroad interests.
A few weeks age, General Dodge
and eX-Speaker Henderson, assisted in
the dedication Of a magnificent new
| statue of General Sherman which
stands near the United States treas
! ury Building. 1t is the largest of the
| many equestrian statues in Washing
ton.
/ The army of the Tennessee has TAX
en- good care of all her old generals, ;"
said General Dodge, "and we will fin
ish our work in splendid style when
we get the new statue of General
Grant erected. No division of the ar
my has shown more love or respect
for, her generals than has the army of
the Tennessee. But then that is not
to be wondered at because it must be
remembered that we had some of the
best men in that army-all of the Iowa
troops We're there you know"
The Grant statue will be the finest
4 in Washington, which is no mean hon
or in a city that is already known
as the Getty of statues" Congress ap-
propriated $250,000 toward the statue
and General Dodge and the other men,
bers of the committee are seeing to it
that it shall stii'pasS anything yet
erected in Washing ton and give all the
honor due the great general.
! General Dodge dined with Senator
Spooner of Wisconsin the other even
ing and during the dinner the senator
took occasion to remind General Dodge
of their first meeting.
II had forgotten all about it, said
General Dodge, but when Senator
Spooner told the story remembered
the incident. 1t was during the war,
and the senator was then captain OF
a Wisconsin regiment in my command.
He was guarding a ford in which was
especially Interested, and put on an
old oyercoat over my uniform one day
and walked down to see how he was
getting along. Just previous to this !
, had issued an order which will admit
) was rather strenuous, and when /
J came upon Captain Spooner l found
! him examining this order with consid.
! erable displeasure. l asked him how
things We're getting along, and he re
marked that everything was all right
with the exception of a blamed impos
sible order they had just received from
headquarters. He added that it was
.going to be lot of trouble to carry il
out, and he did not see what good II
!. was going to do. let him talk lit
! tie, and then as | started away told
: him who | was. and also requested
2 him very gravely to come up and sec
me at headquarters the next day.
: did not realize that he would be
frightened by this request, but it seems
from his own story that he came ex
lpecting the worst. He asked some o1
the men at headquarters what sort ol
a man | was, and received the some
what disconcerting answer that sthe
! old man was pretty fierce some times
: : However, / had no intention of being
i SO on that occasion, and after caution
s ing Senator Spooner not to be SO fre,
with his opinions to strangers, badt
him a pleasant good day"
, Senator Spooner told this story t.
! the assembled company, and assured
them that he never had better les
son in his life.
Colonel Hepburn has his old seat il
the house this year, the same one h,
has occupied for many years. Whel
asked about his luck he said recently
Il have never been very lucky ii
drawing seats. Several times my nam,
!, has been among the last called, bu
= lately friend has taken my seat eacl
J. time and kindly exchanged with me
But whenever ! am somewhat dis
? gusted with the lottery" he continued
/ my mind reverts to the drawin!
which took place when l first entere
u the house. I had extremely bad lucli
and secured a seat clear around mex
to the wall, to the left of the speaker
was just thinking that was might,
i unlucky, when looked across the hal
II and near the center aisle there was
head just Visible above the railing tina
: separated the seats from the rea
q space 1t was most disconsolate fac
e that peered over the railing and scar
% ned the house, and l recognized tn
man whom i had beaten for the non
y nation and succeeded. "Pl bet tina
le fellow said. | to myself, would b
o. p,iohtv we'll satisfied with any seat i