Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-22
GRANT MEMORIAL SITE.
Gen. John M. Wilson Suggests the
North Edge Of the Ellipse.

To the Editor of The Star:
AS a citizen of Washington I am more
than gratified at the result Of the recent
efforts to save the beautiful and historic
trees in the Botanic Gardens.
With no intention of criticising the dis
tinguished gentlemen who selected these
gardens as the site for the superb monu
Iment to be erected in memory of that
matchless soldier, President Grant, fully
believe that it did not occur to them
when the position was so definitely fixed
that 1t would result in the immediate
destruction of the grand, noble and his
toric trees, the lives of which have been
saved at the urgent request of the press
of our city. through the fundamentally
of that courteous and accomplished gen
tleman and soldier, Gen. Robert Shaw
Oliver. assistant secretary of war, who
brought the matter to the attention of
the President of the United States.
My affection for the city of my birth,
my admiration and respect for the great
soldier in whose memory the monument
is to be erected and my sincere love for
trees-one of natures grandest and most
glorious masterpieces-lead me to respond
to the requests that l would express my
views on this subject.
Over forty four years ago, just previous
to the battle of Gettysburg, 1t was my
good fortune to be able to save the mag
innocent Olu trees III DTulu Hill fdIh
Baltimore, after the fiat for their de-
struction had been issued.
AS an officer on Gen. Grants staff in
1868. when ] had an opportunity to OBJ
| serve his wonderful soldierly skill; as the
| officer in charge of public buildings and
grounds in the District of Columbia for
| over eight years, during which period
many handsome trees were planted in tn :
various parks through the advice and as
sistance of that most accomplished land
1 AZ,
George H, Brown. to whom we are all so
| much indebted for the beauty of our pub
| lie grounds, and as chief of engineers of
1 the United States Army for over four
| years, l am deeply interested not only in
| saving our beautiful trees, but especially
| in seeing that the monument to Gen.
| Grant, the hero of so many great bat
| ties the President of the nation for eight
years, during an eventful period of our
existence shall have the most superb
site that can possibly be selected.
| Ny hope has always been that it might
be placed in the middle or near the north
| end of the shorter axis of the ellipse
south of the White House.
| Here Is a site where the monument
| would almost be under the shadow of the
| great white shaft erected in memory OF
the immortal Washington, the only Off
| Ger of the army who received the full
rank of general before 1t was bestowed
upon Gen. Grant; 1t would be near the
| SpieHulu MONUMENT 10 Oeh- SHERMAN, TIE
| general of the army who immedia tely
succeeded Gen. Grant, and would face the
| White House, which for eight years was
honored with his presence: 1t would be in
full sight of those who daily pass over
the splendid road around the ellipse and
of the crowds that attend the summer
concerts In the White House grounds.
! 1t would not prevent in any way the use
of the ellipse for military parades or evo.
lutions, and, finally, it would not neces.
state the destruction of single tree OF
shr ub. JOHN NJ. WILSON.