The Washington herald., 1907-11-13
STATUE SITE FIXED
Grant Memorial to Be Placed
as First Planned.
TREES MUST BE REMOVED
Advisory Board Reviews spot Sc
lecfed I'm Botanic Gardens and
Decides that Any Change Would
De Impracticable - Trees May Be
Transplanted, but May Not Live.

If plans are carried out in keeping with
the views OF the advisory board of the
Grant Statue Commission, which met at
the Arlington yesterday. the statue Of
General Grant will be erected In the un-
occupied portion of the Botanic Gar
dens, between First and Second streets
as provided for by act Of Congress OF
June 80. 1906 and the historic trees oc-
curylng part of the place, will be re-
moved.
General G. NJ. Dodge. the president OF
the commission, opened the meeting.
and the question Of changing the site Of
the monument within the limits approved
by Congress. so as TO avoid the destruc-
tion OF several trees, was thoroughly
discussed. The board visited the pro-
posed site, and Frederick Law Olmstead,
jr., a member OF the board. and well
known landscape gardener. after an ex-
haustive examination OF the site and the
trees, became convinced that It was per
fectly feasible TO remove two trees,
thereby enabling the board 10 retain The
p
Public sentiment being opposed 20 the
destruction Of these historic trees. the
board took great pains 10 consider the
feasibility OF their not being removed.
u became apparent however, that even
slight change in location OF the monu-
ment would not remedy matters, as the
trees would still be so near the monu-
ment that they would mar its appear
ance.
After giving all points involved due
consideration. the board arrived at the
All the members Of the commission ex-
cept II. NJ. Shrady. were present.
Holds TO First Plan.
Referring to the site and the trees, Mr..
Shrady. says in a letter which he sen;
the board:
Il think the location was selected after
great deal of thought and considera-
ton. and see no reason that it should be
changed at this late date The matter is
settled in my mind, and I am Obliged to
say that I viii stick by what has already
been agreed upon. These delays are in
terfering with the progress Of the monu-
ment, and 1 will be glad when I can so
ahead with free hand. Those who have
started the agitation about a few trees
have forgotten that the nation owes
something 10 its greatest soldier
The advisory committee consists OF Col
BromweH L. S a; II. NJ. Shrady, the
sculptor. who designed the statue OF Gen.
Grant; Edward z. Casey. the architect.
who was associated with Mr.. Shrady In
[ l. 4
jr-. the landscape architect
Gen. Dodge. the chairman Of the Grant
Memorial Commission. Will take up the
matter with his commission. for the pur-
pose Of obtaining final expression as
70 what course should be followed.
The Society OF the Army OF the Ten
nessee, at the thirty-seVenth reunion az
! Vicksburg. Miss, November S. made the
/ following report on the question Of the
Grant statue, and the removal OF the
| trees;
Society Opposes Change
THE erecting Of a Grant memorial in
Washington was first inaugusrted by our
/ society in September. 1895. and, by con-
/ tinuous effort Of the Grant Memorial
Committee, the law was finally passed
and appropriations made on February 3,
| 1901. and our society. as well as all the
veterans Of the civil war, take great and
special interest IN the location and final
completion Of the memorial The location
Of the Grant Memorial in the Botanic
/ Gardens in Washington meets our hearty
/ approval.
/ I'VE find. as reported by Frederick
/ Olmstead. the celebrated landscape arehI-
!
I hundred trees were transplanted on the
/ Capitol ground. one foot or more in
diameter, with a loss Of only two trees
and that the transplanted trees are still
/ living and have grown more fiOurishingly
/ than trees on the ground that were no;
/ removed. We, therefore, recommend that
/ the three trees which il is desired 10 pre-
serve should be removed and replanted in
some proper place.
The erection OF the Grant memorial II
| Washington. in a proper location, Is fay
greater in historical Importance than the
! preservation" Of three trees which COM
memorate no important event, and that
have not even been known or commented
upos since their planting until now
we are opposed TO any change in the
plans for the Grant memorial that inter.
fere with the plans that controlled its To-
cation in the Botanic Gardens, and re-
quest the president OF this society, who is
member OF the Grant Memorial Com
mission, 20 earnestly oppose any radical
4 change Of its location
Samuel Parson, author OF the design for
the improvement of the Mall. in a letter
addressed 10 Lieut.. ]. II. Poole. Corps OF
Engineers, and dated the 9Th instant, ex-
! presses great doubt as to whether the
trees, after taken UP and removed. viii
/ live