Evening star., 1907-11-12
GRANT STATUE PLANS
Suggested That Historic
Trees Be TranspIanted.
THE COMMITTEES ACTION
To Change Site of Memorial Re-
garded as Inadvisable.
COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW
Letter From Samuel Parsons Filed
in Which Transplanting of
Large Trees Is Discouraged.

The advisory committee of the Grant
memorial commission held meeting IN
this city today and decided to recommend
to the commission that the historic trees
of the Botanic Garden that are located
on the site they have selected for fhe
Grant statue should be removed distance
sufficient to prevent any interference with
their plans. They decided that to change
the location of the statue would inter
fere with their plan for the improvement
of the Mall as it would take 1t from the
established axis passing from the Capitol
to the Monument.
1t happens that at the time this decis-
ion made the Engineer Corps OF the
army had In it's possession letter from
Mr.. Samuel Parsons of New York saying
that all the attempts he knew of to re-
move big trees In the parks of New York
had resulted in killing the trees
The advisory committee consists of Col.
Bromwell. United States Army: Mr.. II. N.
Shrady. the sculptor who designed the
statue Of Gen. Grant: Mr.. Edward P. Ca
sey, the architect who was associated
with Mr.. Shrady In his work: Mr. Charles
McKim, the architect. and Mr.. Frederick
Law Olmsted. the landscape architect
This committee met here today and talked
the matter over and decided that the
statue should go Just where they had pre-
viously located it. Then they decided to
go to the Botanic Garden and look the
ground over again to see II there was
anything they had overlooked that might
be of service to them
They returned to the ONCE of public
buildings and grounds and without haV-
ing seen anything to change their views.
" ith them was Gen. Dodge. chairman OF
The Grant memorial commission who VIII
now take I'D the matter with his commits
sion. in order to secure final expression
as to what should be done
In Compliance With Law.
The action, OF the advisory committee 10
said to have been taken merely in conn
n,iance with the law, but that action still
may vet be modified because the law pro-
yiiea that the statue should be on an un-
6 eccupied space. That is appoint that will
-,,sye 10 be finally determined by the COM
n ;ssion. Former Senator Wetmore now
he,nei out Of the Senate Is not an active
member Of the commission, 30 tnat the oe-
cision will probably be made py Gen.
Dodge and Secretary Ia1t' VINO wiz ,',t
t,,rn to this city in the near future. out
not until after the meeting OF congress-
Ttis will give Congress itself time 10 say
something about the plans it is proposed
TO carry out. ....
of the design for the improvement OF the
Mail which was called for by a resoiu-
tion of Congress, and Which Is the ohls
oficiaI plan for such Improvement that
has ever been called Tor ny lhe Cos t.t
expresses great doubt whether the historic
+raes will live if removed from their pres
ent locations in the Mall. Th,s ietter
was written the 9th instant. ana Is au.
Creased to Lieut.. ]. H. Poole, Corps OF
Engineers.
Text of the Letter.
It is as follows:
your favor of November IS at haho'
It gives me pleasure to express my views
on the feasibility of moving ana Trans
nIantinR the trees in the Bontanic uai
don. which have been under dlscussioii
during this fail. and which l nave seeh
myself within three weeks Ihese ..ees
are chiefly oaks. one of the most @ UNI.
c,,It kjnds to transplant. and having psen
arnn,ine In made ground and having stood
.,bare hey are for q period OF forty years, ,
as am informed the chances OF rlov1Hs
them with any degree oil what ill,ens IL
termed success would be stnal. So ~ =.
mat 7 would distinctly ADVISE asaiils. ~.
..Tbe vitality OF such large trees mus
n.cessarily be seriously injured by trans
nlanting and from varied an" iohs
ne;ience I have failed to see any trees Si
such size and species illal nav .a, no.
fered severely in the process of reinVva'
ard failed TO ever recover their oiu-tIi.
v;eor and beauty. | entirely approve OF
the report from your landscape sdluel-t
'.Jn RESPONSE to your inquiry doout III 'A
doing business in the neighborhood OF
New York in removing large trees. can
op,y say that there are several VINO from
lime to time have sought to secure work
OF tris kind In the parks of New YORK.
I have given them every opportunity TO 90
so hlt in every case the results haNo
hs on entirely unsatisfactory. and 50 far
,s know the trees are today all dead.
II would not like TO cut myseif on rec
ord as asserting thai 80 large tree OF the
character OF the trees III the botahic
Garden could be moved. because tue hiMk
of the skill of man is perhaps Impossible
to fix: but can only say tfitAt during
forty years Of a varied experience nave
failed TO find sufficient evidence 20 MAKE
me y.iIlf3r TO accept the almost certain
sacrifice involved. as ] believe, in moving
large trees Of the character OF those IN
the Botanic Garden.
Court Subpoena Served.
Gen. Grenville NJ. Dodge. chairman Of
the Grant memorial commission. was
served today with subpoena to answer
the bill OF complaint brought by Attorney
Conrad H. Syme to prevent the destruc-
ton Of the Crittenden oak and other trees
in the Botanic Garden. Attorney Syme
81 lated today that the rule to show cause
issued by Justice Could is stili alive ard
may he called up for hearing at any mo-
ment il may be deemed necessary. 1t is
his intention. he declares, TO bring the
matter before the court II any move Is
made. to remove the trees.