Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-10
SCHEME WAS DL-QUE
FEATURES OF UNWILLING OF Nc
CLELLAN MONUMENT.

The recent unwilling of the Mcclellan
monument, it Is claimed by an observer,
was the most successful and attractive OF
the kind ever witnessed. The plans were
prepared by Mr.. Frederick D. Owen, with
the approval Of Col. Charles s. Bromwell,
in charge of public buildings and grounds.
The two high apartment houses adjacen-,
one to the east and one to the west or
the monument, made the stringing Of fine,
strong steel wire an easy matter.
The Navy Department assisted Mr.. Owen
in his work, and Chief Boatswain John Nc
Leghlin and five sailors from the Washing
ton navy yard were assigned and did the
bending and manipulating of the ropes
At the moment of unwilling six veterans,
in uniform, who served under Gen. NC
Clellan in the Army of the Potomac, rem
dered valuable aid in removing the nass
at the base, a., -,-'-
Veterans Removed Flags.
The veterans walked down the two sides
of the monument, and with precision re-
moved the post flags which covered the
large bronze eagles and garlands at the
base. and after folding them up carefully
they were left at the base of the bronze
war trophies
DR.. George Mcclellan then drew the lac
ing cord, he standing in the Presidents
box. thereby releasing the folds Of the two
large garrison flags which covered the
monument from head to foot, being Ox36
feet each. The flags were supported Dy
two stout wood yard arms at the top.
which were in turn held in place and aloft
by cords and the steel horizontal wires
leo feet in the air stretched from house
to house.
At the instant of the release the flags re-
coded, allowing the bronze horse and figure
of the general to look as though walking
out from the folds of the flag. That gave
the President and the other guests an OPP
portunity-of witnessing the hero as though
approaching at the head of his column,
which soon appeared in review-a feature
entirely new and appropriate to the day and
place.
Yardarms Released.
Next the two yardarms were released at
the rear end and the two flags swung
around horizontally and at right angles to
the monument, thereby forming background
for the figures, which were held In that po-
sition fully two minutes. Also by opening in
that manner the figure was revealed to the
members of,the Army of the Potomac. who
occupied seats Just below.
At the moment the last gun sounded the
boatswain gave a release to the forward
ends of the yardarm with the blue jacks
of the flags together, which had until that
moment, been held fast, thereby allowing
the nagS TO ny apart anu dSCtHu HUI Ieet,
passing over the heads Of the members and
guests of the two great armies.
The flag waved on the gentle southern
breeze the remainder of the afternoon, with
the statue left with nothing but the floral
decorations at its base. These offerings were
designed by Mr.. Owen for the Society Of the
Army of the Potomac, Tennessee, Cumber-
land and Ohio, and were composed of large
rich loops Of laurel green garlands. with
four wreaths at each of the four steps, and
at the corners of the base four painted in
sigma of the four great societies were
caught up in bows of red, white and blue