The Washington herald., 1908-08-02
APOLOGY FOR DUMMY
Commission Hastens to EX-
plain EyesOre on Plaza.
WILL HEED PUBLIC OPINION
Secretary EmmonS Says Members of
Shepherd Memorial Body RecOg-
Proposed Site, and Indicates that
Statue VIII Go In the Triangle.

An apology for placing that olive drab
freak in front Of the Municipal Building
to test the vista was written in big. bold.
black letters on the pedestal Of the dunn
my Of the Shepherd memorial yesterday
In view Of the derision, gibes, 5ests, and
protests against the dummy. the memo
rial commission hastens TO say
This statue has been erected for the
purpose Of showing the effect Of such a
statue IN comparison with the Municipal
Building. This figure is not intended to
be an actual reproduction Of the figure
Of Gov Shepherd when finished"
This announcement was received with
relief by the hundreds Of prominent citi-
zens who yesterday viewed the statue
with wonderment and amusement. and
believed that the dummy was a duplicate
OF the Shepherd ehigy as It would be
Use of site Unlikely.
George E. Emmons. acting secretary Of
the commission. said last night that IT
was most unlikely that the Shepherd me-
mortal would be erected on the site pro
posed by the commission. because OF the
violent storm Of protest
We placed the statue where the COM
mission originally planned. to see what
the public would think Of the location" ."
said Mr. Emmons- 7 am frank TO say
that the public does not like the Iocs-
ton. and If the people insist upon II. the
commission probably viii erect the statue
IN the triangle.
I want 20 make II plain. however. that
the dummy has not been given fair
show II the plaza were sodded with
green grass. the statue would be shown
on 20 better advantage. and that sQUatty
effect. at present 50 noticeable would be
eliminated No attempt was made by
myself or Mr.. Parsons 10 test the artistic
effect Of the statue by the use Of the
dummy. We wished TO test the height
and proportions OF the statue with rela-
tion TO the Municipal Building
Public Opinion VIII Decide.
1t is for the Commissioners and the
members OF the commission 10 decide
whether the statue shall be erected on
the plaza or in the triangle They viii.
Of course. be guided BIZ the Sentiment OF
the people OF Washington Personally I
believe the statue should 90 where Il was
originally planned 10 put Il. and I believe
it would honor Gov Shepherd II the plaza
were cleaned up and sodded- Public
opinion seems 20 he quite different from
our view Of the matter"
Mr.. Emmons said the dummy would Be
removed from the plaza earlier than had
been intended. because Of the fun made
Of IT, He declared that DO offers from
dime museums for the statue would be
entertained. The dummv's life IS 10 be
brought 20 a sudden end on next Wednes-
day. The freakish image-faded green
coat roll Of important papers. vacant
look. unkempt haIr. and all-wiU be rudely
pulled down by ruthless hands and hur-
riod away 10 some nearby shed There
axmen viii be introduced TO his dummy
ship. and right heartily viii they fay
the inanimate gentleman
After the dummy has been chopped into
chunks. the various sections viii be
thrown into the river. provided Alexan-
dria and other Lower Potomac River VII
lagos voice 10 protest