Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-05
As 4 MEMORIAL TO COLUMBUS
MONUMENTAL ARCH ON UNION
STATION PLAZA.
Selection of the Site by the Statutory
Commission-Appr by
District Commissioners.

The proposed memorial to Christopher
Columbus. for which Congress appro-
priated 100000. will be erected on The
plaza in front of the Union station. pro-
yided suitable arrangements can be made.
Action to that end was taken by the CO.
lumbus memorial commission. created by
Congress. at a meeting held at the De-
partment of State yesterday afternoon.
The commission consists Of Secretary
Root. Secretary Taft. Senator Wetmore,
Second Assistant Postmaster General
McCleary and Mr. Hearn of Boston. the
latter representing the order of the
Knights Of Columbus. Mr.. Taft was I'M
able TO be present at the meeting. and
was renresented by Mr.. Fred ". Car
nenter. his private secretary. Col. Brom-
we'll SUPERINTENDENT of public buildings
and grounds. who is executive ofticer or
the commission. was also present. Col.
Cromwell was instructed to prepare esti-
mates of the cost of suitable structure
on that site.
Approved by Commissioners.
The proposed placing of the statue on the
nlaza in front Of the new Union station
has been approved by the board of Dis
trict Commissioners.
When the bill providing for the statue
and the appointment of a commission TO
select a site and to superintend the con-
struction Of the statue was passed Col.
Rron,well in letter to the Commission
ers. informed them that it was the de-
sire of those interested in the movement
to have the statue placed on the plaza,
and asked if such an action would meet
with. their approval. After consuming
Architect Burnham, designer or the ne"
Union station. the Compnssioners IN.
formed Col. Bromwell that they had not
the slightest objection TO that site. pro.
vidine the general form and merit OF
the. statue and its pedestal properly con
formed to the general architecture OF the
handsome new station. In reply the Conn
missioners we're assured that the statue
would be of handsome design and that
thew need have no fear about its not con-
forming to the architecture OF the sta
ton.
since then the Commissioners have heard
nothing about the proposition except what
they have read of the actions of the COM
mission.
Action by Congress.
The act of Congress providing for this
ST tue provides that there shall be erected
in the city of Washington suitable
memorial TO the memory of Christopher
Columbus.
\ commission. consisting OF the chair
man of the Senate committee on the
library of the Fifty-ninth Congress. the
Chairman of the committee on the library
of the House of Representatives of the
Fifty-ninth Congress. the Secretary OF
state the Secretary of War and the su-
preme knight of the Order of the knights
of Columbus was created. with full au-
thority to select a site and suitable de-
sign. and to contract for and superintend
the construction of the memorial.
The sum OF 800, OOU, or SO much thereof
as may be necessary. was appropriated.
Although the character of the memorial
is as yet undetermined. there are indica-
!.tions that it will take the form of mOnu-
mental arch which, from its proposed
location in front OF the terminal station.
would serve as beautiful gateway to
the National capital