Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-21
lee STATUE PERFECT
Reproduces Exact Measure
ments of Confederate Leader.
PLACE IN STATUARY HALL
Houdan's Washington in Bronze to
Replace Plaster Figure.
V1RGIN1ANS INSPECT WORK
Legislative Commission Visits Sculp-
tor Valentines Studio in Provi-
dence, r. I.
PLACE IN STATUARY HALL
VIRGINIANS INSPECT WORK

Virginians in Washington express great
satisfaction over the prospect of a statue
of Robert E. Lee being placed in Statuary
Hall. in the Capitol. and in the determine
ton of the Virginia legislative commits
sion to replace the cheap plaster figure
of Washington now in the Capitol with
a bronze statue.
The bronze statue of Lee has just been
cast I'm Providence, r. l.. and was mod
eled by Edward V. Valentine. whose
recumbent statue of Lee, over the gen.
erals tomb at Washington and Lee Uni
versity, is regarded as one of the finest
works of American art
The statue of Lee will occupy the sec
ond of Virginia's places in statuary Hall,
one OF which Is already occupied by
Houdan's figure of George Washington.
The bronze figure is exactly life size in
every particular and could not have been
modelled by another sculptor
Exact Measurements Taken.
A few months previous to Gen. Lees
death. in 1870. he reluctantly visited Mr.
Valentines studio. at the urgent request
or friends Complete measurements were
taken, including the size of his head.
breadth of nose, width of mouth. and
so on.
The uniform of the statue was copied
n TON me full-dress uniform worn by
zen: Lee at Appomattox, now in the
confederate museum in the Jefferson
Davis mansion. Richmond The sword
Is an exact model of that presented to
MN oy the state of Maryland. The hands
son.
John 7. Callaghan. secretary and former
president of the Confederate Veterans.
association. said today:
mere could be no other man after
Washington who would so fittineiy rep
resent the state of Virginia as Robert 2
Lee. He was the greatest man of our
state. brought out and tried during that
long and hard period of the war
tnink the Old Dominion ought to be
allowed to make its own choice. I do
not believe any criticism win be made, for
we are entitled to our opinions
We believe he was a man. head and
shoulders above every other man in the
state except George Washington. We will
be proud when we see his statue standing
beside that Of the father of our country"
Commission in Providence.
The commission appointed by the vir-
sinia legislature visited Providence, where
the work Is being done, recently, and on
its way back stopped in New York to
ask for bids for the bronze statue of
Washington. Judge George L. Christian
of Richmond a member of the commits
sion, said last night, that it was not
known by the commission on whose au-
thority the present statue of Washing
ton was put in the hall
The new statue will be a reproduction
of the one by Houdan. now in the ro-
tunda of the capitol Of Virginia.
The commission is composed of r. B.
Davis Of Petersburg. chairman; Senator
Don P. Haisey of Lynchburg; Edward
Lyle of Roanoke, George E. Sipe of Har-
risonburg. Capt. John c. Featherston of
Lynchburg. H. C. Rice of Charlotte coun-
ty and Judge George L. Christian of Rich
mond. With the official party were Mr..
Valentine, the sculptor, and Mrs. Valen-
tine Of Richmond Mrs. Davis, Mrs Hal
sey. Mrs. Sipe, Miss Sipe, Mrs. Christian
and Frank Christian.