The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-12-23
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence


Washington.
one of General Grant is under con-
struction.
Seven others of Pulaski. Won Steu-
ben kosciusko, Commodore Barry,
christopher Columbus, John Paul
Jones and Thomas Jefferson-have
been authorized and provided for by
congress.
Monument to General Grant.
The monument to General Grant,
which has been located upon a much
criticised site at the foot of Capitol
hill. at the east end of the botanic
garden. will be the most imposing.
The contract for the statue and mar
bic work which will surround 1t calls
for a payment of S240,000.
The platform, the pedestal and
portion of the embellishments are al
ready In place. The bronze figure OF
General Grant will not be erected for
ut least two years.
In July, 1908. the commission In
charge granted an extension of time
TO the artist for three years from Aug.
10. 1908.
Description of the Memorial.
The memorial consists of marble
platform $50 feet long and u feet
wide. reached by a flight of eight mar
BILE steps extending the entire length
of the four sides. A heroic bronze
figure of Ulysses S. Grant mounted
upon his war charger is to be erected
on marble pedestal In the center and
it's height will be forty-three feet from
| the bottom step of the platform to the
| top of the hat.
From each end of the platform pro-
| jects pedestal rising four feet above
the floor. Upon one of them will be a
bronze group of cavalry and upon the
other a group of artillery in action,
both facing the statue. Upon the north
and south faces of the central pedestal
will be placed bronze reliefs repre-
senting infantry on the march.
AT the four corners of the central
pedestal are four bronze lions standing
alert The bas-reliefs and the artillery
group soon will be in position.
1 statue TO FuiaShs
Bv act of congress. approved Feb. u,
| 1909. the secretary of war. the chair
men Of the committees on the library
of the two houses and the president OF
The Pulaski monument Polish central
committee were authorized to expend
the sum Of $4,000 IN the erection OF a
monument in honor of Count Casimir
Pulaski. Polish nobleman. who join
Al the Revolutionary army as u volun-
teer in the summer Of TIT, bringing
letter 60 Washington from Benjamin
Franklin.
The Pulaski Legion.
Al few days after his arrival occurred
he battle Of Br,Indywine. in which he
participated with such courage and
military skill that congress immediate
IL voted him commission as briga-
der general and appointed him to
the command Of the colonial cavalry.
| He participated III all the battles OF
that campaign and subsequently or
ganized famous body Of fighters
known as the Pulaski legion.
He captured the city of Charleston
and successfully defended II against
| the British until relieved. And Oct. D.
| 177g, when the combined French and
American forces made their unsuccess-
ful attack upon savannah, then occu-
pied by the British, he commanded the
cavalry.
| Duringe the assault be received his
/ death wound aud was taken aboard
the brig Wasp. lying in the savannah
river, where he died.
New Presidential Flag.
| War department officials have de-
creed that the flag Of the president
shall be changed.
Instead of being fastened on pike
ten feet long. 1t will have one eleven
feet. and the American eagle that has
stood alert on the globe that adorned
the top of the pike during all these
years is to give way to bigger bird.
instead of standing four inches high.
the new presidential eagle Is to meas
ure five and thFee-eiglltl inches. The
globe is TO be reduced from three to
two inches In diameter. War depart
ment officials say things were not
quite symmetrical. SO they concluded
TO remedy them.
Interesting Old Documents.
Some time ago during houseclean-
ing in the pustoiiiee department num-
Der of autograph letters written by
men famous in American history were
discovered In an old and battered tile
case The tic case had evidently been
considered of no value. for II had been
slowed away IN Il little used portion of
the cellar and would undoubtedly have
eventually been broken up and its con-
tents lost or destroyed
The papers include letters of recon-
mendation by Roscoe Colls;ing written
IN 1866. when he was a representative
ia congress from New York. and by
Horace Greeley, IaInes A. Garfield.
Charles Sumner and others of then ma
tional prominence. Among the papers
was the record of the first woman up
pointed to the postal service and one
Of the first employed In the govern
mental departments in Washington in
any capacity. Another document bore
/ the written sentiments of a rahid Sc