Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-01-01
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

There are now tWenty-ulne htutues
in the public grounds In the city OF
Washington.
One of General Grant is under con-
Dtruction.
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 n 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
BILE work, which will surround 1t calls
for payment of $24oo00.
The platform. the pedestal and a
portion OF the embellishments are al
ready in place. The bronze figure OF
General Grant will not be erected for
at 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 a marble
platform 250 feet long and ~ 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 a marble pedestal in the center, and
at.l,t ha from
the bottom step of the platform to the
top of the hat.
From each end of the platform pro-
jects a pedestal rising four feet above
the floor. Upon one of them Will be
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.
Statue to Pulaski.
BY act of congress. approved Feb. ~,
1903, the secretary Of war, the chair
men of the committees on the library
of the two houses and the president or
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. a Polish nobleman, who join
ed the Revolutionary army as volun-
teer in the summer of 1777. bringing
letter to Washington from Benjamin
Franklin.
The Pulaski Legion.
A few days after his arrival occurred
the battle of Brandy wine, In which he
participated with such courage and
military skill that congress immediate
ly voted him a commission as briga-
der general and appointed him to
the command of the colonial cavalry.
He participated in 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 it against
the British until relieved. And Oct. o.
1910, when the combined French and
American forces made their unsuccess-
full attack upon Savannah, then occu-
pied by the British. he commanded the
cavalry.
During the assault he received his
death wound and 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 q bigger bird.
Instead of standing four inches high.
the new presidential eagle is to meas
ure five and three-eighth inches. The
globe is to be reduced from three to
two inches in diameter. War depart
nent officials say things were not
quite symmetrical. so they concluded
to remedy them.
Interesting Old Documents.
Some time ago during houseclean-
ing in the postottice department a num-
Der of autograph letters written by
men famous in American history were
discovered In an old aud battered tile
case The file case had evidently been
considered of no value, for 1t had been
slowed away in "a 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-
mendatioD by Roscoe Conkling written
In 1866. when he was a representative
I'm congress from New York, and by
Horace Greeley. James A. Garfield.
haries Sumner and others of then ma
tional prominence. Among the papers
was the record of the first woman ap-
pointed to the postal service and one
Of the first employed I'm the govern
mental departments in Washington In
any capacity. Another document bore
the written sentiments of a rabid Sc
ressionist who was appointed to office
ON the strength of his 'penmanship
and composition" against which his
hnti- Union sentiments wsre not allow
ed to stand In the way.
The documents are considered as Of
more than ordinary interest Darticu-