The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1915-09-30

they saw it in the stirring period OF
the civil war. Looking backward
throngh the vista of memory they
viii compare the mud-coated road
wayS OF then with the fine concreted
roadways of now. The unfinished
Capitol of the COS with a host OF
workmen engaged on the structure
and great piles of marble blocking
the Capitol parks, will be compared
to the finished product of today. The
magnificent Library of Congress bull
ding, will appear as vision of beau
ty on ground where history was be-
ing made at the beginning of the civil
war. Near by is a relic of the Civil
war period-the old Capitol prison.
This structure has been transformed
into a modern residence, but the orig
inal architecture remains, and the
old soldiers will recall barred win
dows, screeching doors and tramping
of sentries of the war dogs. At the
foot of Capitol Hill the visitors will
find a beautiful memorial erected as
a tribute to their sacrifice, valor in
winning one of the greatest wars in
the annals of history. This memorial
is the National Peace Monument at
First Street and Pennsylvania avenue
and within a stones throw of the site
of the splendid monument to be erect
ed in honor of the great warrior, Gen.
U. S. Grant. A few rods farther
south is the fine monument erected
to Gen. James A. Garfield. Among
remaining landmarks of old Washing
ton when the civil war was in prog
ress are the Pension Office and the
Custis-Lee Mansion at Arlington.
Some of the more recent structures
which will be of intense interest to
the fighting men of the COS are the
magnificent National Museum the De-
partment of Agriculture, State, War
and Navy building, City Postoffice, the
Postoffice Department and the great
white home of the District of Column
bia government. The White House in
which Abraham Lincoln presided in
the eventful days of the civil war has
o. number of changes, but
in the main it retains it's general APP
pearance, as does the Smithsonian
Institute. The Washington Monu-
ment, which was incomplete when the
soldiers of the nation were thronging
to Washington in response to the call
for volunteers in 1861, has been com
pleted, and is surrounded by magnifi-
cent grounds, being an important
part of the qualifications of the pic
turesque speedway which winds
about the public buildings and along
the shore of the historic Potomac.
The Washington Monument bears on
its base the "low water mark" where
work upon it's structure ceased just
about the beginning of the civil war.
The structure of unusual interest to
the visiting veterans will be the Uni
ted States Pension Office, said to be
the greatest brick structure in the
world, and being girdled by bas relief
panoramic representations of the va
rious branches of the armies engaged |
IN the civil war. JAS. SAMPLE.
Congressman Sam Sells office In
he House Office Building, Washing
ton, D. c., is open all the time wheth-
er congress is in session or not. The |
writer of Veterans Column and Home
Notes while attending the National |
of the G. A. R., enjoyed |
he privilege of his office. The Hon. |
Grant Jarvis, most courteous gen.
'leman, is in charge and would be
pleased to meet all corners.
While here we learned that Con-
gresham Sells had more than fifty
pension claims allowed through the
Pension Bureau since adjournment of
Congress.
United STATES SOLDIERS HOME.
In the picturesque suburbs of
is the United States Sol
iiers' Home, founded March 8, 1861.
n comprehensive book written by
he late Lieutenant John r. p. Foster,
is stated that an act of congress
vas passed and approved ito found
| military home for relief and sup
oort of invalid and disabled soldiers
# the Army of the United States"
FOR years before this the principal /
ulcers of the Army. especially Maj
Zen. Winfield Scott had given the sub
ect attention, and had made special I,
fforts to procure the needed legisla- Il
ion, AS early as eb. 81, 1929, re-
'ort was made by the Committee on !.
Military Affairs in Congress upon the
ubject of establishing an "army asy-
um fund" and submitting letters
rom the Major-G General commanding
he Army and other officers of the /
lrmy, containing an. expression of
heir views in relation thereto. In !,
'ebruary, 1910. Gen. Robt Anderson /
then Captain and Assistant Adju- /
U. S. Army, embodied /
! a letter 10 Hon. John Reynolds his