Omaha daily bee., 1915-05-30
BATTLE ABBEY OF
CONFEDERATES OPEN
Southern Veterans Will Inspect New
Memorial Institute During En-
campment This Week,
BUILDING NEARLY COMPLETED

RICHMOND. Va, May 29,-(Spe-
cial.)-The Confederate Memorial
institute. known as the Battle Alb
hey, has been opened for in
spection in connection with the
United Confederate Veterans re-
union. which is to be held here June
to 8. The institute forms an in
teresting part of the collection of
permanent memorials of the civil
war. its promoters having had in
mind the memorializing of the part
played by the South in the great
war events of fifty years ago.
The building. completion of which
awaits the return of the artist,
Charles Roffbauer, from the Europ-
can war, stands in the western part
of Richmond, in the center of five
acre park, a gift from the state of
Virginia. Ground for the structure
was broken January l. 1912, and the
cornerstone was laid the following
May. The building is located on a
raised terrace, a broad flight Of stone
steps thanked on either side by a
balustrade, leading from the en-
trance to the lower levels of the ter
race.
Description of BUILDING.
The structure which is faced through
out with Indiana limestone. consists o.
a central pavilion, with wing on each
side. the total length being $50 feet and
the height from the terrace level to the
top OF the parapet being forty-four feet.
At the main entrance is portico OF
four stone columns of Roman-Ionic de-
sign, twenty-five feet in height Tho
two wings on the outside are divided
into panels by means OF pilasters OF
slight projection and below the cornice
are large stones, which, II is planned
will be transformed into carved panels
to serve as memorials of some OF the
great events which the building Is de-
signd to commemorate.
The hall in the south wing VIII De
known as the Memorial room, Tor the
decoration of which Thomas F. Ryan OF
New York and Virginia, contributed
large sum. Mr.. Hoffbauer has been en-
saged to decorate the walls Of this room
with paintings illustrative OF the clvil
war. but has not completed his work. The
north wing Of the institute Will be USED
as a library on one side viii hang Il
large uainting of Thomas Jefferson and
his cabinet, as well as the portraits Oh
ali the war governors. The association
intends to make the collection Of pictures
and hooks in the library of great historic
value.
Treatment of the park surrounding the
institute to make the grounds as essen
tally a part Of the memorial as the build
ing itself. is planned by those In charge
NJ the work. The design of the court OF
honor includes central panel OF turf
with recesses for statues at the sides ana
ends they being outlined by box border
between which will be ground cover
Of ivy. leading to double rows OF masno-
las. the foliage OF which will make the
great frame for the side Of the court.
Charles Rouss Ia Founder.
To Charles Broadway Rouss is attrib-
uted the credit for having conceived the
,dea. of the Confederate Memorial insti-
tute. At the veterans reunion IN Hous-
ton. Tex, In 1895. Mr.. Rouss Offered TO
give 100000 for the erection Of me-
mortal hall IL the southern people would
contribute an equal amount. The offer
was accepted, a committee appointed and
the committee made its report at the re-
union In Richmond in 1898 The following
veterans, many of whom since have died,
were appointed charter members and
trustees of the memorial association;
Colonel John b. Cary, Virginia; Colonel
Robert White, West Virginia.. Colonel
Thomas S. Kenan. North Carolina; Colo
mel q. H. league. South Carolina; GEN
eral ]. B. Briggs, Kentucky; General
Clement A. Evans, Georgia; ]. S. Cha1e-
ron, Louisiana: ]. Il. Mcintosh, Missis-
sippi; John o. easier. Oklahoma; Gem
eraI w. II. jackson. Tennessee; Captain
John H. Mickey. Washington. d. c.;
Colonel w. d. Chipley. Florida; General
John Gill. Maryland A. S. Asbury. Mis-
souri, William p. Campbell. Arkansas;
l.. S. Ross. Texas; d. NJ. HALEY, Indian
Territory, and Colonel A G.. Dickinson.
New York.
The charter obtained from the state OF
Mississippi in August, 1896, provided that
the institute should be under the auspices
OF the United Confederate Veterans
Richmond was selected as the location
for the memorial in 1897.
RERI IN PAPER EXPOSES