The Washington herald., 1920-05-10
big MEMORIAL
is COMPLETED
Magnificent Amphitheatre,
Honoring Soldier Dad.
Ready for Dedication.
| WORK OF GRAND ARMY
Services Next Saturday viii
Be elimination Of Years
Of Endeavor.
WORK OF GRAND ARMY
~ MRS. ISABEL woRRELL BALL.

- 1A&S. AsAhEsL "OhhELL BALL
The magnificent memorial amphi-
theater at Arlington Is now COM
pieted and the dedication will take
place next Saturday. May IS.
The Department of the Potomac,
Grand Army of the Republic. has
been trying for forty years to make
Arlington the Westminster Abbey
OF the United States, and at last il
has succeeded.
In Arlington there is a sadly pa
thatic memorial known as The
Tomb of the Unknown" where are
sepulchured 2.111 bodies of soldiers
gathered from lonely forests, fence
corners and from shallow graves on
the battlefelds about Washington,
identihed only by uniform. belt
buckles and buttons as Union SOL
world.
II will be seen that Arlington and
the eighty-four other National Gem
eteries stand unique in the way of
national memorial to the soldier
ueAd OF nation. These National
cemeteries were established by acr
the Thirty-seventh Congress, in
MAY, 1852. This act gave the "Presf-
ueht power to purchase cemetery
grounds to be used as a National
cemetery for soldiers who shall die
IN the service of the country" when
ever in his opinion it should be
necessary.
$4,000 Appropriated.
On July 2S. 1866. the first annr,-
priatlon Of $4,000 for purchase of
cemetery sites was made.
IN the Second Session of the Forty
second Congress, the Secretary of
war was empowered to select super
lhtendents of National cemeteries.
from meritorious and Trustworthy
soldiers. either commissioned officers
or enlisted men.
At the time of establishing ma
tional cemeteries it was established
also that all those inferred there
must nave an honorable discharge
rom the service of the United
Gettysburg was the first national
cemetery; established in 1853 and
dedicated by President Lincoln in
MS immortal address. now a classic.
me governors of the States whose
soldier dead lie in Gettysburg pur-
chased the land and gave it to Penn
sylVanta. In turn the government
TOOK II over in 1870. 1t had been
known far and wide as the Soldiers
National Cemetery"
EstabIished During War.
Arlington National Cemetery was
practically established May I3. 1854,
ONer 5000 soldiers who had died in
and around Washington had filled
the Soldiers Home Cemetery. Lin
coin had started out on that morn
ing to visit the various hospitals and
speak cheering word to his boys"
Arlington at that time was one vast
hospital. When the President and
Ouartermaster Gen. Meigs reached
Arlington. just at sunset. twelve
bodies were awaiting interment.
Quartermaster Gen. Meigs in des-
peration. and with the consent of
the President, ordered the bodies
buried on the Arlington estate; so
Arlington became the second ma
tional cemetery.
The ground had very few owners,
and its title is easy to trace. 1t
was grant to Robert Howser, in
1853. and he named it for the Earl
of Arlington. The next owners were
chased by John Parke Custis. son of
Martha Washington by her first hus-
band. He gave it to his son, George
Washington Parke Custis. In 1857
his will gave Arlington to his only
daughter, Mary Ann Randolph Gus
tbs. who married Robert L. Lee.
The United States government
paid him s15O.OOO for an estate
valued at $4,000 by the assessor~in
1850. The United States had bought
Arlington for $4,000 in 1864 on a
tax sale. so that Arlington, never
the property of Robert Z. Lee, cost
the United States $176.OOO.
Plea for AmphItheater.
1t was about 1902 that the De-
rartment of the Potomac. Grand
Army of the Republic. began to
plead for an amphitheater large
enough to accommodate Memorial
Day crowds and of a dignity to COM
port with the national character of
Arlington.
The. movement was started by
Judge Ivory G. kimball, department
commander. He interested many
prominent comrades, among them
capt. o. II. OIdroyd. and Maj. F.. II.
Hodgson OF the Spanish War Vet
Grams.
After ten years F. d. Owen was
asked by Judge Kimball to submit
designs for marble memorials which
owen, at once interested. proceeded