The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-18

washington, IL. L., aug. 4o.-Ao
Arlington Mansion, bare and
gloomy since Lee rode away. again
to be turned into the semblance OF
q beautiful colonial home. with It's
relics. Of Washington. Cnstls ana
Leo restored?
Arlington was stripped OF ita SOU
vcrirs Ok George Washington, It's
works Of art, and its furniture IN
tho exciting Civil war days. Price
less relics, left unguarded, were
somehow stolen by vandal camp
followers. Soldiers quarteTed
about the grounIs had opportunity
TO buy for a song, or even to take
without price, souvenirs to send
back home What was left OF the
Washington things was finally car
ried to a museum in the Paten. of
flee, whence the exhibits later
found their way into the National
museum and to Mount Vernon.
General Meigs, once Robert E.
Lees intimate friend, was SO en-
Filtered by Lees allegiance to his
state that he vowed that never
again should the mansion be used
as the Lee homestead. To insure
this, he ordered graves dug on the
grounds for the Union dead, and
Arlington became a national ceme-
terry, with the mansion deserted,
save for certain rooms set aside for
the use Of the superintendent of the
cemetery.
Meigs' VOW will always hold. The
mansion can never again be the
real colonial home left by Lee s
family. Thousands of stones dot
the lawns Of the Arlington estate,
even close to the homestead. But
Arlington Mansion can be made
into a museum, like Mount YER
non. of great historic value and
sentimental interest. The idea of
attempting this has been proposed
by Virginia chapter of the United
Daughters Of the Confederacy, and
the plan is to be discussed at the
annual convention of the organiza-
tior. in October. If the project is
approved there, it must then b.
submitted to the government
If the Daughters of the Confed-
eracy agree in the desire to restore
Arlington House and take care OF
a collection there, there is no rea-
son to think that congress would
refuse consent. Arlington is close
" associated not alone with Lee,
the southern hero, bu- with many
famous earlier characters, such as
Lafayette and George Washington
Parke Gusts, Washington's adopt
ed son.
This GUSTS was the builder of
Arlington House. In 1902, soon
after Mrs. Washington's death, he
left Mount Vernon and superin-
tended the building of a home for
himself on HOO acres of ground be-
longing to him at Arlington, Vir-
GINA The residence he planned
was similar to a Greek temple, with
eight of the huge pillars so admir-
ed by the CoIoniaIs, used to form a
portico.
GUSTS ordered the house set on
the brow of hill so that it would
overlook the capital. The portico
at ArlingLn offers what is perhaps
the most beautiful outlook on the
city of Washington. Lafayette, Wis
ting Mr.. Gusts at Arlington, de-
clared it one of the most beauti-
full views he had ever looked upon. |
And another visitor of seventy
years ago wrote:
Fro mthe Dortico a brilliant pan
Drama is presented The capitol, |
executive mansion, Smithsonian in |
ztitute, the growing magnificent
monument, and almost |
every house in the federal city may
be seen at a glance from this point, |
while between them and Arlington |
aows the bright flood of the Pc !
.omac."
In his new home, George Wash |
ngton Parke Gusts dispensed the /
same lavish hospitality that had /
been the rule at Mount Vernon. His |
louse was furnished with taste and !
elegance. Many relics and fur /,
of Mount Vernon were :
eft to him and transferred to Ar
ington. and these were cherished !
~ Gusts and his guests as things !
which the first president had ued |
The war tent which Washington !
,arried throughout the Revolution
vas SO greatly treasured that when !
1ustis wished signally to honor !
my visitors he had the war tent
}itched on the lawn and received
hem in it. This tent is now In
lass case in the National museum.
'he brown cloth is folded in sew t
raj bundles, and the poles lie OF
OPP.