The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1923-05-31
Capital City Has
WorthiIy Honored
The Nations Great

1t Is the great number OF federal
statues and structures which strike the
visitor as making Washington differ
ent from any other city. Many of these
bronze statues are of the heroic figures
of the Civil war, Union generals and
admirals, many of them equestrian
statues, on comparatively small gran
lite bases. Some of the older of these
have been criticized by artists as rather
commonplace. Undoubtedly the artis-
tic taste of the people has advanced
during the last generation, resulting
about twelve years ago In the creation
by congress of a fine arts commission
charged with the duty of passing upon
all statues, structures and public
works of art and their erection. This
has brought about a marked improve
ment in both the selection of design
and subjects, and their appropriate
placement with reference to the future
development of Washington, which 1t
is the hope of every one will eventual
ly become the most beautiful city in
the world. The improvement Is seer In
the removal last year from Dupont cir
Gle of a standing bronze statue of Ad-
miral Dupont, of Civil war fame, and
the erection in it's place of an exquisite
memorial fountain with a bronze bas-
relief Of the admiral. Early In April
a memorial was dedicated to General
Meade, commander of the Army of the
Potomac and the hero of Gettysburg,
the turning point in the Civil war. The
group of which the great warrior In
full military uniform is the central fig
ure includes also figures representing
Military Courage, Energy, Fame, 10y
atty, Chivalry and Progress. The
Meade memorial is the gift of the state
of Pennsylvania.
General Grant Statue.
Another great memorial Is the heroic
statue of Grant which was dedicated
with military and civic honors and q
great procession Of 10000 soldiers and
members OF organizations marching In
line. This memorial had been building
since 1902 at a cost of more than S240,-
900, and it ranks as n Of the greatest
of war memorials of the world. The
grim figure of the Union commander
in-chief sits his horse in characteristic
attitude on a lofty pedestal, 40 feet In
height, fanked by lions, and further to
the right and left by two heroic groups
of subordinate %statuary, the fighting
arms of the great army, the cavalry
and the artillery. The height of the
bronze horse and the figure Of Grant
Is IL feet, and its weight is 10000
pounds. With M exception, 1t is the
largest equestrian statue In the world,
yet so perfect are the proportions Of
the entire group that 1t appears entire
ly natural. One can study for hours
the grim grandeur Of the Grant statue
and the spirit of war as portrayed In
the plunging horses of the cavalry
group and the tremendous action de
picted in the artillery charge, and mar
vel at the achievement.
Sculptors Great Work.
The Grant memorial has been the
lifework of the sculptor, Henry Mer-
win Shrady. His father, DR.. George f.
Shrady, had been the attending physi- :
clan upon General Grant during his |
last illness, and out of this personal ac-
young Shrady had listened
20 vivid accounts Of the achievements ]
If the great general. For some time
he form which his design should take |
perplexed Shrady, and well it
night, for here was to be erected a !
,reat memorial by the congress of the |
United States to cost a quarter of a
dollars, and in the capital OF !
he United States, to commemorate the /
of many battles in the conflict
or the preservation of the Union, and
Who had won the battle that ended the
var But, inspired by the thought,
conceived the idea Of a monu-
mental marble platform nearly 300
ieet in length, with Ulysses S. Grant
N horseback at a height of some forty
'eet in the center, two great bronze
ions on either side guarding the flag,
md a group of cavalrymen in action
m the right and a dashing artillery
on the left. With this concep-
lon he went to work nearly twelve
ears ago. Shrady died, after a physl-
al breakdown from the many years Oh
tfort In completing the great memo
tal. 1t was his lifework-
III