Evening star., 1923-05-27

quarters, while the grounds were
turned into camp. Later a hos
pitaf was established on the estate.
Owing TO the fact that other avail
able cemeteries were not Of sufficient
sise to afford burial places for the
dead. Arlington. by order Of Quarter
master General Meigs. was taken
over as military cemetery. The
first soldier to be buried In Arlington
was Confederate prisoner who had
passed away in the hospital
year before the war ended. in
1884. Arlington was sold for delin-
duent taxes. the government buying
II for about $4,000 Thirteen years
later, George Washington custis Lee,
the heir under the Custis will. pre-
pared and established his legal title
to the property: the matter was taken
UP with the federal authorities. and
his claim adjusted by the United
States paying him the sum of $780,
600, thus giving the government a
clear title to the property.
Arlington. the national cemetery, is
not kept in the condition that II
should be. There is no criticism Of
the management. 1t endeavors to
keep It In hrst.class condition, but
the appropriation provided for the
purpose and the sver-increasing num-
Der of graves, make ii impossible to
keep the grounds in the best condi-
tion, but there 10 little doubt that the
next Congress. when IL learns Of the
needs, will appropriate an adequate
amount.
IRON the staff before the historic
i mansion floats. every day in the
year, the Stars and Stripes. At the
close of the day the sunset gun of
Fort Myer gives the signal for the
lowering OF the flag.
In the garden IS the Temple of
Fame. an open. circular colonnade.
On the cornice are the names of
washington. Lincoln. Grant and Far
rasut. and on the columns are those
Of Meade. Mcpherson. Thomas. Gar
field. Mansfield. Humphreys. Reynolds
and sedswick.
There is a beautiful sylvan temple
where the services Of Memorial day
were formerly held. These are now
held in the beautiful memorial amphi-
thsater. One Of the most impressive
sights Of Arlington is the Fields of
the Dead. Here are headstones. row
after row. set in military precision.
over a sleeping army of $4,000, as if
awaiting the order Of review. The
stones are Of simple pattern. the
kind that in 1872 was adopted for all
national cemeteries. Near are the
newer stones that mark the resting
places OF those who fought in the
war with Spain and those who gave
their lives in the world war. The
older slabs are weathered and are
feeling the fight OF time.
There 10 another memorial. II is
the monument 90 the unknown dead
and here are buried 2,11f nameIess
soldiers who rest in one common
grave. Above them is no individual
block Of marble. They repose with
no word Of their achievement, other
than that they died for their coun-
try
The memorial amphitheater. which
was provided through the efforts Of
the Grand Army OF the Republic, as
a memorial to our dead, provides an
assembly place for those who gather
on the 30th of May to pay their.
respects to our departed heroes. The
great white marble structure covers
$4,000 square feet and has q seating
capacity Of 5000, while there Is space
for about 1900 more in the colon
nades. In addition, there Is a stage
where about 100 may be accommo-
dated. From the eastern facade one
views the Capital City. Just across
the roadway is the tomb Of the un-
known soldier. To the west of the
aniphitheater is the mast of the
Maine. a tribute to those who lost
their lives in Havana -harbor.
From the fields Of the sunny south.
from the far away Pacific islands,
from the fields Of France and other
foreign battlefelds our dead have
been brought home to sleep s'neath
the shadows Of their capitol.