Evening star., 1925-03-10

ly unite the North with the South,
thousands of our people would visit
Arlington who do not now do so by
reason of the distance and expense"
Personnel of Committee.
At that time Theodore w. Noyes
was chairman of the committee on
bridges, Of which the other members
were: ]. B. Wight, Frank Hume, F.
r. Fava, J. G.. Slater and G. b.
Church.
Jumping to the fifth annual re-
port. made in November. 1895, the
committee on bridges, then composed
Of r. Ross Perry, c. j. Bell and w.
Ruley Deeble reported that during
the year it has given attention to the
securing of memorial bridge acrpss
the Potomac, and bills providing for
such structure were introduced into
both houses of the last Congress. A
favorable report was made upon the
House bill by the committee on in
terstate and foreign commerce. The
committee on bridges will have the
bill introduced into both houses of the
next Congress-
The committee on bridges also re-
marked that "the thanks of the Board
of Trade are due to Representative
George ID. Wise, Chairman of the
House committee on interstate and
foreign commerce, and to the majori-
ty OF its members for the patient and
repeated hearings given to your COM
mittee In advocacy OF the memorial
bridge and for the interest which they
showed in the matter"
That year the committee on bridges
was composed OF r. Ross Perry,
chairman; S II. Kaufman, William
b. Webb. Beriah wilkins. Frederick
b. Mcclure, Frederick c. Stephens
and Charles w. Needham.
Vigorous Fight in 1898.
Attention cannot be called to all of
the annual reports of the board for
lack OF space, but again in November,
1898, is found the project of ma
tional memorial bridge across the Po-
tomac has during the year received
the enthusiastic Endorsement of the
Grand Army of the Republic" Theo-
dore w. Noyes, who was then presi-
dent, said, in his report: Il heartily
indorse the recomme n dation of Wig
orous campaign in behalf of the me-
mortal bridge"
r. Ross Perry was then chairman
of the committee on bridges and in
cluded on his committee we've Beriah
wilkins. Frank Hume. Frederick G..
Stevens. Frederick B. Mcclure, Charles
w. Needham. Joseph E. willard, John
w. Schaefer, Albert l.. Sturtevant,
Thomas r. Jones, Marcus Baker. Will
liam Gettinger and James T. Petty.
Again, in the ninth annual report,
November, 1899. when John Joy Ed
son was president, he reported that
the prospects for the construction of
the memorial bridge have never been
brighter Through the efforts of the
committee on bridges, of which r.
Ross Perry is chairman, an appropria-
tion has been made of $4,000 for a
survey and plans for this bridge, and
elaborate and Interesting reports
have been submitted by Gen. Wilson
and Col Allen, in pursuance of this
legislation.
Progress or Movement.
At the last session of Congress an
appropriation of $4,000 was mad
for competitive designs of a me-
mortal bridge, and plans of four of
the leading bridge building archi-
tects of the country will be ready
by January /.
National sentiment in favor of
the memorial bridge has manifested
itself through the action not only of
officials but OF the Grand Army of
the Republic, of Confederate Veter-
ans, of boards of trade and of private
citizens generally, which demands
that this memorial bridge be con-
structed, connecting the National
Capital with the final resting place
of the heroic dead of the Union"
In the Looking Forward" program
for the year 1900. just a quarter of a
century ago, setting forth matters of
"surpassing Importance" there was
emphasized: "Co-operation in intelli-
gent and energetic provision for
celebrating the centennial of 1900,
including as a vital feature of the
ceremonies the laying of the corner
stone of the memorial bridge, or
other suitable memorial structure
previously authorized by Congress"
And the program also proposed
building of the memorial bridge as
an independent project IL not adopted
as the centennial memorial struc-