Evening star., 1926-01-03
Capital Sidelights

Establishment of q memorial park
on the site of "The Gettysburg of
the West" is being urged by Repre-
sentative Edgar c. Ellis of Kansas
City, Mo-, with the support of many
historical and patriotic organizations.
His measure Is pending before the
House committee on military affairs
and he hopes to get hearing upoT.
1t next month.
Huston Crittenden, curator of the
Missouri Valley Historical Society
and son of former famous Gov
ernor of Missouri. who Is here to
out that the decisive battle OF
Westport with its preliminary skir-
mishes. October 21, 22 and %. 1864,
was the most important engagement
west of the Mississippi River and
marked the end of the "Transmissds-
sippj Army" under Maj. Gen. Ster-
ling Price.
. The Union forces were under Maj.
Gen. Alfred s. Pleasanton, U. 5. A,
commanding the Army of the De-
partment of the Missouri" and Maj.
Gen. Samuel r. Curtis, U. S. A. De-
partment Of Kansas, commanding the
Army Of the Border" In this en-
gagement were troops from eight
different States-Missouri, Kansas,
Arkansas, Iowa, Wisconsin. Colorado.
Texas and Illinois-and the members
of Congress from those States are
cooperating with Mr.. Ellis to get
favorable action on his legislative
proposal. Although there was a vast
difference in the numbers engaged
In the Gettysburg of the East and
in the Gettysburg of the West the
result was the same-each ended
the Civil War in it's respective ter
ritory and brought peace to the
strife-torn sections.
President Lincoln realized that Mis-.
souri's attitude meant much in his
plan to preserve the Union and kept in
close touch with the situation in that
state, Mr.. Crittenden emphasizes. The
decision of Kentucky and Maryland
hinged largely on what course Mis-
souri, would take. If those three bor-
der States had seeded the final result
might have been far different.
The field of the Gettysburg of the
West" comprises Ill acres, which is
now a beautiful park in the center of
the best residential district. with an
artificial lake, and has for some years
been occupied by a golf course; but II
is threatened with being cut up into
building sites. 1t can now be pur-
chased. Representative Ellis says, for
$500. 900
The Middle Western members are
pointing to the other great National
military parks-Gettysburg. 24.460
acres; Shiloh, 3,547 acres: Vicksburg.
1922 acres: Chickamauga and Chatta-
nooga, 5,733 acres, and Antietam bat
tlefield, 40 acres. They say, why
not Westport-1l0 acres?"
During the last Congress approval
was given by Congress and President
Coolidge to q bill authorizing the Sec
etary of War TO appoint commission
to investigate and report on the feast
bility and cost of establishing a ma
tional military park commemorative
Of the battle of Westport. After in
specting the battlefield and making a
close study of maps and records of
the commanding officers on both sides,
this commission unanimously agreed
that all the evidence is conclusive
that more fighting occurred on and
around the old Seth Ward farm than
any other part of the battle-ground,
and l10 acres of this old farm COM
prises the Kansas City County Golf
Club. 1t is on the great National
Highway. the Santa Fe trail, where
sightseers en- route to the Pacific
Coast could visit 1t.
On the administrations relief for
the farmers" program there is no
stancher administration supporter
than Representative John C. Ketcham
of Michigan, who is an expert on the
subject of what the farmers need. be.
cause for years he was master of the
Michigan State Grange and lecturer
FOR the National Grange. Also, the
betterment Of home life on the farm
s household byword with this Michi-
gan legislator. because he married a
nome demonstration agent, daughter
of former Representative s. A. Shell,
his theme for years and knows both
sides Of 1.-THE farmers and that of
the farmers wife and family.
Some of the new members of Con.
gress have been lost in the labyryn.
THAN windings Of corridors in the
massive Capitol Building. Still more
OF them, showing constituents about
have found they must study up on
data about the Capitol
To meet these needs, David LYNN
architect of the Capitol, has prepared
authoritative data giving facts and fig
ures about the United States Capitol
as follows:
Area of Capitol Building. 153,112
square feet; area Of floors of CapitoI
lover IA acres), e27,334 square feet
area of site of Senate Office Building
2eS,975 square feet; area of site OF
House Office Building. 207.779 square
feet; area of site of Capitol power
plant. 274.761 square feet: area OF
Capitol grounds, 5S.S acres; corner
stone of United States Capitol laid
September Is. 1898; corner stone OF
extensions laid July 4. 1851; central
portion old Capitol commenced 1918
central portion old Capitol completed
1927: Capitol burned by the British
August "a. 1914; Capitol. north wing
completed told building), 1900: Capitol
south, wing. completed told building)
1911; cost Of Capitol Building, $14,
000. 900: cost Of Capitol power plan,
and waterway. $1.55s.372.o6; cost o.
House once Building, including site
369 $685.; cost OF Senate Office Build
ing. including site and approaches
$4,512, ,251.os: cost Of Senate and House
subways, 1897 900; cubic contents
United States Capitol Building, 1880.
$50 cubic feet: diameter Of rotunda, 81
feet inches; height of Capitol Plaza
above level Of Potomac River, So feet
height Of Statue Of Freedom above
east base line of Capitol, 2S7 feet 51k
lnCncS' nelSnt OF statue or freedom
10 feet 6 inches: height from rotunds
floor to top Of canopy. 1s0 feet :
inches; length Of Capitol Building, rs.
feet inches; present House of Repre-
sentatives first occupied. December Is
1887: present Senate chamber first oc
cupied, January 4, 1859: number o.
rooms In Capitol Building. 430; mum
ber Of rooms in House once Buildins
available for ONCE and committee pur
poses, 4S2; number Of rooms in Senat,
ONCE Building available for office ans
committee purposes. 283; rooms In ter
races, 93; seating capacity of CALLER,
Of House Of Representatives, 6l6
seating capacity of Senate gallery, 6S2
Statue of Freedom placed in position
December 2, 1863; width of Capito