Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-04-11

ut Bloody Angle entirely oyershadoWed the light
Ing on the other seven miles Of line along the
battle front ut Spotsylvanla.
After Bloody Angle the exhausted armies
fought no more for nearly week. Then Grant
began sliding" movement toward Richmond and
Lee moved along on parallel lines. In a short
time both armies were on tue North Anna river
out Of the park area. The Union forces had lost
at SnotsyIyana 16,5T7 men and the Confederates
proportionately more, their killed and wounded
being II 5Ss The total losses for both sides In
the fiva battles the park area was 1oa.S1l
The passage of the bill in congress last year
which set aside this area, not as memorial 60
war but as monument to the 100000 who gave
their lives to the nation, marked the elimination
of an effort which began more than thirty years
ago and which had been made by the people OF
both the North and the South. Although the ef'
fort Gas unsuccessful for many years these fields
of battle were places to which thousands Of
Americans made patriotic pigrimages every year
and In the march of modern progress they found
golf balls instead OF cannon balls whzzing across
the fields For famous old Mansfield hall on the
battlefield of Fredericksburg. had become coun-
try club and the game Of golf was being played
over the field once drenched with blood. Cannon
balls which had been unearthed In the vicinity
were used as tee markers. 1t on the porch
of this country club that President Coolidge
stood last fall at the dedication Of the new ma
tiona park. and said: "The unanimous action Of
congress In passing the military parks bill and
the Joint participation Of the people Of both the
North and the South In carrying into effect the
law Is another welcome demonstration In long
line OF events not only that the war Is over but
that reconciliation Is becoming complete"
General plans for the park which are now be-
ing carried forward by the government reveal
that the project Is one Of the greatest OF Its kind
ever undertaken. The builders Of the park pro
pose to strive for beauty. Scores of miles Of fine
roads VIII be built, lined with grass lawns and
abuttIng the trtQches In which the northern and
southern armies net the fields Of Fredericks.
burg. Charlottesville, Spotsylvania and the VIII
derness. Along these roads will be long lanes OF
blossomng trees, cherry trees ,dogwood trees,
japonica and many other specimens, some OF
them very rare, the purpose being to so plant the
trees that at all times of the year when any trees
are In bloom many hundreds of blossoming trees
of one or another variety will offer a colorfu
drive longer and MS beautiful as the famed cher
ry drive at Washington.
The roads will be well built and about the
same width but at spots the roads will swell Into
large parks with beautiful stone or rustic bridges
In imitation of nature and with memorials ant
markers placed upon them. Beside these areas
where the government will build large parks
along the parklike roads, 1t Is expected that states
organizations and individuals will establish parks
on the roads memorials
An effort will be made TO get away from tn,
stilted monuments peculiar TO battlefelds and I,
have placed upon these fields only monument
and markers which have inherent beauty ant
which are to be placed In spots which can b.
mnde attractive and where shrubs and flower
wifi Md charm and there hooks and benches WI
be proylded for those who want to rest. Ever
advantage is TO be taken Of the natural andscap
to Md beauty to the roads and parks. In orde
TINT the battlefield park may not be mprred b.
-tingraeeful monuments or shrnbhery, the fine art
commission In Washington Will pass upon ever
design and nuthifE but these which they anprnr
.4..sIl