Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-08
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p, KENNEDY.

washington Is known the world
over as a city which pays unequaleo
tribute to the Nations heroes In bronze.
Public squares are adorned by statues,
many Of them equestrian, Of great SOL
diers. Nearest to the Capitol Is the
monster Grant Memorial situated in the
old Botanic Garden, but which will soon
have an elaborate setting facing the
new Union Square and vista down
the Mall to Washington Monument and
the Lincoln Memorial. Close by, look
ing down Maryland avenue is the Gar
field statue, erected with SIS 900 raised
by the Army of the Cumberland, with
a contribution of $4,000 made by Con-
gress. 1t was unveiled May IL, 1887.
At the foot of the Capitol Hill, on
Pennsylvania avenue, where the great
paradeS begin, and facing west toward
the White House, is what Is known as
the Peace Monument" It was erected
with contributions made by soldiers and
sailors Of the United States and some
civilians, aided by an appropriation by
Congress. The sculpture work was doEe
in Rome by Franklin Simmons, OF Car
rara marble. 1t was unveiled without
ceremonies in 1877.
In the square at Connecticut avenue
and street stands the statue Of Ad-
miral Farragut. 1t is Of bronze and
old Hartford, Admiral Farraglt's nag
ship. 1t was designed by Mrs. Winnie
Rearn Hoxie and was cast at the Wash
ington Navy Yard. It was erected by
Congress at q cost Of $4,000 and was
unveiled April as, 1881, with o great
military and naval display.
In the square at the intersection OF
Vermont avenue and Fifteenth street
Is the equestrian statue OF Gen: James
B. Mcpherson. The money for the
statue itself was contributed by the
Army Of the Tennessee, while Congress
appropriated for the pedestal. The
statue was unveiled during the tenth
| annual reunion of the Society OF the
| Army of the Tennessee, on October ID,
1876. The late Gen. John A. Logan
was orator of the occasion.
Gen. Thomas, hero of Chickamauga, Is
remembered with an equestrian statue
, OF bronze in the circle at the inter-
section Of Massachusetts, avenue, Ver-
mont avenue and Fourteenth street.
| This statue cost $4,000 and was erect
It was modelled by j. @. A. Ward. There
was an impressive military demonstra-
ton on the day 1t was unveiled, No.
vember 10, 1879. Stanley Matthews
delivered the grafton.
At the intersection of Connecticut
avenue, Massachusetts avenue and
Nineteenth street was erected the
bronze figure of Rear Admiral Francis
| Dupont, unveiled December TO- 1884.
1t was designed by Launt Thompson of
Ph1ladelphia, and with its pedestal
cost $4,000, appropriated by Congress.
Senator Thomas r. Bayard Of Delaware
delivered the grafton.
The gallant Gen. John A. Rawlins,
Grants chief of stan and secretary dur
ing the campaign that ended at Apo
mattox, and who was serving as Secretary
OF War when he died in 1859, Is COM
nemoriated in bronze with figure feet
high representing this great soldier In
the uniform Of his rank, standing In the
field. It was erected in 1874 on the
south side of Pennsylvania avenue near
| Ninth street, where it stood for many
years until 1t was recently removed to
make way for the new Archives Build
ing, and has been relocated in a park
named In honor of Gen. Rawlins, on
the line Of New York avenue, between
Eighteenth and Nineteenth streets.
Winfield Scott is mennorialized in an
equestrian statue erected in the circle
at the intersection Of Sixteenth and N
streets, Massachusetts, and Rhode Is
land avenues. Congress appropriated
$4,000 for this monument, which was
unveiled in 1874.
The bronze equestrian statue to the
memory Of Gen. Winfield Scott Han
cock at Pennsylvania avenue and
Seventh street, was unveiled in May
1895. 1t cost about $4,000. There was
a notable military demonstration when
1t was unveiled, in command of Gen
Nelson A. Miles. President Cleveland
Species 5"s0f 'n'f Oh Illinois made
1
with the historical and other valu.
Sble records Of the United States Cow
eminent about to be overhauled and
restored for proper preservation in thS
new Archives Building, which is to be
one OF the most attractive features OF
the entire Federal building program.
the wretched condition of deterioration
In which many of the Government rec
ords are found through lack of proper
care In the past has been emphasized.
AS result. the United States Bureau
OF Standards has been making a special
study, and Director George K. Burgess
reports that satisfactory progress is be-
ing made for the preservation of writ
ten and printed records.
Thorough tests Of the relative per-
manence of the current commercial
writing and printing papers have beer
completed. These indicate that there
are papers made from both rag and
wood fibers which are suitable for anv
required degree OF permanence, pro-
vided the papers are stored under ia
vorable conditions. A classification of
papers relative to the varying degree
the grading being in accordance with
their degree Of cellulosic and non-cel-
lulosic purity This is apparently the
significant factor in respect to deteri-
grafton.
Tests also have been made of more
than 1000 old publications that have
been stored in public libraries for va
rying periods during the past 100 years.
These tests, like those Of the current pa
pers reveal the Importance of fiber pur-
ity. Papers containing crude fibers, such
as ground wood and unbleached fibers
were generally brittle and yellow, while
those containing nbers well purified bv
chemical treatment were generally in
good condition.
The results Of q survey Of 80 public
Libraries and similar repositories In the
United States indicate that acid pollu-
ton Of the atmosphere is the chief ex-
ternal deteriorating influence. SULPHUR
gases from combustion Of fuels, high
temperatures, variations In atmospheric
humidity, light and dust are among
the principal causes. Laboratory stud
les Of these influences have been mi.
tiated Exposure Of papers to an at.
mosphere containing sulphur dioxid
has shown this gas (Which is a product
of ordinary combustion) to be a yerv
potent deteriorating agent. Rosin siz-
Ing materials used in paper manufac-
ture were discolored on exposure to
light, which Is further evidence that
they are one cause Of discoloration of
paper.
! report says. ut would seem good BUSH