Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-05

House, home Of Robert z. Lee,
as authorized by an act Of
Il Congress approved March 4,
1925, has been virtually COM
pleted.
The task Of restoring the furniture
and fittings that were in the mansion
before the Civil War, however, has
the articles have been returned to
Mount Vernon, from whence they
originally came.
The purpose Of the work, as set forth
In the act, is to restore as far as may
be practicable the appearance Of the
mansion to the condition Of its occu-
pancy by the Lee family
Sponsored by Cramton.-
It Is interesting that this act Of Con-
gress was fathered by former Repre-
gan. whose father fought In the Union
forces, but who had great admiration
for Gen Lee. The preamble emphasizes
that 1.-The era Of internecine strife
among the States has yielded to one OF
better understanding of common loyalty
and of more perfect Union" and that
now honor Is accorded Robert e. Lee
as one Of the great military leaders OF
history, whose exalted character, noble
life and eminent service are recognized
and esteemed"
The mansion structure was erected
in 1903. Its restoration Is practically
completed, Lieut.. Col. Charles G. Nor
timer of the Army Engineer Corps, VINO
Is in charge of this work, points out,
but few pieces Of the furniture and
fittings that were in the house prior
to the Civil War have been replaced,
since most Of these came originally
from Mount Vernon and have found
their way back there. Many excellent
duplicates Of furniture and fittings are
being procured and the work OF re.
claiming the historic gardens Is well
under way.
"Inasmuch as most Of the furnishings
originally came from Mount Vernon at
the beginning Of the nineteenth CEN
tury," Col. Mortimer said, land only
furniture Of that or earlier date is
permissible, except where we know
other furniture and fittings were In the
mansion at the time Lee lived there
our processes are slow and are being
carried along without any effort to
rush through this assignment, because
we are on the alert to avoid any errors:
THE building was erected out OF
farm, which was originally 6,000-acre
estate, but had been cut down to 1,1OO
acres. About the time Of the surren.
der at Yorktown the estate descended
TO- George Washington Parke Gusts
and on the death Of his grandmother,
in 1902, he moved to Arlington and
started building the mansion III 1903.
Had Washington Relics.
"He took with him many washington
relics which he had inherited by the
,-an - pa mall
quite o bit Of furniture which he
bought at the auction sale Of Washing
tons household effects at Mount YER
non. So the original furnishings OF
the house were largely relics OF George
washington that came from Mount
Vernon. Among these were Washing
toms tent, his field chest and the old
iron money chest and other relics now
In the National Museum.
when the Civil War came on IN
1851, when Mrs. Lee started packing up
to 60 South, she had q great deal Of
the furniture hauled away, and had
other articles stored in the basement,
including Washington relics.
80 far as the furniture and fur
nishings are concerned there is very
little originally in the Arlington Man
sion that Is now obtainable to put back
there. A good deal Of It Is in the Ma
tional Museum. Much Of the furniture
has been restored to Mount Vernon, in
GLIDING the bed in which George WASH
ington died. The greater part OF the
balance Is in the hands Of Lee heirs
who are unwilling to part with 1t. More
is In Mount Vernon than anywhere
else, back where It came from origin
ally. Mount Vernon has an authori-
tative record Of all Of those pieces.
1.-THE Lee Mansion itself was started
In 1908. Gusts first built the north
wing and here he and his wife movec
In while the rest Of the house was be-
ing built. This wing was complete
house with hipped roof. When the
work Of restoring the mansion was in
progress the framing Of this hipped
roof was found in the attic.
Gusts lived In the north wing while
the main part Of the mansion and the
south wing were being built. The south
wing is duplicate Of the north wing,
except for interior partitions, which will
be explained later. Gusts became at
tached to the north wing and, after
his daughter had grown up and mar
ried Robert e. Lee, MI. and Mrs. Gus
It's stiu had their bedchamberS and sit
ting room in the north wing.
"The partitioning IN the north wing
Is an interesting feature. It was orig
inallV intended To be one large room