Evening star., 1935-06-07
BY WILLIAM A. MILLEN.

NUN S(l ARE, III Ilie 1tc VA
the Capitol, is being perfected
by officials of the National
~ Capital Parks, with the aid
of p. w. A. funds, at the
head Of the Mall, and soon the ques-
ton will arise over what naval hero
shall be hopored there. President
Roosevelt. student OF naval history, Is
interested in the outcome.
Officials of the Fine Arts Commits
sion and c. Marshall Ffnnan. Superin-
tendent of the National Capital Parks
deem it but proper that the space on
the south side of the square should be
set aside for a Civil War hero. who
served in the Navy. Union Square,
within a stones throw of the Capitol,
heart of the Union, is being fashioned
to commemorate the preservation OF
the Union.
Accordingly in Union Square are
found outstanding memorials to two
Civil War heroes-Grant and Meade.
A space to the south has been set
apart for a memorial to another hero
of that period, so the trinity NAV be
complete Many naval officers con-
slider the outstanding naval hero Of
that time to be Admiral David
Glasgow Farragut But Washington
already has Farragut Square, with its
statue Of the admiral done by Mrs.
Winnie tReam) Hoxie. at Seventeenth
and K streets. This memorial was
unveiled on April 25. 1881. The cost
of the statue was $4,000 and this was
appropriated by Congress in April,
1872.
Now it is quite possible that another
memorial to Farragut could be erected
in Union Square, for there are those
who do not go into ecstacies over the
present Farragut statue in Farragut
| Square. Even though a statue TO
Farragut were to be placed In Union
Square, this would not be out Of
keeping with other names honoring
heroes. Although the Grant Memorial
is now in Union Square, Grant Circle
is far distant. up at Fifth and Var
mum streets. The Sherman Memorial
is south of the Treasury Department,
/ but Sherman Circle is at Seventh
and Crittenden streets. So why not
have Farragut Memorial in Union
Square and still retain Farragut
/ Square, they argue?
| Memorial to Grant.
/ The imposing memorial to Gen.
/ Ulysses S. Grant is located at the
/ Mall and First street, in the old Bo-
tanic Garden grounds, at the east end
Of Union Square Henry M. Shrady
was its sculptor and Edward P. Casey
its architect. This memorial was un-
veiled April 81. 1922. 1t was author
lied by act of February %, 1901. and
its cost limited to S2500O0. Congress
appropriated $4,000 for plans and
models for base, pedestal and statue.
BY act of June %, 1902. Congress ap-
propriated $4,000 for commencing
work. Subsequent acts appropriated
funds totaling 100000 for erection Of
the memorial. BY act of August l,
1914, $1,000 was appropriated for its
dedication, but the World War came
along and unveiling did not come until
after the conflict.
The statue honoring Gen. George
Gordon Meade shows the Civil War
commander standing. Charles A.
Crafty was its sculptor. 1t was un-
veiled October 10, 1927. The memo
rial was erected by the State Of Penn
sylvania. without expense to the
United States. 1t occupies the north
side of Union Square.
Across from the Meade Memorial
to the southwark will arise the memo
rial being planned for the naval hero
of the Civil War. Who will be chosen?
| Will it be Farragut. Porter, Foote,
Dahlgren, Worden. Dupont-or some
one else?
Probably President Roosevelt. him.
self great lover Of the sea and keen
student of naval history, will person.
ally make the selection. after consulta-
ton with the Navy Department.
Capt. Dudley w. Knox, U. S. Navy, re-
tired, in charge of the Office of Naval
Records and Library, is the depart
ment's expert on naval history.
Washington already has memorials
! honoring Admiral Farragut; Commo-
dore John Paul Jones, at the foot OF
J Seventeenth street, on the shore OF
the Tidal Basin; Commodore John
Barry, on the west side Of Franklin
Park. on Fourteenth street between ]
and K streets; Rear Admiral Samuel
Francis Dupont, in Dupont Circle-all
naval heroes. But the problem in
Union Square is simplified, because
it is confined to Civil War heroes.
True it is that Admiral Dupont is in
/ that category, but he already has his
memorial here-aS has Farragut-the
Dupont family having paid the cost Of
the memorial-$77,52l. The Dupont