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Show tT Arlington Scene Of Solemn Ceremonies I BBIGflT (J. S. Honor Memory of Soldiers and Sailors Who Fought Battles of All U. S. Wars RESULT OF 18 YEARS' WORK BY THE G. A. R. Structure of White Marble Was Built by Government at Cost of $825,000 WASHINGTON. May 15. To the memory of-, the soldiers and sailors Avho fought tho battles of the United States In all wars, a great memorial amphitheatre Avas dedicated today in Arlington National cemetery. Tho ceremonies wero attended by A'eterans of three wars, members of the diplomatic corps, cabinet, senate, house and other government officials and a largo gathering of people. A procession of army, naAT n.nd marine corps detachments, A'eterans of tho Grand Army of the Rcpubilo and allied organizations, Spanish War vet erans and World veterans led by Major Ma-jor General Nelson A. Miles retired) precedod tho ceremonies. In Charge of G. A. It. The dedicatory pxerclses were under the auspices of tho Gran'd Arrny; of th e Ren ub I Ic.' toipvh' qs. e ",ejf drts.' ,ci&d& .$si4rta-' mom-, lOriM and" for" IS'"ycarV of work for "It Secretary Baker, Socr6tary Daniels, both members of the commission ! which Jiad chargo of the construction of the memorial; and Colonel D. M. Hall of Columbus, O., commandcr-in-chiof of the-Grand Army of tho Republic, Re-public, were tho principal speakers. The great structure of white marble, mar-ble, built by the government at a cost of $S25,000 stands in the southern part of Arlington National cemetery amid the graves of thousands of the Nation's dead. Near It are the Maine Memorial, where tho battleship Mine's fighting top stands sentlnol OA'cr the graves of the men who lost their lives when the A'cssel was sunk in HaA'ana harbor, and the Confederate Memorial surrounded by tho graves of south-nercrs. south-nercrs. Besides commanding a A'low of tho cemetery, the memorial oA'er-looks oA'er-looks tho Potomac rh'cr and the city of Washington. It contains a chape and seats 5,000 people. Beginning of Arlington Fifty-six years ago yesterday, Arlington Ar-lington National cemetery Avas first ally witnessed tho burial thero of 12 soldiers who died In the hospital on the Arlington estate abandoned by Gonoral Robert E. ELee's family at the beginning of the civil war and bought by the United States at a tax salo for hospital purposes. Later the government paid the Lee heirs $150.-000. $150.-000. 'Soldiers' Home cemetery A-as filled and Quartermastor General Meigs, with President Lincoln's consent con-sent ordered tho soldiers burled In Arlington. That was tho beginning of Arlington National cemetery which has beoomo ono of tho shrines of the Nation's soldier and sailor dead. For years a little A'ine-clad amphitheatre amphi-theatre served for ceremonies on Memorial days, when tho president of the United States usually AVas tho orator, but the gatherings outgrcAV this and tho Grand Army of the Re-publyic Re-publyic IS years ago began a movement move-ment for the memorial amphitheatre. Authorization for construction was given by congress se'cral years ago. and a commission appointed to carry I out the plans. Besides the secretary of Aar, Avlib is chairman of tho commission com-mission and the secretary of the navy, the commission was composed of Elliott El-liott Wood, superintendent of the United "States capltol building and grounds; Colonel John McElroy. representing rep-resenting tho Grand Army of tho Republic: Re-public: Fred Bcall, representing the Charles W. Newton, representing Spanish AA'ar A'eterans. Only Memorial of Kind The Arlington Memorial amphitheatre amphi-theatre is said to be the only memorial memor-ial of Its kind in the Avorld, monuments monu-ments and memorials of all kinds having been erected to generals and other leaders, but none heretofore has been erected to the soldiers and sailors sail-ors who f ougjU all" the battles of tho country. |