STATUE OF SHEPHERD
Plans Complete for Unveiling of the Memorial
COMMITTEE ENDS LABORS
Likeness in Bronze of Former Governor of District
PROGRAM OF THE CEREMONIES
Exercises Tomorrow Afternoon in Front of District Building
Grandson to Pull Cords.
At the ceremonies in connection with the unveiling of the statue of former Gov. Alexander Robey Shepherd in front of the District building, 14th street and Pennsylvania avenue, tomorrow after noon at 3:30 o'clock, a large gathering is assured. Requests for seats yesterday poured in on the committee which has the arrangements in charge, and there was difficulty In meeting the demand.
“Assembly” will be sounded by a trumpeter of the United States Marine Band promptly at 3:30 o'clock, and “America” will be played by the band. The invocation will be pronounced by Rev. Dr. Wallace Radcliffe, pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, where former Gov. Shepherd and the members of his family attended when they resided in this city. The opening address will be by Theodore W. Noyes, chairman of the Shepherd memorial committee, his subject being “Shepherd and the New Washington.” Following, the Marine Band will render “Some Day,” by Wellings, including an obligato by Arthur S. Whitcomb.
Grandson to Pull Cords.
“Shepherd and His Times” will be the subject of the next address, by William F. Mattingly. When he concludes Alexander Robey Shepherd, 3d. the eleven-year-old grandson of the former governor, will pull the cords releasing the flags around the statue. As the flags are unfolding, a salute will be flred by the 1st Battery, Field Artillery, National Guard of the District of Columbia, and immediately afterward the Marine Band will play “The Star Spangled Banner.” Brainard H. Warner, chairman of the Shepherd memorial finance committee, will present the statue to the District of Columbia. It will be accepted by Henry B. F. Macfarland, president of the board of District Commissioners. After the band plays “Gate City,” by Weldon, the benediction will oe pronounced by Rt. Rev. Alfred Harding. Bishop of Washington. The music will be under the direction of Lieut. W. H. Santelmann.
Personnel of Committee.
The Shepherd memorial committee, which has had charge of the erection of a memorial to the former governor, is composed of Theodore W. Noyes, chair man; John F. Wilkins, vice chairman; Charles J. Bell, treasurer; William P. Van Wickle. secretary; Brainard H. Warner, chairman of finance committee; William V. Cox. chairman of arrangements committee; Scott C. Bone, Barry Bulkley, Samuel W. Curriden, Henry E. Davis, James E. Fitch. William F. Gude, George H. Harries. Rudolph Kauffmann, John R. McLean. William F. Mattingly, Frank A. Munsey. James F. Oyster, E. Southard Parker, R. Ross Perry, Frank K. Raymond, Edgar D. Shaw, Louis P. Shoemaker. J. H. Small, Thomas W. Smith. O. G. Staples, Alexander T. Stuart. C. H. Syme and George Truesdell
Representatives of the Society for Historic Decorations and Civic Improvement form the reception committee for the ceremonies. Frederick D. Owen is chairman, the other members being Edward T. Bates. Sidney I. Besselievre, Frank L. Briscoe. Frederic C. Bryan, John D. Carmody. Lewis P. Clephane, Andrew B. Graham. Henry O. Hall, Charles Gantt Harris. Frederic B. Hyde. John G. Johnson. W. P. Kyle. J. Jerome Llghtfoot, Caleb C. Magruder. jr.; H. V. McAllister, J. Henry Moser, Henry W. Sampson and W. D. Wirt, with George C. Hough as assistant.
Reception by Mrs. Shepherd
Following the exercises, Mrs. Alexander R. Shepherd will give a reception at her home, on Connecticut avenue, in honor of the executive committee of the Shepherd memorial committee, to which the old friends of the family and some others have been invited. Mrs. Shepherd will be assisted by her daughters, Mrs. Edward A. Quintard of this city, Mrs. Walter M. Brodie of Mexico, Mrs. F. D. Merchant of New York and Mrs. R. S. Wagner of Oklahoma. Her sons and their wives, Mr. and Mrs. Grant Shepherd of New York, and Mr. and Mrs. John C. Shepherd of Chihuahua, Mexico, and the young son of Alexander R. Shepherd. Jr., of Batopilas, Mexico, Alexander R. Shepherd, 3d. will be the other members of the family party present.
In attendance at the ceremonies will be all the members of the Shepherd family except Alexander R. Shepherd. Jr., who has been detained at Batopilas, Mexico, by the illness and death of a little child. In the Shepherd party will be Mrs. Alexander R. Shepherd, Mrs. Edward A. Quintard and her four children, Mrs. and Miss Brodie. Dr. and Mrs. Merchant. Mrs. Wagner and two children, Mr. and Mrs. Grant Shepherd, Mr. and Mrs. John C. Shepherd, Alexander R. Shepherd. 3d. Mrs. C. F. Coe of New York and Mr., Mrs. and Miss Stevens of New York.
Work of Local Sculptor
The statue is the work of U. S. J. Dunbar. The pose was chosen by Gov. Shepherd at the time of his last visit to Washington, in 1895. It was suggested that a bust should be made of him. and Mr. Dunbar took a large number of photographs of the former governor. The project for erecting a bust of Mr. Shepherd while he was living, however, was dropped. When the suggestion of a statue was made after his death Mr. Dunbar made his model from the photographs in his possession, and was successful in the competition, in which many other artists entered.
Mr. Shepherd is shown in the attitude of deep thinking. In one hand, at his side, is a map of Washington, which he has been considering, with thoughts of possible improvements. His other hand is closed behind his back. He is shown dressed in a business suit, the statue being one of the few in the country in which the sack suit figures.
The pedestal of the monument is constructed throughout of the light Westerley, R. I., granite, and is eighteen feet square at the base and eight feet six inches high, the bottom base being made in three pieces, each of which is eighteen feet long. This granite said to be the hardest in existence, and is capable of the very richest carvings. It is uniform in a light rich color, and is entirely free, from defects of any character. The die stone, upon which rests the bronze statue, is made in one piece and weighs about seven tons. The name “Shepherd” is the only lettering on the monument. It being cut in deep sunk letters on the front, facing Pennsylvania avenue. A rich band of laurel leaves enriches the cap just below the bronze plinth. There is no other carving on the monument, the committee deciding to have the pedestal as free from ornamentation as possible.
Origen of the Project
The project of erecting a statue of enduring bronze or marble in some conspicuous spot in the heart of the city for which former Gov. Shepherd worked so hard and accomplished so much originated in a suggestion made by Commissioner Macfarland the day after the news of Gov. Shepherd's death reached the National capital, which was September 12, 1902. It struck a popular chord among the people of the District, and within a short time, without solicitation of any kind, several thousands of dollars formed the nucleus of the Shepherd Memorial fund. The culmination of that suggestion was the aroused general feeling that a fitting memorial should rise to the man who started the National capital on its way to becoming beautiful.
Urged Erection of Statue.
“A statue of Gov. Shepherd,” said Commissioner Macfarland, after he learned the news which caused general sorrow throughout the District, “should be erected in the city of Washington by popular subscription. Much of the wealth, as well as much of the beauty of the National capital, we owe to Gov. Shepherd, and it is appropriate that we should show our gratitude in tangible and permanent form. It was proposed to erect a statue of Gov. Shepherd before his death, but there was an indisposition to make an exception to the rule against giving such an honor to a living man. There can be no possible objection to giving him this honor now.
“The news of Gov. Shepherd's sudden death came as a shock which increases its sorrow. It suggests strikingly the incompleteness of all things in this life. Gov. Shepherd was looking forward to coming home to stay, and we were hoping that he would soon have that consummation of his desires, when he is suddenly cut off, far away, in his self-imposed exile, before his wife can get to him. Their homecoming will be very different from that which they planned. But it will doubtless be attended with honors such as can only be given to the dead. Although a new generation has grown up and a new population ha come into the District in the thirty years since Gov. Shepherd began his great work here, I think there is no man whom the people of the District hold in greater honor or in greater gratitude, and they will doubtless show it in every possible way. The new interest in the National capital, so marked since our centennial celebration of two years ago, has given the people of the whole country a new interest in Gov. Shepherd, who is now generally recognized as the man who made the new Washington possible.”
The suggestion that a monument to the former governor of the District should be erected met a ready and general approval on all sides.
Capital His Monument.
Thomas W. Smith, then president of the Board of Trade, said:
“I think we ought to have another monument erected to Gov. Shepherd besides the one we have, for, as every one knows, Washington itself is a memorial to his worth. But we should have a monument of some kind, erected by popular subscription, and I shall be glad to help support such a movement by voice and contribution. Congress should not be importuned to appropriate for such a purpose. I would rather give a personal subscription, and if the people appreciate what he has done they should be willing and anxious to pay for that appreciation. They should not hesitate to put their hands in their pockets for such a purpose.
The first contributions to the fund were made by H. A. Willard and W. P. Van Wickle, both of whom sent checks for $100 to Commissioner Macfarland.
“ I noticed in The Star of Saturday,” Mr. Willard wrote the Commissioner, “that in expressing sorrow at the death of Gov. Shepherd you suggested a statue to his memory to be erected in this city and by popular subscription. This seems eminently proper, and I am sure there is no one in the history of our capital who so richly deserves this honor.“
In response to suggestions made by several prominent citizens, Commissioner Macfarland asked the board of Commissioners to appoint a committee to take charge of the project, and they decided that it was best to appoint a small executive committee, with power to appoint additional members or subcommittees. The committee was designated to be composed of Crosby S. Noyes, chairman; John F. Wilkins, Frank A. Munsey, Thomas W. Smith, president of the Board of Trade; W. F. Gude, president of the Business Men's Association.
The executive committee met September 18, 1902, and organized by electing John F. Wilkins vice chairman, C. J. Bell, president of the American Security and Trust Company, treasurer, and Franklin T. Howe secretary.
At that time, contributions of about $2,000 were acknowledged, as follows:
Crosby S. Noyes, $1,000; James E. Fitch, $500; B. H. Warner. $100; E. J. Stellwagen, $100; H. A. Willard, $100; W. P. Van Wlckle, $100; Thomas J. Donovan, $1; Charles S. Johnson, $5; cash, $1; Owen O'Hare, $100; Brightwood Citizens' Association, $25; William R. Smith, $10.
Finance Committee Members.
A few days later Chairman Noyes announced the appointment of a finance committee, composed as follows:
Brainand H. Warner, chairman; W. V. Cox, vice chairman; Byron S. Adams, Charles H. Allender, J. P. Agnew, Joseph Auerbach, Thomas H. Anderson, Jacob J. Appich, John T. Arms, Frank L. Attwell, Addison B. Atkins, R.P. Andrews.
John W. Babson, Charles B. Bailey, R. J. Beall, Dr. H. H. Barker, H. V. Boynton, William E. Barker, Emil E. Berliner, M. A. Ballinger, Louis Barr, James F. Barbour, Col. John M. Biddle, John V. Barruss, E. W. Brown, John D. Bartlett, Isaac L. Blout. C. E. Barry, William Berens, Samuel Bensinger, E. P. Berry, Scott C. Bone, George W. Bullock, George W. Boyd, David S. Barry, Lorenzo S. Brown, W. R. Bell, Conrad Becker, E. S. Bisbee, Charles J. Bell, Samuel J. Blythe, Frank V. Bennett, John Boyle, A. A. Birney, C. A. Boynton, E. W. Brady, Henry L. Biscoe, Henry Shroff Brown, Thomas Blagden, Alonzo Bliss, Henry F. Blount, William J. Boardman, P. J. Brennan, Bernard M. Bridget, Chapin Brown, George W. Brown, S. Thomas Brown, Aldis E. Browne, W. W. Burdette, Horatio Browning, C. C. Bryan, Harry Bulkley, J. W. Bulkley, Frank A. Butts, Rev. Mr. Brown, L. C. Bailey, James B. Bundy, Rev. Walter H. Brooks, S. Bradley, William Birney, Montgomery Blair.
John Callahan, Albert Carry. John Cammack, C. S. Clark, Eugene Carusi, J. B. Clarke, Charles B. Church, W. E. Chandler. A. P. Clark, jr., Peter Campbell, W. C. Clephane, Dr. J. W. Clark, Robert Cook, Samuel Cross, W. V. Cox, C. W. Campbell. J. D. Croissant, Jesse I. Carmichael, O. T. Crosby, Otto Carmichael, S. W. Curriden, Francis J. Carmody. Dr. J. B. Gregg Custis, John M. Carson, Frank N. Carver, P. B. Chase, W. A. H. Church, E. S. Clark, J. H. Cranford, Harrison Crook, Prof. George W. Cook, John F. Cook, Myer Cohen, C. C. Cole. Dr. Daniel B. Clarke, Perry H. Carson, Dr. Creed W. Chllds, W. Calvin Chase.
John B. Daish, W. S. Daniels, H. H. Darneille, P. V. De Graw, H. Bradley Davidson, Arthur W. Dunn, E. G. Davis, E. G. Dunnell, W. Riley Deeble, Frederick M. Detweiler, John T. Devine, Gasherie De Witt, Julian C. Dowell, William F. Downey, Edward F. Droop, T. C. Dulin, George T. Dunlop, W. W. Danenhower, J. J. Darlington, Henry Davis, Harrison Dingman, William Dickson, Edward H. Droop, W. W. Dudley, H. Rozier Dulaney, Louis H. Douglass, L. J. Davis, George T. Dearlng, J. Maury Dove, R. W. Dutton, A. B. Duvall, Madison Davis, George W. Driver.
B B. Earnshaw, Charles A. Edwards, Richard A. Earnshaw, August F. Eberly, William E. Edmonston, John Joy Edson, Jesse C. Ergood, E. B. Evans.
Charles W. Fairfax, C. A. Fleetwood, Dr A P. Fardon, Henry Franc, James E. Fitch, V. G. Fischer, H. G. Forsberg, James H. Forsyth, Charles E. Foster, John S. Farrell, Albert F. Fox, Percy S. Foster, Daniel Fraser, Dr. L. S. Gilbert, H. W. Fuller, Dr. John R. Francis, R. I. Fleming.
W. T. Galliher, Charles Graff, John R. Galloway, J. Holdsworth Gordon, Norman Gait, George F. Gulick, Ralph L Galt, H. Gilam Gardner, Herman E. Gasch, Louis Garthe, George Gibson, Edgar J. Gibson, Charles C. Glover, Robert A. Golden. George C. Gorham, Ashley M. Gould, Andrew P. Graham, Benjamin S. Graves, Edwin N. Gray, H. I. Gregory, Archibald Greenlees, Benjamin W. Guy, Isaac Gans, O. B. George, R. H. Graham, Adolph Gude, Andrew Gleeson.
Robert N. Harper, George H. Harries, R. Harris, Dr. D. H. Hazen, Dr. W. P. C. Hazen, John C. Heald, Henry Hall, James B. Henderson, Albert Halsted, Richard W. Henderson, Charles A. Hamilton, J. William Henry, Cicero W. Harris, W. G. Henderson, James S. Henry, J. P. Herrmann, James P. Hornaday, Christian Heurich, Frank H. Hosford, Dr. D. Percy Hickling. Lemon G. Hine, William H. Hoeke, W. S. Hodge, Theodore L. Holbrook, William Holmead, George F. Huff, Frank Hume, F. S. Hight, Alexander T. Hensey, J. V. N. Huyck, William Hahn, S. B. Hege, Thomas G. Hensey, William B. Hibbs, Stilson Hutch ins, Rev. William J. Howard, W. H. H. Hart, Ferry M. Hughes, George C. Henning. John E. Herrell, G. W. Harvey, A. Hart and T. A. Harding.
Frederick Imhof.
Dr. H. L. E. Johnson, E. E. Jackson, W. W. Jermane, Bernard T Janney, F. A. Johnson, Tracy L. Jeffords, S. E. Johnson, H. M. Johnson, V. Baldwin Johnson, James M. Johnston, George H. Judd, Charles Jacobson, S. E. Johnson and Dr. Thomas Jones.
S. Kann, Lewis Kann, J. R. Keene, Henry C. Karr, E. G. Kimball, S. H. Kauffmann, Rudolph Kauffmann, James R. Keenan, Victor Kauffmann, J. Fred Kelly, J. Blake Kendall, I. G. Kimball, George A. King, Dr. Richard Kingsman, W. S. Knox and Thomas Kirby.
C. C. Lancaster, James B. Lamble, R. M. learner, Gustave Lansburg, Francis S. Leupp, James Lansburg, Charles B. Lockwood, John B. Larner, A. Maurice Low, H. B. Leary, Ralph W. Lee, William A. Leetch, J. Edward Libbey, Melville Lindsay, A. Lisner, John B. Lord, A. M. Lothrop, Wilton J. Lambert, John Leetch, W. P. Leech, Daniel Loughran, Judson W. Lyons, Rev. George W. Lee, John R. Lynch and Blair Lee.
Henry K. McCauley, R. J. Meigs, Jr.,John McElroy, Chris Mades, W J McGee, Angus McSween, James H. McGill, Charles W. Metzgar, Frederick B. McGuire, John P. Miller, A. J. McKee, Alexander McKenzie, George W. McLanahan, Rev. Daniel McFarlan, William J. McNalley, E. J. MeQuade, Henry B. F. Macfarland, John H. Magruder, Patrick Mahoney, William H. Martin, William F. Mattingly, Ernest Mayer, F. P. May, Theodrre J. Mayer, William A. Mearns, N. S. Meyer, Benjamin Miller, John Miller, Samuel C. Mills, John Mitchell, jr., W. S. Montgomery, Frederick L. Moore, Mark W. Moore, Thomas P. Morgan, S. T. G. Morsell, W. H. Moses, Charles A. Muddiman, Daniel Murray, W. C. McIntire, Joseph S. Miller, Thomas H. McKee, J. F. Manning, Henry May, Otto Mears, F Mertena. H. D. Mirick, Harry G. Moses, Whitefleld McKinlay, Douglas B. McCarry, Prof. Kelly Miller and John T. Mitchell.
P. J. Nee, John L. Newbold, Francis G. Newlands, W. J. Newton, Kimon Nicolaides, Clarence F. Norment, James L. Norris, Frank B. Noyes. Theodore W. Noyes, Thomas C. Noyes. Allison Nailor, jr., Capt. H. C. Newcomer, R. B. Nixon and Howard G. Nyman.
James F. Oyster, Owen O'Hare, Henry W. Offutt, N. G. Ordway, Robert L. O'Brien and D. W. Oyster.
A. W. Paddock, Samuel C. Palmer, Joseph Parris, Andrew Parker, C. H. Parker, E. Southard Parker, Robert Portner, John C. Parker, Raymond Patterson, James L. Parsons, M. M. Parker, Joseph Paul, R. Ross Perry, James T. Petty, Robert A. Phillips, J. Sprigg Poole, John L. Prosise, Harry B. Parker, Dr. C. B. Purvis and W. B. Patterson.
Jackson H. Ralston, E. S. Randall, E. E. Rapley, W. W. Rapley, William H. Rapley, Clifford Rose, Charles Rauscher, Albert M. Read, Frank P. Reeside, Joseph Richardson, Clarence B. Rheem, Dr. C. W. Richardson, Thomas R. Riley, T. E. Roessle, Samuel Ross, Cuno H. Rudolph, R. G. Rutherford, Frank K. Raymond, Harry E. Ruprecht, A. E. Randle, W. Osear Rootne, W. F. Rankin Roderick, Rev. J. E. Rankin and F. A. Richardson.
George N. Saeginuller, Isadore Saks, Franklin T. Sanner, E. G. Schafer, Charles Schneider, Charles F. Scott, M. G. Seckendorf, William E. Shannon, Reginald Schroeder, William C. Shaw, W. B. Shaw, Joseph I. Saks, C. M. Shinn, N. H. Shea, John S. Shriver, Frederic L. Siddons,Maurice Splain, Thomas W. Sidwell, Corry M. Stadden, W. H. Singleton, O. O. Stealey, Charles G. Sloan, A. C. Stevens, John H. Small, Emmons S. Smith, Francis H. Smith, James W. Somervllle, Ellis Spear, O. G. Staples, Ambrose H. Stephenson, Thomas P. Stephenson, Dr. George M. Sternberg, Frederick C. Stevens, Lyndon H. Stevens, B. H. Stinemetz, Dr. Charles G. Stone, A. T. Stuart, Colin Studds, G W. F. Swartzell, John A. Swope, Rlthard Sylvester, L. M. Saunders, B. F. Saul, Edward Saxton, J. Henry Small, jr., Samuel C. Smoot, Dr. Z. T. Sowers, E. J. Stellwagen, William R. Smith and J. R. Sutton.
Anson S. Taylor, Frank H. Thomas, Charles G. Thorn, William Tindall, M. F. Tiglie, Leon Tobriner, Julius A. Truesdell, George Truesdell, George A.Townsend, S. W. Tulloch, Rufus H. Thuyer, Michael F. Talty, Robert H. Terrell. Ross Thompson, Dr. J. Ford Thompson, Joseph D. Taylor, Matthew Trimble and Stephen Talty.
W. P. Van Wickle and William H. Veerhoff.
Frank H. Walker, Thomas F. Walsh, B. H. Warner, David Warner, Charles H. Weaver, R. C. Welghtmann, F. Baker Weaver, Walter Wellman, Joseph I. Weller, H. Parker Willis, M. I. Weller, Henry Wells, George B. Welch, Edward S. Wescott, J. W. Whelpley, John B. Wight, Berlah Wllkins, Henry A. Willard, Joseph E. Willard, Charles I. Williams, W. Mosby Williams, Harry B. Wilson, James B. Wimer. William A. Wimsatt, Louis D. Wine, Henry C. Winship, Levi Woodbury, S. W. Woodward, Dr. William C. Woodward, A. S. Worthington, Henry L. West, Horace H. Wescott, Walter R. Wilcox, Simon Wolf, C. E. Wood, Henry F. Woodard, _______ Wilkerson, C. C. Willard, Andrew Wylle, Gen. E. W. Whitaker, Dr. Walter Wyman, J. Ormond Wilson, Nathaniel Wilson and J. H. N. Waring.
Johh C. Yost, William H. Yost, John B. Young and Dr. W. P. Young, William J. Zeh and George P. Zurhorst.
Additions to this committee were made later.
Fifteen Men Named.
At the first meeting of this finance committee, held at the Arlington Hotel September 30, 1902, its affairs were placed in the hands of a special committee of fifteen. This, which was named the following day, was composed of B. H. Warner, chairman; Henry E. Davis, Theodore W. Noyes, Louis P. Shoemaker, H. B. F. Macfarland, Dr. Franklin T. Howe, Alex. T. Stuart. Samuel W. Curriden, Barry Bulkley, W. H. H: Hart, E. Southard Parker, George H. Harries, Andrew Gleeson. W. P. Van Wickle and William F. Mattingly.
Generous were the contributions of the citizens of the District to the memorial fund, and even from distant cities came liberal subscriptions, and It was soon evident that a large memorial of the former governor could be erected in the city. Arrangements to that end were soon afterward begun and they culminate tomorrow in the unveiling of the memorial.
Gov. Shepherd's Career.
Ex-Gov. Alexander R. Shepherd, to whom was due more than to any other man the regeneration of the National capital, was born and bred in this city. His birthday was January 31, 1835. His father died when he was quite young and left a widow and four boys, of whom Alexander was the eldest. When quite a youth he was compelled to aid in the support of his mother and brothers and he first entered a store as an errand boy. Afterward he went into the plumbing establishment of John Thompson Co., as a clerk, and subsequently became chief bookkeeper, and afterward, on the retirement of William Thompson, became a partner in the firm. His business sagacity was shown with this firm, and he was a decided factor in the prosperity of the establishment. He subsequently started in the plumbing business himself, and became quite successful, erecting a building on the south side of Pennsylvania avenue between 9th and 10th streets, which was entirely devoted to his business.
He early became interested in the progress and welfare of the city of Washington, and was elected a member of the common council in 1860. Subsequently he was elected to the board of aldermen, and was president of that body when the territorial act was passed. In his services in the municipal councils he was always looking to the advancement and beautlfication of the city, and any bill looking in that direction received his active support. He was loyal at the outbreak of the war of the rebellion, and enlisted in the National Rifles, serving for three months with that organization.
Joins Citizens' Movement.
After the war, when the population of Washington had greatly increased and there was a good deal of dissatisfaction during the mayoralty of Sayles J. Bowen, Mr. Shepherd Joined in the citizens' movement which elected Matthew G. Emery as mayor in 1870. Mr. Shepherd thought, however, that something better than two municipal governments, those of the city of Georgetown and of the city of Washington, was needed in order to place the District of Columbia in the position that it ought to hold as the scat of the national government, and he was an active member of the citizens' committee of 100, which formulated the bill passed February 21, 1871, giving to the District of Columbia a territorial form of government. His prominence in that movement made him a notable candidate for governor, but Gen. Grant, who was then President, appointed Henry D. Cooke as governor and Mr. Shepherd was named as a member of the board of public works, which consisted at that time, besides the governor (ex officio) and himself, of A. B. Mullett, who was the supervising architect of the Treasury; John A. Magruder. a resident of Georgetown, and S. P. Brown, who was born in Maine, but who had made his residence in the city for some time and had been active in its interests. The governor, ex officio, was president of the board of public works, and at its first meeting Mr. Shepherd was elected vice president and executive officer of the bodv, and to him was intrusted the details of the work of carrying out the comprehensive plan of improvements which the board adopted.This plan contemplated improvements in every portion of the District of Columbia, and comprised almost every street and avenue in the cities of Washington and Georgetown, as well as all the roads in the county. It also provided for the building of the main sewer through 8th street northwest and the Rock creek sewerage of the valley of the Tiber. The plan of sewerage was also enlarged so as to cover the entire District, and this was done under the estimates of Gen. G. S. Greene, a distinguished civil engineer and the father of Gen. Krancis V. Greene, who was subsequently an assistant engineer of the District under the present form of government, and who gained distinction in the Spanish-American war, both in Cuba and in the Philippines.
Many Were Opposed.
Although the plans of the board of public works were submitted to the legislature, after they had been printed in the public press, and were adopted by that body and the four-million-dollar loan that was necessary to carry them out had been voted for by the people of the District there were many who did not believe in the wholesale operations that the plan contemplated and the board was hampered by suits and injunctions in its early efforts, and, in fact, during its entire existence. There were complaints made to Congress, and at each session there were investigations into the acts of the board, and everything was done by some of the most prominent citizens of the District to discredit the work of improvement that was being done.
Mr. Shepherd, as the vice president of the board and its responsible executive officer, was made the target of all the complaints that were made, and more abuse was heaped upon him than was ever showered upon any other citizen of the District. In the investigation which finally resulted in the change of the form of the District government four months were occupied, and never did a congressional committee show more pertinacity and more bitterness than was shown in the examination of the affairs of the board of public works. Notwithstanding these searching investigations, the members of the committee concluded that the charges presented to them, such as favoritism on the part of Mr. Shepherd, who had the giving out of the contracts, and of corruption in the management of affairs, were unsubstantiated, and he and the other members of the board emerged from that investigation without a stain upon their personal integrity.
September 13, 1873. Gov. Cooke resigned, and Mr. Shepherd was made governor of the District, but even then he exercised a careful control over the actions of the board and was in touch with all its work that was ordered, although the details were carried out in an efficient manner by Henry A. Willard, his successor as vice president of the board.
Some of the Work Done.
The life of the board of public works was about three years, and to give some idea of the immense amount of work performed under Gov. Shepherd's supervision and direction it may be stated that the contracts given out by him included the following: Curb set, linear feet. 817-895; brick sidewalks laid, 1,176.453 square yards; concrete sidewalks laid 22,235 square yards; flag sidewalks laid, 185,429 square feet; gravel roadway, 103,040 square yards; cobble roadway, 186,122 square yards; bluestone roadwavs 73,140 square yards; macadam roadway 148,226 square yards; Belgian and granite roadway 177,608 square yards; concrete roadway 532,032 square yards; wood roadway, 1, 603,231 square yards — or in miles, assuming sidewalks at ten feet in width, and roadways 32 feet in width, including the county; curbstone set, 154.09 miles; brick sidewalks laid, 200.05 miles; flag sidewalk, 3.03 miles; concrete sidewalk 3.79 miles; gravel roadway in the county 39 miles; cobble pavement, 9.93 miles; bluestone pavement, 3.80 miles; macadam pavement. 7.87 miles; Belgian and granite pavement, 9.46 miles; concrete pavement. 28.34 miles; wood pavement, 53.53 miles; total sidewalks, 207.79 miles; total roadways in city, 118.56 miles; total improvement roadway in the county, 39 miles.
Besides this there was done of grading about 3,340,000 cubic yards. In sewers there was performed the following work: Slash run sewer, 10 feet span at outlet, 2,200 linear feet; B street intersecting sewer, 20 feet at outlet, 5,312 linear feet; Tiber creek, main stem, 20 feet at outlet, 1,000 feet; Tiber creek, main stem, 30 feet at outlet, 2,473 linear feet; Tiber creek, eastern stem, 9 feet diameter, 2,350 feet; Tiber creek, northwestern stem, 9 feet diameter, 5,340 feet. Of the Boundary street intercepting sewers there was completed of 10 feet diameter, 300 feet; 9 feet 9 inches diameter, 1,200 feet; 6 feet 9 inches diameter, 900 feet, and in addition to the above-named main stems the following secondary brick sewers were laid: Seven feet 6 inches, inside diameter, 205 feet; 6 feet 6 inches, inside diameter, 985 feet; 6 feet, inside diameter. 3,818 feet; 5 feet 9 inches, inside diameter, 4,370 feet; 5 feet 6 inches inside diameter, 4,730 feet; 5 feet, inside diameter. 480 feet; 4 feet inside diameter, 9,765 feet; 4 feet 4 inches inside diameter, 970 feet; 3 feet, inside dlameter, 7,759 feet; 3 feet 6 inches, inside diameter, 3,150 feet. There were also laid pipe sewers of glazed earthenware, mostly of 12 and 15 inches in diameter of bore 317.196 linear feet, and also an almost equal amount of six-inch house connections.
Grant Stood With Him.
A government by commission was recommended by the committee of investigation and a bill was passed by Congress June 20, 1874. President Grant, who had heartily supported Gov. Shepherd in his effort to regenerate Washington, who believed in his honesty of purpose and who appreciated his splendid executive ability at once named him as the first of the Commissioners, but the Senate refused to confirm him. He then returned to his private business, which had greatly suffered during his public career, and began to gather up again the threads which had slipped from his personal grasp. The panic of '73 was severely felt in Washington, and all classes of business suffered Mr. Shepherd's among the rest. He soon found that his business, which at the time he entered public life netted an income of from $25,000 to $50.000 a year was practically ruined. And although he had property estimated at a fair valuation at $1,900,000, there was an indebtedness amounting to $1,300,000, and owing to the shrinkage in the value of real estate the property could not cancel the indebtedness.
Just at that time he had an offer to go to Batopilas in Mexico, to superintend some mines in which he had put a comparatively small investment during his days of prosperity, and he resolved to accept the position and to expatriate himself from his home and his country until he should build up for himself and his family another fortune. He went to Mexico in 1879 and remained there, with the exception of two visits to his native country, until the day of his death. The work he did in Batopilas was marvelous.
He had about completed arrangements so that he could return to Washlngton and live once more among those who appreciated his worth, but death cut short his plans. The news caused widespread sorrow throughout the city.
Was Splendid-Looking Man.
Shepherd was a man of noble presence, a splendid specimen of manhood. Tall and broad-shouldered, he walked erect and gave the impression of great physical strength. He was not often called upon to show how strong he was, but he gave an exhibition one day down at the office of the board of public work, when he took a contractor who was taller and heavier than himself and threw him bodily over the four-foot iron railing that divided the room. The contractor had charged the governor with favoring another to the detriment of himself. When Shepherd undertook to explain the circumstances, the charge was renewed and, the governor, loosing all patience, grabed the fellow by the collar and seat of the trousers and tossed him over the railing. There was a crowd of other contractors standing on the other side and they broke the force of the man's fall. The man afterward made an abject apology and the governor forgave him.
The governor's face was a striking one, and in any gathering of men would arrest attention. He had a well shaped head, with broad, full brow, a straight nose, firm-set lips and a square chin which indicated an indomitable will. He was a forceful speaker, using good language, clear and concise and without any rhetorical ornamentation.
Some of the acts of Gov. Shepherd while he was the vice president of the board of public works were strenuous and aroused ill feeling against him on the part of those whose interests were affected. One instance was the tearing up of the tracks of the Washington and Alexandria railway, which came around from the old Baltimore and Ohio station to where the Peace monument now is. These tracks were ripped up during the night by Mr. Shepherd's orders, and there was a great hue and cry over the act by the railway people.
This Raised a Row.
Another instance was the destruction of what was then known as the Northern Liberty market house, which was located on the government reservation between 7th and 9th streets, New York avenue and K street northwest, where the Public Library has been erected. The market was a frame structure, quite old and dilapidated, and an effort had been made to get those who controlled it to abandon it and seek some other location. In fact, they were ordered to vacate the reservation, because it was the property of the United States government, but no heed was paid to the order. Accordingly one night Thomas M. Plowman, who was the assistant inspector of buildings, took a large force of men and razed the building to the ground. The market men and hucksters were furious at the action of Gov. Shepherd, but the resentment died out in a few days, and when the reservation was improved and called Mt. Vernon Square, there was not a man in the city who would have had the old market house back.
When Douglass Wallach sold The Evening Star October 31, 1867, the purchasers were Crosby S. Noyes. Alexander R. Shepherd. Samuel H. Kauffmann, George W. Adams and Clarence B. Baker. Mr. Shepherd held his connection with The Star until 1874, when he became financially involved and sold his interest in the paper, thereby magnanimously sacrificing for the benefit of his creditors a property that would have insured him a handsome competence.
Board Adopts Memorial.
Following the death of former Gov. Shepherd, the board of District Commissioners adopted a memorial minute which paid a high tribute to his work in behalf of the District. It was as follows:
“The Commissioners of the District of Columbia have learned with deep regret of the death of Alexander R. Shepherd, second governor of the District of Columbia, at Batopilas, Mex., on the 12th of September, 1902. They record the feeling of loss and sorrow of the government and the people of the District of Columbia and their profound sympathy with the family of the deceased.
“Mr. Shepherd's great services to the National capital, his birthplace and home for many years, gave him a peculiar place in the esteem and regard of his fellow-citisens and ultimately a national reputation. After seventy years of comparative neglect the District of Columbia was given its first executive government and the plans of George Washington for the improvement of the city of Washington were put in general execution, chiefly through Mr. Shepherd's efforts in three years, as member of the board of public works and as governor of the District of Columbia, he effectively completed his great task. The new Washington will be his chief monument. From time of his youth Mr. Shepherd had taken an active part in the affairs of the city of Washington and of the District of Columbia.
“In 1861 he was elected a member of the common council of the city of Washington and was chosen president of that body. In 1867 he was a member of the Levy court of the District of Columbia, and in 1869 was one of the committee of citizens selected to draft a bill for the better government of the District of Columbia. In 1870 he was made president of the Citizens' Reform Association, and was also elected an alderman of the city of Washington. In 1871 he was appointed member of the board of public works of the District of Columbia, created under an act of Congress of that year, which act abolished the then existing government and created a territorial form of government for the District. He was elected vice president of the board. September 13, 1873, he was appointed governor of the District of Columbia, and served in that capacity until June 20, 1874, when the office was abolished by an act of Congress at that date.
“The Commissioners direct, as marks of respect to the memory of Mr. Shepherd, that the District building be closed on the day of his funeral and that the flags on all the buildings of the District government be displayed at half-mast for thirty days.
“The secretary will transmit a copy of this minute to the family of Mr. Shepherd.”
