REPORT OF THE VICKSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK COMMISSION. WAR DEPARTMENT, VICKSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK COMMISSION, Vicksburg, Miss., July 10, 1917. SIR: The commission has the honor to submit its report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1917. PARK AREA. Includes 1,322.63 acres; cost per acre, $47.35. Expenditure by United States under this head from the first, $66,511.53 (includes cost of conveyancing). CARE OF PARK AREA. Expenditure by United States under this head, formerly clearing land: During year, $6,467.34; from the first, $77,688.48. ROADS AND BRIDGES. Length of roadway, including bridges, 31.86 miles; cost per mile, exclusive of bridges, $12,923.05; cost of the 16 bridges, $116,449. Expenditure by United States under this head: During year, $7,086.89 (maintenance); from the first, $585,748.47. TABLETS AND GUIDEBOARDS. Exclusive of 122 iron guideboards, 898 tablets are in place (897 by United States, 1 gift), 569 Union and 329 Confederate (31 bronze, 867 iron)-163 historical, 197 battery, 227 Union trench marker, 151 Confederate trench marker, 136 Union approach marker, 19 headquarters, and 5 mortuary. Expenditure by United States under this head: During year, $298.28 (painting); from the first, $21,497.91. CANNON AND GUN CARRIAGES. Number of guns mounted, 128 (114 field, 14 siege)—66 Union, 62 Confederate. Expenditure by United States under this head: During year, $106.85; from the first, $20,513.65. OBSERVATION TOWERS. Expenditure by United States under this head: During year, $140.11 (repairs); from the first, $27,890.01. MEMORIALS, MONUMENTS, AND MARKERS. At the cost of the park appropriations, the commission ordered one bronze portrait statue with granite pedestal (Lieut. Gen. J. C. Pemberton, Confederate States Army), at a cost of $3,080 (1917 appropriation); one bronze portrait tablet with granite pedestal (Col. T. J. Lucas, Sixteenth Indiana Infantry), at a cost of $541.20 (1917 appropriation, $520; no year appropriation, $21.20); and one portrait tablet pedestal (Confederate), at a cost of $222 (no year appropriation). Two bronze portrait busts with granite pedestals are under contract as gifts. Two bronze portrait tablets were placed as gifts (pedestal in each case at the cost of the no-year appropriation): Lieut. Col. Melancthon Smith, Forty-fifth Illinois Infantry, given by his widow and his comrades; Maj. Alexander Yates, Thirty-sixth Mississippi Infantry, given by his nephew, Mr. Alexander Yates. Michigan's work in the park (State memorial and one monument) was dedicated and transferred to the United States November 10, 1916, and, by direction of the department, was accepted by the chairman. A granite base was placed under the Louisiana monument to the State's organizations in Johnston's army as a gift and at a cost of $120. The Illinois Statue Commission contracted for bronze portraits with granite pedestals as follows: Equestrian statues, each, of Gens. Grant and McClernand; statue of Gen. Logan; and busts, each, of Gens. McArthur and J. E. Smith. The State Legislature appropriated an additional $25,000 for the work of this commission. The Missouri commission is planning to dedicate its work (Union-Confederate State memorial, 16 monuments, 34 markers) during the reunion of veterans to be held here October 16-19, 1917. The New York commission expects to dedicate the State's memorial during this time. The Ralph P. Buckland association of veterans proposes to dedicate the general's portrait bust (its gift to the park) during the same period. It is greatly desired that the Union naval memorial be dedicated during the time of this reunion, preferably on Thursday, the 18th; that the program for the dedicatory ceremonies and exercises be prepared by the Secretary of the Navy and be carried out under his personal direction, and that the President of the United States and the Secretary of War be present and take part in the dedication. Number of memorials, monuments, and markers in place, under contract or ordered, 655. By United States, 1 Union naval memorial with 4 bronze portrait statues, at a cost of $144,041; 2 bronze portrait statues (1 Union, 1 Confederate), at a cost of $5,623; 49 bronze portrait busts (23 Union, 26 Confederate), at a cost of $43,363.30; 55 bronze portrait tablets (42 Union, 13 Confederate), at a cost of $23,638.25; and 3 markers (2 Union-Confederate, 1 Union), at a cost of $400. Total by United States, 110 (68 Union, 2 Union-Confederate, 40 Confederate), at a cost of $217,065.55. By States, 12 memorials (10 Union, 1 Union-Confederate, 1 Confederate), 8 Union bronze portraits (Illinois 5, Wisconsin 3), 202 monuments (171 Union, 31 Confederate), and 261 markers (251 Union, 10 Confederate). Total by States, 483 (440 Union, 1 Union-Confederate, 42 Confederate). Gifts, 34 bronze portraits (19 Union, 15 Confederate), 4 statues, 5 busts, 25 tablets; 22 monuments (2 Union, 20 Confederate), and 6 markers (5 Union, 1 Confederate). Total |