Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 38.djvu/311

Rh authorities of Maryland refuse to permit the establishment of the small marble markers, but are willing to permit the erection of a central monument containing tablets upon which the names of the individual Confederates can be inscribed. As in the case at Chicago, a contract has been let for the construction at Point Lookout of a central mass of masonry of suitable form, on which are to be placed bronze tablets containing the names of the dead. The monument is to be completed by September, 1911, according to the plans.

To grant legislative authority for this work, Senator Warren, on December 15th, reported to the Senate a joint resolution, which was passed, granting authority to erect the monument and extending the Foraker Act for two more years. Otherwise, its provisions would have expired February 26, 1911.

General Berry reports that 14,617 separate headstones have been placed over the graves of Confederate soldiers, under the Foraker Act, while the monuments, to 4400 more at Oakwood Cemetery, Chicago, and to 3.384 at Point Lookout, will bring the total to 22,401 by next September, leaving only a few hundred more graves to be marked.

During the session of Congress, 1905-6, Senator J. B. Foraker, of Ohio, introduced a bill, which promptly became a law, appropriating $200,000 for the cost to locate and mark the graves of Confederate prisoners of war who died in Northern prisons; also a commissioner, to carry out the work, was created, to be appointed by the President, which, as before stated, was done, and successively. Two years was given to perform the work, but the time has been extended twice by Congress.