Soldiers Erect Pavilion.
A squad from the barracks fired a salute and barracks buglers sounded "taps." Karl Hoenig and a boys' choir sang. Captain N.J. Kidwell of 345 South Third Street, who was a Confederate veteran of the Eighth Virginia Infantry in Pickett's division, presided.
The exercises were held in a new cement pavilion erected by army engineers from the barracks, representing five Northern and four Southern states, under the command of Captain F. M. Doyle. It replaces a wooden structure built several years ago. Rain interfered with the program before its completion. An American flag was placed on each grave by the Daughters of the Confederacy. The pavilion was decorated with flags, bunting, and magnolia wreaths."
The marble tombstones were first brought to the Camp Chase Cemetery by rail via horse and wagon from Columbus, Ohio, in the spring of 1908. The winning bid was given to the Blue Ridge Marble Company from Nelson, Georgia for $2.90 per stone. From these same quarries came the majority of the marble monuments we now have in Washington, DC, including the Lincoln Memorial.
The following are extracts from the Columbus Dispatch on April 13, 1902. “The arch which will be unveiled June 7 will be the first to be constructed by Northern people to mark the final resting places of Confederates who fought bravely for their convictions. It will be situated seventy-five feet from the entrance to the grounds, which fronts on Sullivan Avenue. Several years ago Colonel Knauss had a wooden arch placed over the bowlder and on it was painted “”Americans.”” “On top of the keystone of the arch is the statue of a Confederate soldier in gray bronze. On each side of the arch there are large flower urns, which set off the masonry in a very pleasing manner.”