MEMORIAL HALL.

     Ohio cares for her defenders, and one instance is the fine Memorial Hall erected on East Court street, at Washington C. H.  A few years ago the matter of erecting a soldiers' monument in this city was discussed by the county authorities, but finally it was decided to spend the money in erecting a structure in which the remaining Civil-war veterans, the Sons of Veterans, and the auxiliary Relief Corps might have a comfortable resting place and assembly home in their declining years.  Monuments are good to show the true spirit of a county, but much more so is the building of such a hall, for it is more useful and practical, both today and in the future.  This property, which was erected by Fayette county, is the second and third stories of a beautiful, modern brick block.  The first floor occupied by the soldiers is divided into a large front room, used for a "rest room" for soldiers of any American wars.  It fronts the street, is well lighted and the whole building is hearted by steam, at a cost of four hundred dollars per year.  The room just named has easy chairs and lounging places, free to all, and its walls are artistically decorated with military pictures, including an heroic portrait in oil of Gen. Phil Sheridan.  This was donated by Charles Allen, of the city.  Then there are shelves and cases in which quite a military library is kept for public use.
     On the same floor is the spacious Grand Army room, which is well furnished, being one of the best in Ohio.  At the rear of the building (on this floor) is one of the largest halls in the state.  IT is really the "Memorial Hall" itself, for here one finds on either of the four walls pure white Italian marble tablets, set permanently in the walls, and these number in all forty-one, and cost (duty taken off by Congress) laid down by the contractors, one hundred and twenty-one dollars each, making almost five thousand dollars for all.  On these tablets are inscribed the names, regiment and company of 2,662 Fayette county soldiers.  This hall is about sixty-by eighty-five feet, with self-supporting ceilings.  It is seated with six hundred opera chairs.  This is the meeting place for all military gatherings, including the memorial and decoration services.  The boys who "wore the loyal blue" meet here, march to the cemetery and, after decorating their comrades' graves, return and are served with a dinner by the Relief Corps ladies.  This occurs with each annual return of this sacred day.
     Going to the third story of the structure (second of the soldiers' rooms), one finds a hall sixty-five by eighty-five feet, with a splendid hardwood floor, designed, originally, for the drill service of the National Gaurd.  Here the men generally gather for any public purpose which comes up in the county.  Here, also, the Relief Corps assemble and do their work, including cooking and serving meals.  All in all, this memorial is superior to almost any in the country, and is duly appreciated by the old soldiers and those of the Spanish-American war as well.  The Sons of the Veterans have the use of the Grand Army hall and are very strong in Washington C. H. and Fayette county, generally, as is also the Woman's Circle.
     When the marble tablets were ordered, it was intended by the committee to use a few for the surviving Confederate soldiers who were then residents of this county, but a better judgment prevailed and they are to contain the names of county officers.  In fact, the Confederates themselves did not care to advertise themselves as having fought in the "Lost Cause."
     The following are the inscriptions on these memorial tablets: