The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-06-08
NEW YORK. THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE 8, 1874

ected, OF course no adequate foundation was made
Inc stone which had been land by La Fayette, was
afterwards put ln0 the centre OF the foundation ;and
the box OF deposItes which il ,ntained was taken
out and enclosed in the present corner stone, which
10 at the angle Of the structure, locking
towards the point OF landing OF the enemy The
plan OF the monument was devised by Mr.. olomon
Willard, of Boston, distinguished architect and
his o.lglna design, followed throughout, has been
brouehtto a 81 ccrssful completion.
The plan having been decided npon, the work
was resumed about the middle at March, 1877
by the excavation Of new foundation. quarry
OF senite granite, situated a. Quincy, eight miles
distant, had been purchased and wrought upon
during the previous sP'rg. The stone used for the
'ure, was transported from the quarry railway
10 the WHAT in Quincy, where it was put into flat
bottomed boats, towed by steam power TO the wharf
in Charlestown, and then raised To the hill by teams
moving upon an inclined plane. The repeated
transfer OF the stones, necessary in this mode OF con-
veyance, being attended with delay liability TO &C.
cident, and deiacDg of the blocks, was aban-
doned after the fortieth foot was lad and the ma
quarry 10 the hill Some. of the blocks present
dark stains upon their surfaces, caused by the pre-
sence otlron. Sometimes, in the process oil hewing
and hammering, these stains would disappear but
tor season they seem 10 grow brighter by expo
sure to the cir and then by process of time the in
fnence of the atmosphere, the weather, and the
winter frost, they gradually fade away Several Of
lure. but it is believed they will slowly disappear.
The application OF any chemical agent for their
moval would not be advisable; indeed, some per.
sons think they add TO the beauty of granite pile
when sparngly distributed over it, No one can
stand and look at the structure, or scan it with
close observation. without being impressed with
the wonderful mathematical accuracy which dis
tnguishes 1t: The joints of the stones seem to be
chlseed with great exactness as il they were work
ed with all the ease with which the carpenter shapes
his wood; and the dmlnution of the obeliek,
work of extreme difficulty, has been iaut!essly exc
cuted slight failure or error in either OF these
particulars would have been a hideous deformi,y,
and would have endangered the stability of the sruc
ture We rely for its permanence upon its mathe-
matical accuracy, as much as upon the sodiy Of
it's materials
The distinguished honor of having thus with SCI
entifc precision begun and completed the imposing
structure, belongs 10 Mr.. James Savage, OF Bosto
OF many great public works, the builder has been
wholly forgotten; OF others, the credit has been
withheld from the mechanical geniuses who exc
cuted them, and has been all bestowed upon those
who have drafted the plan upon paper. But TO exc
cute such a work, however skifuly it may have
been Planned, demands rare union Of talents. To
take IN the conception, TO comprehend its details,
to cricse its excellences or defects to suggest
provements, to invent facilities, to combine two or
more objects, and then to watch each aboriOus pro
cess, guarding against accidents and Mistakes to do
all this, requires one who is much more than me-
chanic In such structure as the monument, though
II Is very simple, patience care, skill and ingenious
device were continually needed. Mr. Savage pos
scsScu I'LL the Qua1nCatOne, ana MS name
ought to go down to posteri'y with the monument
Those who watched the rising OF the pile, could not
tail to observe his unweared and une ring interest
in his work. He might be seen above or below, as
occasion called tor him; now experimenting the set
ting of step; now suspended upon plank at dig
zy eminence outside the structure; testing the
strength ola fastening, or, with his hand upon the
belwre, sendiDg notice to the engine to rest Just
as ponderous stone, poised high in air. was gently
weighing over The upper courses of the obelisk
And 10 complete the effect Of HE presence of mind
and skill. there no haste or hustle in bis move
ments, and he was ready TO the questions of
the whole work. A laborer. while engaged in lay
ing the last stone OF the twelfth course on the south
west corner, was pushed of and killed.
y The whole structure was made under the superin-
tende. &c ct Mir. Savage under three different
e. cis. AT first he was engaged as builder by Mr..
Hard, the architect. and furnished the materials
r0d the labor. This arrangement continued during
the years 1927 and 1928, when the foundation and
fourteen courses OF the supersrucure were laid In
August, 1923, the work was suspended on account
OF deficiency of funds, about $50 QUO having been
expended, including the purchase OF the right in the
quarry tor all the necessary materials, the gearing
at the wharves and on the hill, which was compli-
Gated and expensive, but not including the purchase
OF the land.
In the summer of 1894, the work was resumed
Mr.. Savage, being still employed by Mr.. Willard,
was obliged, on account OF an engagement for ser
wee under the United States government, to com
NIT the oversight of the work to Mr.. Charles Pratt,
though by occasional visits he continued TO superin
tend and direct 1t. Sixteen more courses were LAID,
when the work was again closed for want Of funds,
in 1895; about 800 900 more having been expe Dded
Depression in all the interests Of trade and business
a arrangement in the financial affairs of the coun.
try, and a general opinion that the large Gums OF
money already collected had not been judiciousy
economically expended, will account for the de-
lay in The completion of the work. Probably, how
ever, the durability Of the structure rather adj
vanced than injured BY the pause of a few wears.
On ,,oAov haiti
might be brought to point at its then existing ee
walton, but it thought better to wait in hope,
under the conviction that il would one day be com
pleied according TO the original plan.
The happy suggestion, which was offered for the
sake Of meeting the pecuniary want, and which, as
it was uttered, every body knew would be
triumphantly realized, came from the weaker sex,
who had no hand, though they had much heart, in
II was proposed that public Fair should be held in
the city OF Boston, and that every female in the
United States OF America, who desired the honor,
should work with her own hands, and contribute
with her means, to furnish the Fair, the other
sex being, of course, allowed to contribute what
they pleased, and being expected TO purchase with
.iberality. The plan was most successful. bill
liant and dazzling display, as well as an exhibition
OF the results of devoted industry and cunning nge
uui,y, of which have at least, much reason to
feel proud, as Of the battle, atested that the call
was not made in vain. The Fair was held in Boston
in september, 1910, and its proceeds, with few
muui6cent private donations. which should be con-
sdered as epending upon it, put within the hands
of the Committee OF the Bunker Hill Association,
sum sufficient to complete the great object. Mr.
Savage, by contract with the Building Committee
was engaged in the autumn of 1910, TO complete the
work for $43, 800 He resumed lis labor by laying
the flrst stone on May 2, 1871, and finished it with
entire success, by depositing the apex on Jny %,
1872 The last stone was raised at O'Clock in the
morning Of that day, with the discharge Of cannon
Mr. Edward Carnes, Jr., OF Cherlesiown, accompa-
nying in its ascent, and waving the American flag
during the process.
The section OF the monument which accompanies
this description, will convey an idea Of the mode Of
its construction. The foundation, lying twelve feet
below the base of the structure, is composed of six
courses of fair split stones. The lower tier rests
upon bed OF clay and gravel which compcses the
soil of the hill; great pains having been used III
Ioosening the earth, and in pudding and RUNNING
the stones The four dalton is laid lime mortar !;
the other parts Of The structure with lime mortar
mixed with cinders and iron filings, and with
SnrinQleld hvdrauc "a nnenf R.lo,u The base the