Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-09-25
NEW PORK CORRESPONDENCE.
NEw YoRK, SEPTEMBER 81, 1s47.

NEW lOkh, cEPTEMBER q, 1917
THE NEW YoRK WAsHIseToS MosunrSr.-Yesierda
the board OF Trustees of the New York Washington Monu
ment Association decided upon the design and plan Of tn,
proposed structure: Nearly a dozen designs had been pre-
sented for their examination, several of them possessing / gool
deal OF merit. The one finally selected was offered by Calvin
Pollard an architect of this city, who has already considerable
reputation. As the plan of the monument is now determined
and the prospects are favorable for the immediate commence
ment Of the work, some description Of the proposed edifct
must be a matter of general interest.
The material of the structure is to be granite, and the style
OF the architecture principally Grecian. The form will be
pentagon, rising to the height Of four hundred and fifty feet,
divided into six unequal sections, diminishing in diameter one
above me other. The monument rests upon a terrace l5s
feet in diameter and l3 feet high. The base of the monu-
ment - % feet in diameter. The rotundo in the first section
Is Az iet IN diameter and 81 feet in height. The rotundo in
the second section is 40 feet diameter and SO feet high. The
third section has a rotundo Of SO by IS feet. The founh sec.
ton rises ~ feet the fifth So feet, and the sixth and last so
feet. Inc whole TO be surmounted by a statue of Wishing
Ton twenty feet in height. Each section is ornamental with
buttresies, cornice, and balustrade. Around the rotundo in
the frf section are five rooms, occupying the p~entagopal pro-
jectlont, each rs feet square and 81 feet in height, to be
reachef by spiral staircases from the Iotundo, which also con-
unue UP TO the second section. These rooms are designed,
one fr the use Of the trustees, one for a registry of the
names OF contributors 10 the monument, one for a registry
Of the names of visiters, and two for a library of works and
docunents having reference to the Revolution.
In he second section is the grand monumental Totundo,
whichis to contain a statue of Washington, surrounded by
statue OF his Major Generals, and his foreign allies who dis
dngubhed themselves during the war of the Revolution, and
a uGcdnt pedestal inscribed with the name of the traitor Arnold.
The third section is divided into six stories, the rooms of which
may be devoted to the uses Of artists and other purposes. The
fourth section : divided into eight stories, and the fifth section
into hive stories. The sixth section, which is assembled by a
single spiral Stairway, has a gallery at the top Is feet in
diameter.
These are te general features and outlines of the monu-
ment, without toing into detail of the lights, s~tairways, and
ornaments of III different sections. The plan seems to be
well received, aid was adopted by the trustees with great
unanimity. ltwll form one of the grandest and most inter-
esting monumental structures the world has ever seen. The
cost, including tia interior fnishings and appendages, is esti-
mated at three to bur bundled thousand dollars. The walls
and solid part OF TIE building may be constructed for a hum
dred and fifty to two hundred thousand dollars.
Arrangements lave been made by the Association for a ra-
pd and Neutrality-suspicious. to their funds. Each ward OF
the city is divided into districts and small sections, to be visit
cd by canvassersln a methodical manner, SO that every citizen
may have an opportunity to contribute, if it be but a mite, to
this great offerin[ upon the altar of patriotism. Measures will
also be adopted ? collect subscriptions through the State and
other sections Of the country and, from the feeling which
appears now TO b manifested upon the subject, it can hardly
be doubted that neans will be raised to carry the structure on
to a rapid completion.
The corner stone of the monument will be laid on the 10th
OF next month, te anniversary of the battle Of Yorktown,
and will doubtles,be accompanied with interesting ceremonies.
Some stone-cutteis here have already offered to give the corner
stones, finished aid fitted for the ediice, and delivered on the
spot free of charge. Another company has volunteered TO
prepare the foundation for the reception Of the corner stones
without drawing on the funds of the Association. These in
dlcaions promise we'll for the progress of the work and in the
character and energy Of the gentlemen who have charge Of
the enterprise the public have the strongest assurance against
disappointment.
FUNERAL OBsEQUIEso OF OCoSNELL.-To-morrow funeral
ceremonies for the great Irish patriot will be observed in this
for which great preparations have been made, and will
doubtless call out one of the largest procession ever known here.
With an Irish population of a hundred thousand in New York
vicinity, and the strong clannish feeling Of that people,
and their ardent devotion to O'Connen, we may expect to see
a very large gathering. The ability of the orator for the oc-
Gov. Seward) will also contribute to swell the con-
course. The procession will march through several of the
streets, and the address will be delivered in Castle
Garden.
The MILLERrTEs hold meeting tomorrow on the grounds
formerly occupied by Niblos Garden, which was destroyedby
lire a year or two ago. They have portentous show-blls
posted about town, promising lectures for several days.
RALRoADs AND TuSSELs.-This is to be a great railroad
country, and the subject of railroads is every day increasing in
interest and Importance. | am told that the legislatures of
NIX States have already instructed their representatives in Con-
to vote for the Whitney railroad to the Pacific. Proba-
bly, few readers are aware Of the great number and extent Of
tunnels that are constructed in building railroads and canals.
I is, I believe, an established fact, in the building Of railroads,
{ a hill OF a mountain stands in the way, that it is cheaper 10
through IL than it is to go round il, even though the hill
IT mountain may be Of solid rock. That is, the cost of the tun-
,el in the outset, as a general principle, bears no comparison
the advantages derived in the long run by shortening the
distance. And as for the other alternative, climbing oper the
while canals cannot do it at all, ii is much more diff.
and expensive for railroads than even going round the
Hence, therefore, as railroads increase tunnelling
through the elevations Of The earth must become more and
more a common operation.
The statistics Of tunnels already existing would form an in.
eresting item Of intelligence, and would even now astonish
most people by their number and extent. There are but two
unnels at present in the immediate vicinity of New York
me at the commencement of the Long Island railroad, in
South Brooklyn, a little less than half a mile in length, and
me less than a quarter Of a mile in length, on the New York
md Harlem railroad, near Yorkville. There have been some
populations within a year or two past about running a tun-
ll under Broadway, in the lower part Of the city, at Elk
hangc Place, or some other point below Trinity Church, to
onnect Broad street with Greenwich street, thus at the same
ime shortening the distance of a great deal of travel, and re.
ieving in some degree the crowded thoroughfares in that part
4 the city. The time may yet come when Long Island will
70 connected with New York by a tunnel under the East
river, like the tunnel under the Thames at London. II would
no improvement now, in addition to the very convenient
between New York and Brooklyn, but the rapid growth
{ New York and its suburbs, and the immense amount of
hipping and steamers and vessels Of all kinds that will some
ears hence choke up the East river, may render a tunnel de-
Some statistics of railroads and canal tunnels were recently
ubished in the American Railroad Journal, in which il is
that the longest tunnel in tho United States is on the
and Ohio Canal. and is a little short Of tyo-fhirds |