The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-03
The Washington Monument.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERAL

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD.
An article in your Saturday ISSUE calling for informs-
ton as to the funds heretofore collected by the various
Washington Monument Associations seems to demand
reply from one and perhaps the former Secretary
Of the last association will be naturally looked to for
formation proceed to give it. with the perfect know.
ledge that but few months will be suffered TO eapse be.
fore the question will be again asked In perfect obi
vousness Of the fact that the query has put
hundred times before, and almost frequently answered
But there arc always curious people In the world who
"wsnt to know, and who are always seeking for
"Circumlocution Office" where their questions may not
be answered.
The last incorporated Washington Monument AssociA
ton formed in 1885, and received their charter in
1s47 and was composed Of Peter Cooper, e. K. Collins
J. c. Hart, Henry Storms Thompson Price, W.. C. Il.
wacdell Calvin Pollard, James PhSan, W. F. Piatt, VIM
Hail. Hamilton Fish, Elias G. Drake and Shepherd Knapp
~ the first Board Of Trustees Of which The undersigned
al Of whom gave less attention the business
Of Association would forbid any suspicion OF
wrong appropriation Of funds collected in their
Manner but justice TO them requires that 1t should be
stated that the amounts collected never sufficient
TO pay the charges Of Office hire stationery and other
never wholly paid The Association received from the
Treasurer Of Of the former Associations R. Hysop
Egg, think, about eight hundred collars, and /
hrs besides was ever collected Every dollar that
was collected was deposited in the MschAnios Bank
shepherd Knapp, Esq, being the Treasurer, and the
possession of the bank If they have boe preserved And
viii show for what purposes the funds were expsnd
The curious in such matters nay crafty their curiosity
by examination Of the account in the Ne shanics
Bank.
The tickets, copy ofons Of which you pubAs,o, -.
issued thoss Who ehOs W pay doll. s. =, tbs
privilege Of ing for the pan Not more than seven or
eight hundred of these issued and not than
perhaps half Of that number paid for having
been purchased credit Of gentlemen who
offered plans, who distributed them ong their friends
and then forgot to pay for them.
The undersigned has made repeated efforts to Get Dos
session Of the books kept by the association with view
OF publishing the cash accounts both Of receipts and ex
peoditures but has been unable to find them The last
he saw Of them his fesignipg office In January
l849 when he left this city for California.
As matter Of information to those who may hereafter
be concerned In the hopeless effort OF raising nonu ent
to George Washington, the undersigned would say that
there deposited nearly twenty years ago. in the old
Chambers Street Savings Bank by NsAh Taylor trust
for stephen Allen then Treasurer thousand dol
lars which 1t Ia presumed still remains in that bank o.
It was there In 1847 and was not withdrawn BY the
ISOLATION q which the undersigned was Secretary
In conclusion 1t s but jus ice to the station of
1847 to say that the undoubtsd Of the failure OF
that organization after the very active efforts made
that the orbaue the of the work
until $50 coo subscribed and paid either In cash.
land, or building materials, and the people did
disposed to pay their money subject to what many
heved to be hopeless contingency
ROBERT d. HART.