Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1859-07-08

From The ssudusky Register,
Jones' Design OF the Perry Monument
We arc gratifed to learn that the Exec
utive committee Of the "Battle Of Lake
Erie Monumental Association" have adop-
ted the appropriate and significant design
by 7. d. Jones, sculptor Of Cincinnati, to
commemorate the brilliant victory achieved
by 0. II. Perry, near Putin Bay, on the
10th of September, 1912. The design Is
a naval column, as much as the lines Of ma
val architecture Will permit, one hundred and
sixty feet high, and to be erected on the
highest point Of the Island Of Gibraltar,
where Perry had his lookout The extreme
height Of Gibraltar above water is &c feet
making the whole height Of the column
above the irvel Of the Lake 200 feet
where one of the greatest marine views in
the world may be seen. The greatest
breadth Of base---incuding three courses
is p feet by feet six inches high breadth
Of dado, or die of pedestal, is 20 feA BY
IS feet high; breadth Of cornice over ped
estal, "a feet by feet 6 inches high; diam
eter of shaft Of column at base, IL feet 6
inches high; length Of shaft of column, 90
feet; height Of capital, l2 feet inches;
height of pedestal for statue, IL feet;
height Of statue of Perry-crowning the
whole--ls feet. The three base courses of
stone are as plain as could be desired.-
The die of tho pedestal is as though sec
ton Of man-of war had been taken from
amid-ships-pierced with ports to receive
the guns used in the Battle Of Lake Erie,
provided they can be procured. In the
cornice Of the pedestal all ornament is dis
peused with. The shaft of the column is
without flutes or ornament--plain as the
"mast of some grand admiral" The capi-
tai, like that Of the Corinthian order, is the
principal feature Of the column. The cap
ital, though in three parts, forms complete
whole. The first, or lower section, is formed
Of boldly curved marine shells, instead Of
Acanthus leaves. The second, or middle
section of the capital, is composed Of four
prows Of ships, boldly projecting, surmount-
ed with four figure heads-the rails termi-
mating on the bows,-"Hawse holes" in the
bows, &C. The upper, or third section Of
the capital, forming the abacus, is composed
of the bulwarks Of the four prows and
'cat-heads sustaining the weighed anchors.
The pedestal surmounting the capital, to
receive the statue, is a boldly executed
''capstan." The statue will be 18 feet high,
suitable to tho whole hoight-sOo feet
from the Lake. The panel over the door
(entrance to the spiral staircase to ascend
the column) will be of white marble, feet
long by feet high. Sculptured in bold re-
lief (alto-relev) is group of five figures
in boat, representing Perry passing from
the Laurence to the Niagara to complete
the battle. Except the panel over the door,
the whole Of the monument is intended to
be erected of tho best of lime stone.
] The landscape surrounding the base Of
the column, and all the necessary accesso
ries--thc trees, the neighboring islands, the
lake, the passing vessels, are perfect trans
cripts from nature, all beautifully drawn in
water colors by the accomplished artist
Henri LOWE, of Cincinnati.
1t is mistaken idea with too many Of
eur people that monuments are mere heaps
of vacant stone. They should have pur.
pose, design; they should represent coucep-
tiont of mind, and perpetuate in sculptured
language, the event they are intended tc
commemorate. There should be an appro
priateness, an adaptation of monuments tc
the nature of the subjects they are intend
cd to represent. The Bunker Hill Monu
ment would totally fail to mark the events
in Washington's career So would the col
, umn erected to commemorate nava
, achievement, fail to harmonze in its de-
! sign with the victory at Yorktown. This
principle Mr.. Jones has strictly observed il
his conception Of design for tho Perry
Monumcnt,-which design when carried
out will speak in granite language of the
heroic deeds of our noble Perry. We re-
, peat, We are gratifed that the Committee
who arc gentlemen of superior tastes il
matters Of fine art--have adopted the de
sign submitted to them by Mr.. Jones. By
so doing, they have shown that discrimina
tive taste and ability TO grasp thoughts ant
conceptions beyond the pale of sommonali
ty, which characterize true judges in the
higher order of art. The chief merit of the
; design is its originality. In it you car
trace no shreds Of this ancient monumental
architecture, no patchwork from that. Il
is the offspring Of the artists own native
J genius.
: The corner stone of the Perry Monumen
will be laid with all due ceremonies on tn,
10th of September next.