The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1865-10-14

~ bPAh fhAL ANAAAfF aiANt ~ AtStEltt
has been familiar to all Americans in IL
Illustrated books from the childhood Of
the most of those who now read the daily
press. We have seen this sacred spot
many times in the last thirty years, and
never saw it looking better than now.
1t may be interesting to many who are
now visiting the place for the first time
to know that the remains Of Washington
were originally deposited IN the old vault
which is pointed ont to all visitors, and
i'll a.. mahogany coffin lined with lead.
The vault was damp and the wood was
three times renewed before being placed
in the receptacle whore they now repose.
In 1881 the new vault was erected and
the remains transferred. 4 P~hiladelphia
marble worker proposed to furnish a mar
bic sarcophagus. but on visiting the tomb
declined to do so if it was to be put in 50
damp a vault. An ante chamber was
therefore erected IN front Of the vault.
some dozen feet high. with an arched gate
way and gate formed Of iron rods. In
this ante-chamber 81 the right is the sar-
.cophagus containing the remains Of Wash
ington. and on the left another precisely
like it containing the remains Of Mrs.
Washington. aud it may be added that
her remains have been moved as often as
those Of the great chief. The slrtopha-
gus IS e~xcavated from a solid block Of
pure white marble, and was placed there
in 1887. Within the vault proper are
the bodies Of many members Of the fam
lily. On either side as yGu come near the
vault stands a marble oheIisk, Inscribed
with names Of the leading members II
the Washington family. The design
upon " ashingt9n's s~arcoplaetls covers
the most Of the top or lid. and consists Of
a shield. divided into thirteen %perpendic-
ular stripes, resting On the national flag.
and attached ~ cords to a spear embel-
lished with t@assels, forming a background
to the shield. The crest is an eagle with
Iopcn wings perching upon the superior
bar Of the bar and clutching the arrows
and olive branch. Below the arraorial
bearing is the name, deeply sculptdred.
Of " Washington. On the plain lid Of
the other sarcephagus are the words, III
large letters, = Martha Wash:ngton,"
An addition, erected at one end of the
mansion after Washington time. has
been torn away, and the structure is now
in the exact form as when left BY the
Father Of his Country. It IS well known
that the mansion. rs originally erected
and left BIZ Lawrence Washington. was
much enlarged hy General Washington
a section being added ia each end, max
ing it. as it now stands, 81 feet in length
north and south. with q portieo. fronting
the river, extending from end to end
This portico having decayed. has been re
placed by an exact copy Of the old. The
mansion is two stories high, Of wood, fin
lished in imitation of free-stone, and PAINT
ed white. Fourteen small windows, viii
the old-faslioned diminutiye panes o
glass, lock out upon beautifully slopiue
lawns, aud d3wn upon the river from II
elevation of two hundred feet above tht
river level. There are SIX rooms on tt,
floor, with a spacious hall running through
the centre, from east TO west. The nortl
room is the large dining hail, in which j
the exquisite marble mantlepiece. wrough
in Italy, shipped on an English vesse
during the French Revolution, captured
by the French, and promptly Forwarded
ny the French Government when Lafay
cite made known that it was a presenr
from an American wine merchant, resi-
dent in Marseilles, to Washington. II
this room are also the double banked har
pischord, shaped ike a modern squar,
piano-a wedding present to his adopted
daughter, Nelly Gusts the tripod whicl
served Washington in all his surveys. ant
the large set Of matched mahogony din
ing tables.
The dining hall opens~at either end in
to an east and west parlor, in one of which
is an old, dilapidated, large globe, and il
the other an old sofa. The KEY of tn
Bastile, i present from Lafayette-stil
hangs in the glass case in the hall, and
by its side. the silhouette taken from lif
by a lady in Philadelphia. The librar,
room. in the south end IS occupied b
Miss Tracy, the accomplished and faithful
agent of the Mount Vernon Association
) A bust of Washington, east in plaster b,
Houdon, and another of Lafayette, facin.
5 each other high on the walls. are the onl
} observable relies. The bookcases, bull
5 into the wall, with glass doors, fully oe
cupy one side of the large room. Owe
this apartment. in a small bedroom, tn
great and good man died. 4 hedstead
said to be an exact copy of that IN whie
s., he died, is the only article in the chan
Der. The family pictures were nearly Q
! quite all at Arlington, and were taken t
Richmond by Gen. Lee. The celebrate
" pitcher portrait" upon the back {
!. which was inscribed the beautiful eulogy
, and left in the mansion by an unknow
hand, was carried away by John A. Wash
~ington, and is in the possession of tina
family.
: The long row of brick quarters SIT
f stand as they have for thirty or forty year.
since they were partially destroyed b
fire. In this row Washington had h
blacksmith and carpentering establish
5 ments, and her. now live the two old co
S ored servants of whom mention has bee
. made as the servants who came here sixt
a years ago with Anna Blackburn, the viii
t of Bushrod Washington.
The " Ladies' Mount Vernon Assoei;
n ton" it is we'll known, made their Pun
d chase in 1858, and had made the last pay
ment of $4,000 upon the eve of the re
g bellion. The association had expende
n also $4,000 In Improvements, ID additio
to paying the 100000 purchase none,
! Much still needs to be done, and til
large amount of funds at this time acct
e mulating from the throngs of visitor
n who pay an entrance fee each of twenty
!, FIVE cents, will do much for putting th
e national shrine and preserving it in prope
t condition.
The scourge of the rebellion stayed il
} desolating tide at the confines of thes
sacred acres. The tomb of Washingto
+ was held sacred on both Sides
pnbicL Churcb uhern Wasbinofo