Evening star., 1869-08-07
THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL mon.
EMENT

a faw hundred dollars TO completino the
Washington National Monument in this city.
bas aroused the jealousy OF the New York
pepeIs, which revive the old Tnisrepresenta-
tons about the Insecurity Of the foundation of
The structure, ard the incongraity of the plan.
which have been reiutad over and over sgain
nfortunaiely, error travels i1ster than truth
@nd thus the interested circuIators OF these
fslsehocds have, up to this time. accomplished
their object. by delaying the completion
q the Nationsl Monument. The motives
y hich aetuate the New York papers In their
present combined effort - change the purposs
o: Mr. AstOr, if he really has announced the
Intention ascribed TO him. are avoxed by the
New York TimeS. which, with remarkable can
der, expresses the opinion that it would be s-far
better 10 erect the monument In Central Park"
than TO attempt the completion OF the .disn
failure" at the National Capital. A sdismaI
failure" we grant on the part OF the people of
the United States to respond fsvorabIy to the
appeals made TO their patriotism and rever-
ehee for the memory eff George Washington,
nut not otherwise. The object of the New
York journals sufficiently explains their course,
but why the Philadelphia BalIetia and Tsle-
gTcFh, and other journals throughout the coun.
Iy should follow their lead. and repeat such
sale ISLANDERS is inexplicable, unless it is in
compliance with the current fashion of decry-
The structures of the New York Pos, would
be severe If they did not lack the vital element
Of truth. and as the article in that paper con-
iains the gist of all the old faIsehoods and some
new ones, We propose to briefly review its
Measurements of fact. Setting out with men
non OF the reports as TO Mr.. Astor's intentions
the writer In the Post fiippantly says, that sin
aIi probability this rumor has no more fosp-
daton than the monument itself is repor,sd IN
Rave, and Of that foundation the tale is revival
every year or two in the newspapers that il -
exceedingly shaky-so much 80 that another
Ton OF stone on top would, or might, sink the
"hole structure several feet In the grouud.-
Tins Is all very smart. but as far from thu
'TG'h As the stories in the same papsr ahou,
the Monument being built In a swami. On
Elles- when, IN tact, the site is ON a hill nssr
tne fotonac, which has certainly never been
hhOer water since the deluge, and is SO els
Na'eo that the Monument can be seen from au
parts Of the city and surrounding countrx
Ihcse "shaky stories in the newspapers lad.
II Io"S' nearly nve years after the suspension
of work on the Monument to an official exam. |
u aion OF II by Lieut. j. q. Ives, an accom-.
4 IHSneo omeer OF the United States Engineer
corps, and his report is before US From itws
i'afn tnat before the Monument was COM
rneneed the strength Of the material of which |
me obelisk was 20 be composed was thorou Oh.
y tested. The results are on record in tho |
{ nee OF the Society. Il is known tnat ths |
haToie was found 10 be able TO bear without
inshlng, pressure more than fifteen times
greater than 1t would be subjected To In any
part of the structure. A few Of the blocks in
TIE lowest courses have slightly clipped at the
eogeS' owing 10 the joints having been laid
ia'ntr closely. These courses will, however
Ov covered by the base. Says Lieut. Ives:
VI M -. \
vas taken In laying the foundation of tbe |
S4Cnulaent both in the selection and prspara- |
on OF the bed and in the execution OF the
raaScEFy WORK, II will be scarcely necessary 10 !
enter INTO any statements in regard TO its pres
EFT condition. The test TO which il has beer
already subjected may, however, be mentioned.
= raised 70 the height Of SIX hundred feet the
weight OF the entire shaft together with ths
will be little more than seventv
,nousaLd tons The weight of the portion now
bElr Is more than forty thousand tons For I
five years, therefore, while the work has basn |
suspended. the foundation has been bearng !
1bout four-sevenths of the pressure thar IL \
VIII ultimately be required 70 sustain; and, in !
= recent examination, was unable to detect
ahy appearance of settling or indication Of in.
SeSurlty. As the question has been raised !
y %ne,her the height OF six hundred feet can be
? Ootalned without endangering the stability of
lne ooeilsk, computation has BE- an made from
VI men II appears that, without taxing into con.
sI1eranon the adhesion OF the mortar. the
weight alone OF the structure would offer 8
resistance nearly eight times greater than the
oyerturning effort of the heaviest tempest 10
which II would probably ever be exposed"
This ought to set all questions as 10 the sts
oiiiiy OF the Monument az Test; but we have
otheT evidence In lsJi the Board of Managers
presented a memorial to Congress, giving a
nrIef history OF the Monument enterprise, and
s:Sung that al recent efforts on their part 10
obtain means for completing the work had
proved abortvs; that they were unable 70 de-
wise any plan more likely to succeed: and that
under these circumstances they brought
The subject before Congress for such
acuon as Congress might deem proper |
memorial was referred in the House
Of Representatives 10 a select comrntttee of
thirteen members, OF which Hon. Henry NAV,
OF Maryland was chairman. ON the a.d of
eoru2ryr lcj5, Mr. May. from the Select Com
Inl''ee' made most able report, in which
after careful examination of the whole sub.
lect, the proceedings of the society were re-
viewed and stongly approved, and a subscrip-
ton recommended of $4,000 by Congress ION
behalf of the people of the United States, to and
the funds OF the society" This is the sum
which tie House Of Representatives, by their
resolution OF January lst, 1901, had agreed 70 |
appropriate for mausoleum 10 Washington
II the city OF Washington. THIS committee say
II their report:
On the 4th OF July, lSis, tine corner stone
Nds Loie- Us iouhuatlons are deeply, broadly. |
an securely laid, and are sumo c,ent to support
me eltire superstructure. The work. 40 lar "a
~ mas been performed, has been faithfulIv
oone. II appears 70 be plain, yet beautiful. |
and your com mittee salts ed thai IL viii ha
The shaft OF the rouu mept No.
reaches TO the height Of I7O feet. IL is Intended
10 be raised to the full helght Of 5I7 feet 40 maj
when completed, this monument will BE- pro,
poruonate 70 the character OF It's subiect[the /
lofnest IN the world. The sum CT 800 QUO has |
been already expended upon the Vorr Ard |
TIE sum of SSs2,O00 will be needed 20 cosnplsts
the shaff; while the cost OF the whole Nork
including shaft ana pantheon, or base. is esti
mated 10 be si,f22,000. Let the present Genera
tion 81 least complete the shaft and Ve NAV
then permit those who come after us 70 finish
the whole work"
The pantheon. or base, here referred to ha,
been sharply crinclzed by architects, and the
New YORK Post. In the article we are noticing
ikens the plan to "a pole stuck through
pumpkin" Now this ~pumpkin." ths most
part Of the proposed structure, as
shown by the above figures, forms no part or
Inc original plan Lieutsnant Ives says Of IL
II was proposed TO the socisty, many years
Aso, 10 surround the foot Of the obelIsk with |
..a oase ol ,ne pantheon form, and an engraving
" " as nace oi tne monumentas ~ would appear |
!. soin pie.eo IN aeeordancs with that plan. An
~ ~ PIesslon mas been in this way crested |
'nIoeknout tne country that the engraved de.
ign nss oeen adop' I'd, and canno. now be- de.
saIeo rom without tearing down what has
ben already built. An inffuentIsI nar,ioa - |
ms rftsx. 4