The Portland daily press., 1871-09-28
The Lincoln Monument at spriua q field
UlIis

fFrom the Springfield Jnurnal, Sept. pol
The completion of the architectural part OF
the Lincoln monument and the removal OF
the remains of the late President to the crypt
designed Tor it in the catacomb makes this
an appropriate time to review some of the
events connected with the building of the
same.
On the 10th Of September, 1868, the Ma
tional Lincoln Monument Association of this
city adopted design-selected from thirty
one submitted to their inspection--for mon-
ument to be erected to the memory of Abra-
ham Lincoln. The design was prepared BY
Larkin G. Meade, native of Rsattleboro, vt
but who has for several years been residing in
Florence, Italy. The specifications state that
the whole exterior of the monument was to
be OF granite and the statuary of bronze. On
the 3Oth of December the association entered
into contract with Mr.. Meade, by which
they took charge of the erection of the archi-
tectural part OF the monument, and wire TO
build according to his design and speclfica-
tions. Mr.. Meade was to mould cast and de-
liver in Springfield all the sculpture required
by and necessary to his design. The scalp-
ture specified was a statue OF Lincoln to cost
$l3,7O0, and four groups representing the in-
ioutiy, CdNdiy, dttHicIy anu tLc navy, edcn 10
cost S13, 100, and the coat of arms of the
United States to cost SIS 5000. The associa-
tion reserved the right to order the work to
proceed on ore or more pieces of statuary at
time, and not to incur any obligation to pay,
until they gave written order for the work to
proceed, designating the particular piece or
pieces. The whole of the statuary thus con-
tracted for amounts to $40 600.
On the 7th Of May, 1869, the association
ordered Mr.. Meade to proceed with the work
on the statue of Lincoln and the coat CT arms.
About the same time they advertised tor pro-
pOsals to build the architectural part of the
monument. Upon opening the bids it was
found that W. ID. Richardson, of Springfield,
was the lowest, being $136,550. The associa-
tiOn accordingly entered into contract with
MIR. Richardson to build the monument. Ar
rangements having previously been made,
ground was broken with appropriate ceremo-
nies, september 8, 1869. Mr.. Richardson had
his materials on the ground, and commenced
the work at once. In the absence OF the
President of the association, ex Governor Oe
lesoy, the Vice-President, Hon. Jesse X. Du-
bois read a statement of the assets OF the as
sociatlon, showing them to amount to $685.
663 46. Its liabilities were for the fulfilment
OF the contract with Mr.. Richardson, and pay.
ment for the two pieces of statuary ordered,
$l5l ,75O, showing that the payment OF these
sums would leave balance in the treasury OF
S6,9lS. 1t was expected that the work would
have been completed by January 1, 1871, but
delay on the part of the railroads in bringing
granite from Quincy, Mass, made it nectssa-
ry to defer the completion of the work until
the present season. The cap-stone was ele-
waited to its position on the obelisk Monday
morning, May %, 1871. That, however, did
not complete the monument, as there was
still work to be done on the catacomb and
memorial hall. 1t is now done, with the ex-
cepticn of putting in proper position few
sections of the parapet around the terrace,
laying the floor in memorial hail and some
other uninportant details. 1t will certainly
be done by the 1st of October.