, 1873-05-08
THE LINCOLN MONUMENT.
Lottcr from a Mombor OF tho AssooIn-
t&0I1s

tf0ns
10 tho Edttor Of ths Nt,u Pork TYr,es:
In your issuo Of tho 22d you say, p" From tho
account ct recent visitor 1t appears that tho
Lincoln Monument, at Bprlnelold, ia In {. most
deplorablo condition. Tho monument, In ita
doaign',is well known as an outrage on good
Whothor tho monument is In good tasto or
not is q question about which men may lifror
Il is built after the doslgn Of Mr., Mead, and It
10 well known that very largo majority Of thoao
Tho y ygt IT, IL hi9e y to h9 IN very good taste
criticism eau be n1ade in tho present condition
OF tho monument. Tho design conlomplatos d
statue OF Mr. Lincoln and four groups Of atatu-
nry nnd until tho monument ia ornamentod
of Ct tho doslgn premature. Tho statement that
" Tho monument Ia in d most deplorablo condi-
tion " Ia not true. and denied.
Tho monumont may bo divided into throe
parts. Frat, tho shaft tho chief part OF It: 10
foot at it's base, ita foundation 1a feet houeath
tho surface, and firmly built on concrete 8 feet,
thonoe Of solid blocks OF stone: No ono Inns
shaft from foundation to ape1. Second, tho four
pedostals, ono at each cornor Of tho shaft, and
on which tho four groups of statuary are to bo
placed. Theso podoatale9 each stand upon .
foundation Y or its own and separate, and q part
Of these pedestals, like That Of tho shaft, has
mover been, and cannot with proprioty bo, quos-
toned. Third, the terrace, or elevated walk, IL
foot above the surface OF tho ground, and SUR
rounding tho ,pedostala and Shafts, and reached
shaft and pedestala, stands upon its own founla-
tion, and entirely distinct from thom. In
fact this torrace could DO talon down without
injury to the shaft or pedestRls, and Ia covered
by n floor Of largo dressed atone. The monu-
ment Ia still In the hands Of the contractor, who
has discovered defects in Tho construction Of tho
terrace, and especially III lts floor and tho HtepB
leading to 1t. The defect In the floor consists
a Al &a kf.r
water falling upon 1t. Tho contractor has boon
for some timo, and Is now, busiiy engaged in
correcting theao dofecta III the terrace unlor tho
superintondenco Of q .con,potont architect and
las doubtless seen tho monument in!ths process
OF tile reconstruction Of the terrace, and mado
his complants without having the caulor to state
that tho defects Of construction Wero being rem
edied. Tho association has not accepted tllo mon
umont from the contractor, and will not do 80
until evory part ie made complete and III accord
anco with the design and specifications. The as
socntion has retained from the pay Of tho con-
tractor sufficient sum to cover any expenao n
making tho structure as durable aH can be mado
with granite, brick, and mortar.
Tho membora of tho Lincoln Monument Aaso-
citation In 70 boen earnestly engaged since tho
doath of Mr.. Lincoln in erecting monument
which would do honor to his momory. They
hope and believe they haye succeeded, ind for
60 doing they expect no personnl advantage to
thomaelyes-their time being given freely and
gratuitously.. They. believe, and would express
that bolicf with modessy that when ornsmentod
with it's proper sculpture, now being proyidod--
one group furnished by friends Of Mr. Lincoln
in tho City Of New York,-it, will ,cqual, il not
eurpnss any monument On this continent. They
would be glad to SOC built to hta memory mon~
ument more grand and beautiful, and wien sucE,
ono ia erectod ita builders may fairly claim tho
right to criticise the Springfield Lincoln Monu-
! ment. = MEMREN OF TIE ASSOCIATION,
spR1soF1ELn, ILL.,, Tuesday, April y, 1873,
statement OF the Condition OF tho
Fund.
10 The Edi.1r Of tho Nt.s York Times: ..-....
BY reason Of q publication in your paper on
laBt Sunday, wo addressed tho incoscd letter to
Mr.. Hamilton, Chairman Of the Committee. To
has returned It to us with tho request that 1t be
forwarded to you for publication.
:, You Till obligo us by publishing the same.
AS1s' %1y xon8, s5 saturday, May s. 1878. ''''D'
| John c. Hamilton. Esq:
| DEAR sIR: Our attention having beon called
| to letter in tho Now York Times Of tho 9th
Monument Fund.- whereof Mr.. r. G.. Churchill
| waB Treasurer, NO take tho liberty OF making
some statements on the subject to you as Chair
MIN OF tho Committee.
As you aro well aware, Mr.. Churchill haa heon
Ill for some time not having been at his office
| for several months, md is now SO Bok TINT ho
| cannot DO spoken to in regard to this matter.
Under these circumstance, as bis attorneys. We
| hnyo made an examination OF hiH books, and VIC
| find tleren complete statement OF tho receipts
| aud expenditures BY him as such Treasurer. We
collata thorefrom the following condensed atase
| mont:
Amount received from subscriptions. $50, 90.
Amount received from Interest OIL United
Htatca bonds in Tlch the fund was invested,
profits on aame interest, &c............. 6,755.o(
Amount paid for printing; ADVERTISING and
sundry EXPENSES, fur dehgus, photographs, 49,. :.