National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-02-17
WASHINGTON MONUMENT
ANOTHER EFFORT TO COMPLETE IT.


General Chapman In the Movsment-
Appropriate Duty for the Gated States
Congress on the Twenty-sscopd Of
Fcbruarv-HIstory Of the Work.
Determining that II by any possible means the
Congress and people Of the United States could
he induced tn proceed with the work on the
Washington Monument General y. p. chip
man on the 9Th Of January introduced In the
House 4 resolution providing for the appoint
ment ofa committee Of thirteen, whose duty II
should he TO inquire into the practlcabillty Of
completing the Washington Monument by the
centennial anniversary, allowing them 10 report
At any time by hill or otherwise, and setting
apart February ~ a. the day for the considers
tion Of such report. The resolution was adopted
and Gen. Chapman made chairman:
A. soon az they were appointed the committee
met, and as an initial step secured the services
OF competent United States engineers, who were
directed 70 ~ once examine Into the condition
OF the building In relation 10 la durability and
TO make an estimate Of the cost Of completing
the obellak to the height originally intended.
The gentlemen are now at work on the duty
pare to make report whsa mse a "e Of p he
committee and the National Monument Aspocla-
iion will he held and some definite plan agreed
upon, 6al what y VII be Y as yet matter Of
the subject before the country and securing uni
tel cooperation there can he no doubt. On the
oecaslon Of presenting tue report Gen. Chapman
will make brief speech giving an Interesting
history Of the different attempts In the monn-
ment line, and the facts and figures In regard to
the unfinished shaft.
war, the Continental Congress ordered that an
equestrian statue OF Washington should he
erected The base OF which should represent the
principal incidents Of the war, For some reason
the subject was dropped until after the death Of
Washington, when, In December, iTVo, Congress
resolved that marble monument he erected by
the United States Government at Washington,
whlrh should commemorate the principal events
81 the military and political life Of Washington.
This also hung fre and In May, 1890, third time
erection SSsy hs % ans sas
talking the subject over on the lat day OF jan
nart, 1901, an appropriation Of seoo, 90 vas made
Here This ended, and the entire subject, too,
until Hon. James Buchanan Introduced rcsolu.
tlon of inquiry ns to how the House resolution OF
lJgs had been carried out. The resolution was
II, 1854, when, by resolution, the House ap-
pointed committee to make suitable arrange
menis for the celebration Of the centennial ami
versary OF Washingtonr birth, and also 10 In
qulre what action had been taken In regard 10
the resolution Of lT9e. This bore some fruit,
Tor during the same years Oreenough's statue
was orlercd and In 1871 completed and placed
In the rotunda, where II remained several years,
and was then removed TO the East park. In 1854
Congress appropriated $4,000 for the purpose OF
s,ea M ean na as,er ans ~ M%n,ng,on ~
In position In the Clrcle. This ended all the Con.
gresslonAl work In the shape Of appropriations,
hut In 1855, the several resolutions Of Congress
still remaining unexcute', an association with
Its present name was formed for building the
| monument by voluntary contributions, which In
1885, amounted TO ts0,oOo, q sum considered sum-
| Client to authorize the beginning Of the work.
In January, 1915, Congress authorized the asso-
citation to erect the monument at such point rs
might be selected by the President Of the Uni
| ted States, who selected the "Point," and the
/ NaflOn QFAntR1 hE n formal nf (tnn.