National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-04-16
THE NATIONAL DISGRACE
WORK OF A QUARTER OF A CENTURY,

a MI u
The Foundation Stone Of the Washington
So,io,.l ,to,uw,,, wn. I,,IJ Tvc,ty.
g -. a.. -, a.. c.,
"No he"r- Aho '"-""'' """ '"e S''"'-
tnrc IL now Less than One Third COM
pleted-FIrut In War, First In Peace aud
Last In the Hearts OF His Coun'rymen
when Il Comes to FrcctIuR n Monument.
Tho b,s,orv and 4a,n ., ,,o w..hIna,oo
Tue nSloiy anu hBlh OF the washington
Monument Association becomes interesting Just
now from thofact that It IL Just twenty FIVE years
ago to-day when the frst shoyelfuI Of earth was
thrown n nrensra,o,v n, ,ho ,a,in, % ~, oor,
W P,Spa's'oIy W ,"e iay'uE VI 'ne eoi-
hef-stOhe OF the monument itself. There was
large and distinguished company present, In
Guiding several Of the highest otf,ciaIs Of the
w U'''"''e"'' A'e' '"e srounu "a" oeeh S'akeu
on
ZACHARY TAYLOR,
snsds .nd %ua ~ AZ, sac ,sa .ooA ,us
~ "us 'ne n'S' ea''h 'or TUE co'not anu
DOMINATION stones
II was then supposed that the work Of compile
ton womb he ranId I, vas heIIevcJ ,ha, Inc
nat,io,Isn, an, 80 =, ,,..,s. -, ~, ~
~. ~" p,.ue VI hIneIch Wou'u not per
since Ssp cS1u 1Tr IA, SsDsS
and the monument ia mot vol half comnleted
No,w,,hs,.na,na a., ,ss !,,.. "an 'VHp'e." I
..uosr.i', ~ ~ 'ue ulscusslon, however,
concerning the monument very few people have
correct idea OF ts design, and as 1t Is one :" Of
UNPARALLELED beauty. - we thInt n well. In this
historical rcmInIscsnrs "a siye INC do.c,,n,Io,,
IN tnll and as originally prepared. u was a.
follows:
THE DESIGN
embraces the idea az a grand cirrptar colon.
naded building Two hunlsed and titS feet in
diameter, and one hundred feet high from wbIrh
springs an obellsk shaft seventy feet al the base
and 1--WE hundred feet hloh. ihis viii he rnn
structed frst' wv "s"' '''' WIN We '''-
''The vast rotunda, forming the grand base Of
the monument. n surronnde1 nv th,rtS columns
Of massive proportions, being twelve feet In
diameter and fofty-nye. feel high elevated nnon
a lofty base or styiobate of went, feel eieysfion
and three hundred feet sonare. surmonn,ed nv
an entablature twenty feet nigh, and crowned
by a massive balnstrade fIftesn feet in height
"The terrace outside III The rnInnnsIe 10
TWENTY-FIVE feet wide. and tho nronaos mr. wall
within the coionnade, Including the column
space TWENTY-FIVE feet The walks InclosIng the
celia, or eallery within. are fretteJ Win nm
massive ante tpIlastersI Ten feet wilde fortynye
feet high, and seven and 4 half feet PROTECTION,
answering 10 the columns In front. siirmonnted
by their appropriste archItr.xe rss anen ~
ccsses formed by the projection Of the antR pro-
vide suitable nIches for the retention IN staties
"a tetrastyie portico, -four columns in 'front.'
In triple rows OF the same promotions and order
with the columns Of tke coionnade, dlstInEulshes
the entrance to the monument, AMI serves a. a
pedestal for the triumphal car and statue OF The
nanked Nv massive blorkings. surmonnteJ nv an
propriate figures and trophies,
cover each column, In the great frIcze OF the
scuiptured escutcheons, coats Of arms ~ each
State In the unlon,) surrounded hy bronze civic
wreaths, banded together by festoons Of OAK
leaves, &c, all Of which spring each way from
the centre OF the portlco, where the coat OF arms
Of the United States Ia embazoned,
"The statues surrounding the rotundA outside,
under the colonnade, are all elevated upon ped.
a..
OF the Declaration Of Independence,
Ascending the portlco outside 10 the terrace
level lofty Vomtoria doorway, )thrty feet high,
leads into The celia, Trotunda gailery1 ffty feet
wide, 1--WE hundred feet in Circumference, and
sixty-elght feet high, with colossal pillar In the
centre seventy feet In diameter, around which
dation OF the obelsE column above.
"Both sides OF the gallery are divided into
spaces by pilasters, elevated on continued zocle
or base ive feet high, forming an order, with It's
entablAture, forty feet high, crowned by vault
ed ceiling twenty feet high, divided by TadiatInn
archeyaults, corresponding with the relative po-
stions Of the opposing pllasters, and lnclosing
deep Eunken Golfers enriched with paintinRs
"The spaces between the plAstera are sunk
into inches for the reception Of the statues Of
the fathers Of the Revolution, contemporary
with the Immortal Washington; over which are
large tablets TO receive the national paintIngs
commemorative OF the battles and other scenes
OF that memorable period, Opposite 10 the en-.
trance Of this gallery, at the extremity OF the
reception OF the statue Of the Father Of M
Country elevated on lts appropriate pedestaI,
and designated as principal Ia the group by lis
colossal proportions.
"This spacious gallery and rotunda. which
properly NAV be denoininated the InatinnaI
pantheon, Is lighted in four grand divisions from
above, and, by It's circular form, presents each
subject decorating Its walls IN an Interesting
point Of view, and with proper effect, as the
curiosity Is kept up every moment, from the
whole room not being presented to the ere at
IN al In ha aaaNa aNra I..,0.
Entering the centre pier through an arched
way you pass into a spacious circular area. and
ascend with an easy grade, by a railway, TO the
grand terrace, seyenty-n i've feet above the base
Of the monument. This terrace Ia seven nun.
dred feet In circumference, one hundred and
eighty feet wide, incIosed by colonna,led baIus-
trade fifteen feet high, with its base and can
ping The circuit Of This grand terrace ia stnG.
ded with small temple-foTmed structures. con.
shutting the cupolas Of the lanterns, lighting
.he pantheon gallery below; by means Of these
view Is had Of the statues, &c, below.
Through the base OF the great circle Of the
balustrade are four apertnros at the four cartii.
nal points, leading outside OF the balustTade
upon the top Of the main cornice, where a gal
lery six feet wide and seven hundred and nfty
feet In circumference enclrrles the whole, in
closed by an ornamental Ruar,I forming the
browning member on the top OF the thoIus Of me
main cOrnice OF the grand colonnade. Within
the thickness OF this wall stAircases descend 10
lower gallery over the plAfond OF the pFonaOs OF
the c0Ionnsde, lighted from above. This gaI.
twenty feet wide, divided into rooms Tor The
records OF the monument works OF art or studios
IOr artists engaged In the service OF the mOnu-
menI Two other ways communicate with this
gaiieIy from below.
IN me centre OF the grand terrace, above de-
scIlned rises the lotty Obelsk shaft OF the mOnu-
mehi, seventy ieet square At the base, aud ave
hundred feet high, diminishing ~ II rises TO Its
apex, where Is forty feet square; at the foot OF
thls shalt, and on each face, project four assve
Locles, twenty-five feet nigh, supporting so many
colossal symbolic tripods OF victory, twenty feet
high, surmOunted by facial columns with their
symbols OF authority. These zocle faces are en-
osn.sn , ", WIN lsOi lpunhA' Mhlrh are continued
nOunu , the enuIe phse oi the shAIt, and occupy
, ,ls " tnat part OF ihe shaIt between the
snIn,n, IN ~, escn lace ol tne smart above TINS =
Washingtons eyentfui career Ia bdsso Tslisro. and
a6oye.this the shaft IL perfectly plain to within
lily Ihs Iset oi US sammlt, where simple star Is
u WssblnSton Sas st,ainsSS 'o'' "n''n tue name
"To ascend to the summit Of the column. the
same facilities as below are provided within the
shan by an easy-graded gallery, which may be
o,,serxsta,S axsn,x ariI n ag "a ,iIcniar
which al The too il lockout gallery which onsns
prospect all around the horizon.
WIN Win reference 20 me area embraced by the
and ,he vaes ~ ,h,sh inan .. me monument,
under.space outward. occupe3 Nv H. iaxsp
terrace and colonnade, may be Appropriated TO
tue accommodation OF tue keepers OF the monu-