New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-25
The Lincoln Monument.

The Chicago Journal. speaking of The
dedication Of the Lincoln monumen. at
Springfield, Illinois. says:
Tho foundation for the central part upon
wh;Sh the main shaft rises is composed OF q
heidi of concrete. se venteep feet square and
s;cht feet deep. On this concrete the en-.
tire seventeen feet square is builtto . height
of ,birty nine feet and four inches. . solid
niece OF blackstone masonry. the blocks
composing it in many instances weighing
several tons each. The foundations for all
the outer VALE and piers are six feet in
depth. and are made of concrete and stone.
diameter at the bottom, ore at each Of the
four corners OF the central shaft. They are
twenty eight feet four inches in height, and
tapered to form q pedestal Of eleven feet
diameter at the top. Upon these rest the
statuary groups. representing infantry,
cavalry. artillery and marine power, works
of art valued at SO 200.
There are three straight walls on each
side of the central shaft parallel with its
sides and at equal distances with each
other, all joined to the round piers. The
central shaft. pedestal and walls touching
the same form square Of ffty-fOur 1eer,
with rounded corners. There is another
wall outside of these, about ten feet dis.
tant. embracing square of seventy-two
feet and half. Projecting from the south
side there is an oval room which extends
inward nearly to the base of the monument.
the whole room being thirty-twO feet and q
half long by twenty fest wide. This is
called Memorial Hall. and is designed for
articles used by or in any way associated
with the memory of Abraham Lincoln.
1t is finished inside. both foor and cell.
ings, with plain stone, aud is entered BY 2
door in the south end. On the north side
there is q projection similar to that Of
Memorial Hall. 1t is twenty-four feet wide
by twelve teeD in the interior, and is called
the vestibuie to the Catacomb. Tho walls
are Of stone. and the floor of black and
white marble, and it is entered by door at
the north end. Ths ground plan is one
hundred and half feet from north to south.
and seventy-twO and half feet from east to
west. On top Of the walls spoken Of is q
covering OF immense slabs of Illinois stone.
which brings the whole area of seventy two
and a half feet square and the circular pro.
combs up to fifteen feet ten inches in height
from the ground, forming the terrace.
-Four flights OF granite steps reach the
terrace-One at each corner. The two on
the south side land over Memorial Hall,
and the two on the north over the Cata-
comb. The terrace stones form roof for
everything below. A heavy granite balus-
lIduo extends up tne OUTSIDE OF eacn SL2lr'
way, and forms parapet around the large
terrace and over the Catacomb and Memo
rial Hall. The central shaft at the top OF
the terrace is twelve feet square, and taPers
to eight feet square at the apex, ninety
eight feet four and . half inches from the
ground. It is hollow from the terrace to
the top. che outside being dressed granite.
lined with hard burned brick. Entrance to
the obelisk is made from the terrace:
On the south side of tho shaft, nineteen
and . half feet above the terrace and seven
feet above the four pedestals sustaining the
statuary groups, is tho pedestal for the
statue, with the United States coatof-arms
sunk in bronze in it's front. Upon the Pc
doetal is the browning work OF the moDu.
ment-the statue of Lincoln. II rises in
heroic proportions, figure holding in the
left hand scroll upon which is written
Emancipation" and in the right the pen
with which Lincoln blotted from American
history the stain Of slavery. As a symbol
of the Union to which he devoted his life.
the banner Of the republic is thrown in bas.
relief upon the fasces near tho statue. at the
foo: os which is a crown Of Iaurels. The
statue seems to reflect the grandeur Of the
hero whose figure art has he.e modelled.