Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-05-14
THE FOUNTAIN.
The Gift Of EnterprislHg Citizens to the
City Of Memphis The Growing
Ornament Of Court
Square.
4 Work Of Art and an Enduring MOnu-
ment 20 the Donors s-Hebe and the
Mater Sprites.

I time, from giving any description of the
fountain in Court square until its COM
pletion, fearing we might not be Gtls to
do justice to the work while It remained
unfinished and in d sjointed condition.
The work being 50 nearly finished no n,
we have been enabled TO make careful
examination Of the whole structure
and, while doing SO, felt, as others did
who were viewing it at the same time, 3
just pride thst Memphis, through the
lIberality OF few Of her citizens, has
bse3nle the pOsseSsor Of such q msgnifi-
cent work Of art. II seems as though
the park had been designed by nature
for if; standing loftily In the very GEN.
| ter, and surrounded on all sides by for
es5 trees, it senGs upward its streams Of
water, bursting, as they fall, into myriads
Of sparkling drops, which, dancing in
the sunbesms, send forth their prismGtic
rays like diamonds of the purest water.
The fountain is
A GRAND SUCCESS,
and does more than credit to the es-
! tbetic taste of its donors, and to AIchi-
tsct James B. Cook, who superintend ed
its erection. To attempt to give fair
description of the work is impossible.
1t must be viewed; and to view is-to
/
mOny; there is not q discordant part.
1t presents rare example Of perfect re-
pCss in each and every portion. The
basin is ten sided, and thirty. four feet
in diameter, each side handsomely
moulded and enriched. The rim is
eighteen inches thicH, surmOunted by e
stone coping five inches in thickness.
At each angle of the rim stands very
beautiful vase for the reception Of living
plants. The dept OF the basin is DeGrly
nine feet. and is designed for the pur-
pose Of having sufficient capacity to
rear fish, of which a sufficient TO start
with will shortly be placed in it. From
| The center of the basin rises q massive
| pedestal Of brick masonry to ths intend
ed water. line of the basin, which pedes-
tai Is surmounted by stone one foot in
thickness. None but the very best quail
| ity Of brick las been used in the con-
struction of the work. Lime and &C.
ment have been freely used, aid, where
necessary, pUre cement ODlyi especially
| in that portion Of the rim above the
| ground line. Every precauSion has been
! taken to render
THE WORK PERMANENT.
The whole of the interior is now being
coated over with English porcelain ce-
ment, mixed with sand, the architect
prefering TO use the cement in this wsy
rather than sdultersted with foreign
substances as these patent cOncretes are.
From the top IF the stone pedestal rises
the fountain to a highth OF nearly
twenty feet, the base OF which is seven
feet ia diameter and cctagoDal in form.
The four alternate sides are paneled and
enriched, Snd the other panels. have
heavy scIoI q buttresses, at thief oot Of
each is q large scanthus leaf curviDg on
its face with q handsome ornament,
and terminating with a griffiu's head.
This base, taken altogether, is exceed
ingly handsome. From the top and in
the center rises the shaft of the fountain.
Around this shaft and beneath the first
basin, and on the outer edge of the
base are four boys, one with his hands
together, ready to make a dive into the
water; the other has already bsthed,
and is dressing, while another has re-
turned from bathing, and is wipiDg the
water from his feet; and the last, having
already had his bath, is dressed. At the
feet of these figures are turtles, snails,
shells, and large water plants. Above
the boys, sno around the shsft, are
swans, the whole forming
AN EXCEEDINGLY HANDSOME GROUP.
Above this group and at hight of
eight feet from the base, ia the fist
basin ten feet in diameter, the curves
OF which po'tiOp are exceedingly grace |
fuI. The whols surface, and wherever
the eye rests, is highly ornamented, and
so srtistically arranged, that too much
profuseness does not appear, exactly
! enough and not too much; it is not
overloaded. These enrichmsnts are ex-
ceedingly bold. From the upper sur.
fsy,s of his basin rise four Naiades, the
prssiding 0elties OF the fountain, blow
ing water out of shells. From the CEN
ter of this basin, the shaft again rises,
aud is terminated by another basin,
smaller than the last, being only five
feet in diameter. This basin, together
with the shaft that supports, is highly
enriched, and in conjunction with the
lower portion already described, is very
besutiful. From the ulper edge OF this
top hasin are four lilies, sending out
streams Of water. The gem OF the whole
work is the top figure, which rises from
the center Of the upper basin and stard.
poised on rock-a copy, full size, Of
Conova's celebrated
STATUE OF HEBE,
the original of which is in the art gallery
at st. Petersburg, Russia. This statue
y>s one of ConOva's Chef d'0uUTeS.
One ,>Srty asked who Hi66e was, after
ali For his and Others benefit, we
v1culd state thst Hebe is represented
in Grscian mythology 9s the daughter Of
Here, and goddess Of youth. In Olym'
pos she djsche erged the office of cup
bearer to the gods. She is represented
on the fountain ss lovely young mstd-
en- in the act Of approaching with hef
pitcher, holding it slOft and pourirg out
nectar into cup. According to history,
her office OF eUp-besrer was transferred
TO Ganymedes after her marriage with
Hercules. This figure crowns the whole;
and, from the base TO the top, the Toua-
tam presents fine artistic reposei ana
ss q work Of AIT, cannot be surpassed.
Il is one Of the finest gifts the citizens
OF Memphis have ever receiVedi and
We. in common with others, will ever
cherish the names OF
TIE GENEROUS DONORS
The arrangement OF the water jets has
been well carried out; for, besides the
nine Jets of the upper basin, there are
four large ones which rise out OF the
main basin and send streams up into the
top basin. The combination OF all the
! jets, when in full play, is exceedingly
magnificent, for not only do these jets
of water rise up, but they fall back into
| the basins-fiIst, into the upper one, ana
! then on till the overflow reaches the
main basin. This overflow of the basins
! is continuous, and forms . sort OF curtain
of water around the fountain which,
! together with the jets and sprays pro-
| dnces an exceedingly happy effect. In
/ the lower or main basin Will be lilies IN
| full bloom, throwing out sprays OF watet !,
I and also several beautiful white swans
sailing about. The completion OF the
! whole work is near at hand, The broDZ-
| ing, oementing, stone coping, and the
posts and chains around the outer rim,
viii sll be completed by the end OF the
week.
THE DRINKING FOUNTAIN
( Is LOCATED on the street pavement at the
western gaze Of the square. 1t has
water. trough for horses, tgO basins for
dogs, and one for thirsty humanity.
/ This fountain Is exceedingly beautiful,
( consisting OF q square shaft, enriched
and sarmounted with q handsome fig
ure. Colonel James Elder deserves cred
/ il for his perseverance in bringing this
work to 8 successful issue. For fifteen
! wears be has been entertaining this idea
| Of having erected in the center OF Court
sauare 8 fountain; and to-day he can
stand proudly and point to his seal, and
! thank his co-labOTers for their substan-
J 'isl AID, TT a short time, when the
/ .. Aa~ouuhlv unichad the fOuu-