The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-11-10
The ssashinEtOn monuments

The sSashinEtOn Monuments
The work of completing the
Washington Monument does not
appear to be progressing with
much rapidity. There is not a
year that passes that monuments,
to some of the heroes of the last
rebellion, are not erected in differ
ent sections of the country at an
cxpence of from $50, 600 to $780,
600 each.
Two Lincoln Monuments have
been erected in this city alone at
an expense of over $4,000, while
Congress appropriated $50, 600 to
purchase Winnie Ream's statue of
Lincoln and smaller sum to pur-
chase the Bust, cut by Mrs. Ames,
of the same illustrious martyr.
And yet more than a quarter of q
centuary has passed since the
monument to Washington was
commenced, and for nearly TWEEN
ty years not a blow has been
struck towards its completion.
Washington died December IA,
1893. and before the year had clos
ed, a resolution was adopted in
Congress to erect a monument to
Perpetuate his memory.
Previous to this, however, in
1888, Congress passed a resolution
to erect a ''statue of Washington
at the place where the resideRce
of Congress shall be established"
Yet we are this year celebrating
our one. hundreth birthday, and
have so neglected to erect a mon
ument to the deceased "Father"
of the country.
Innumerable' monuments are
even now in progress of erection
or in contemplation of being
erected, by subscription, in differ
emit sections of the country, and
Wednesday of this week we pro-
pose to unveil in this city monu-
ment to one of our gallant soldi-
ers at an expense, all told, of not
less than $4,000, and yet the
monument of Washington, the
greatest and most gallant soldier
of them all, stands to-day an I'M
finished column Of shame, over
looking all the other monuments
which have been erected to Jack
son, Scott, RaWlins and others, in
this city.
In this patriotic exubernace
after visiting the city of Philadel-
phia, the past summer, Congress
passed a resolution to complete
the monument and appropriated
5000, 600 towards the object.
Matters have moved along with
various bitches from that day to
this.
The original plans, drawings,
and specifications have all been lost
and Lieut.. Marshall of the Engi-
neer Bureau of the War Depart
ment. was detailed in 1874 to
examine the foundations, con-
struction, and present condition
to ascertain whether 1t would be
safe to finish it to q height of 600
feet as at first proposed. He re-
ported that it was inadvisabIe to
run it up to the proposed height
and submitted plan for complet-
ing it at the height of 400 feet
above the foundation, requiring
537 days to cmplete it, at an ex-
pense of $31O,685, go. He report
ed the foundations firm and sound
with the slightest possible defiec-
ton of the shaft to the northwest.
His examination was thorough,
yet a commission OF Engin GERS
has very recently been appointed
to do the work all over again, and
examine the foundation to aser-
tain whether it is safe to complete
the monument.
just now opposition arises from
an unexpected source, for at the
session of the American Institute
of Architects held in Philadelphia
last week, resolutions were intro
duced and referred to committee
declaring the monument unworthy
the architecture of the age, de-
precating it's completion and re-
solving to try to stop the work
and in case of their failure to do
this, to advise the people to with
hold their contributions to the
work. This looks very much as
though some architect wanted to
sell plan and get job for super
intending the erection of a nonu-
ment.
We suppose Washinton himself
was not quite up to the architec.
ture of manhood "of this age"
but somehow plain common sense
people will consider that an argu-
ment in favor and will be inclined
to favor the plainness of the shaft
proposed as monument for him.
Altogether, however the delays
are disgraceful, and should bring
a blush to the cheek OF every
American citizen, who we believ e
are every one anxious to have the
monument completed at the ear
liest moment compatible with
perfect safety, and are each aud
all willing to bear their proportion
of the xpense.-Washington Re
publican. :