Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-08-03
The Builder Of Bunker Hill Monument,

| Few persons, among the thous ands who
look daily upon Bunker Hill monument,
have the iaintest notion OF the man whose
brain planned the structure, and whose
eyes, for years, watched its growth with
an interest and devotion rarely evinced by
modern architects.
| solomon willard was q native of Peter
sham. Mass. He was born In 1888. The
| first twenty-one years of his life were spent
in that town, at the end of which period he
went to Boston. He had only COMMON ad-
| vantages in regard to education, but made
the best use of those he had. His first
work In Boston on arriving at that city was
fitting piles tor wharf construction At fifty
cents per day. In connection with this. he
said, his employer taught him to keep his
broad-axe sharp. We soon hear of his hay
| ing attended an academy of drawing. He
connected himself with the Atheneum. at
tended lectures upon anatomy, studied
| geology and chemistry. Meantime his Ia.
| bors had advanced to architect and design
| ing. He built an extensive winding stair
way destroyed by tAre) made q model OF
the Capitol building at Washington, and
| became Il teacher of architectural drawing
and designing. He invented the principle
| of the hot air furnace, which is in such eX-
ten>ive use at this day, taking out no pa
tent tor the invention, but leaving the pro-
| Hts to be reaped by others.
But the great work OF Mr.. Willard's life
was a. architect of Bunker Hill monument.
The enterprise which erected that Inonu-
ment was started TO mark the fiftieth ami
ver,ary Of our independence, although the
corner stone was laid on the anniversary
of the battle June II, 1925. rather than OH
Independence Day.
The story OF solomon Wizards connec-
ton with the monument Is best told in
I 81.
architect and. during a period OF eighteen
years superintendent OF practical construc-
ton For his services he only allowed his
expenses, which were very small, 10 be
paid wishing his labor to be an Offering ut
the shrine OF patriotism. How great that
; Offering WAS will appear BY recalling the
fact that the total cost OF the monument.
under his management, was only about
Sl0O 900, while the cost at current rates
for stone and labor was estimated at twice
that sum.
Ii these estimates be correct, his services
were equal to the whole contribution Of the
nation to the work Some of the practical
results OF this work were that granite was,
through improved methods of quarryiEg
and transportation, made more available
as building material. the architecture OF
Boston being somewhat modified by the
fact. For the transportation of the stone
from Qulacy to high-wster max, the first
railway in the United States was built by
Gridley Bryant.
Solomon willard died OF apoplexy at
Quincy, February 27, 1861. Circumstances
of peculiar sadness attended his departure.
His patriotic nature suffered all the gloom
which fell upon the nation during that year.
On the morning of his death he arose at
the usual hour, aud, while waiting for
breakfast, talked about the state of the
country aud the then Impending war. Six
Of the States had at that time passed ordi-
nances sf secession. forts, arsenais. mints
aad navy yards had been seized, aud the
Confederate convention MAS engaged IN
preparing n constitution in the interest of
rebellion aud slavery. 1t seemed 10 him As
though Bunker Hill Monument and the
government, the establishment OF which 1t
vas intended to commemorate. were going
! 10 destruction. He gave way to his fears,
and wept AZ the thought that his lfe-work
and the nation for which it was performed,
were alike destiaed to ruin. Being called
| to breakfast, he arose to answer the call,
but instead Of taking his seat at the table.
| he fell upon the floor and never spoke
again. The thought of national dissolution
appears to have literally burst the blood
vessels of the brain which had cunnipgly
devised and executed the monument, and
to have broken the heart OF one who had
loved his country faithfully. He departed
in sorrow rather than in peace. because his
| eyes had not seen the saivatioa OF God as
we have since seen il.