National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-06-27
WASHINGTON MONUMENT.

we are IN daily receipt oil inquiries nom
all parts Of the country as well as from the
people at home as to the extraordinary de-
lay that seems to attend the completion of
the Washington monument, and we regret to
say that we are unable TO answer them with
any degree Of satisfaction, More than
year ago Congress passed an appropriation
Of 100000 to DO applied TO this purpose,
and tho Monument Association cedcd the
land, &c, to the Government with the ex-
press understanding that the work would
go on and the monument be speedily COM
pletcd under Its fostering care and super
vision. A commission OF United States
army engineers were appointed to examine
the foundation and report upon the
practicability Of continuing the erection
upon the present site and according
to the original design. We learn from the
report of this commission, made after sew
eral months of delay and preparation, that
the foundation is inadequate and that the
unfinished column, already built to the
height OF one hundred and seventy-four
feet, and standing thus an eyc-sore
and reproach to the nation for
nearly twenty years, had borne down
its foundation and detection from a
perpendicular q number Of inches, making
H. under the circumstances, unsafe to com
plete it. This report was a surprise to the
the community, many ofwhich had surveyed
unfinished and unsightly column critically
from babyhOOd, and upon further inquiry
aud Investigation it appears that this scien-
tic commission had arrived at this surpris-
ing conclusion by boring one hole to some
unknown depth at one corner of the pedi-
ment and taking an observation and max
ing calculation from fixed point, which
fixed point it turns out had been acciden-
tally changed or was in the first place
wholly wrong. Then the association came
to the rescue, and there was more delay Oh
both sides and a general pow-wow between
the two which has resulted In more and
more delay. 1t is half agreed now that the
foundation is safe and sound after all, not
withstanding the science that has been
brought to bear to condemn II, and that the
shaft stands after these many years in
resolute perpendicularity. An artist
of distinction has recently submitted q
design with which to settle the vcxed ques,
ton and TO complete the monument, which
design is bronze figure of Washington
sevcnty-Gve feet high, standing erect on the
column, in the uniform of the Continental
army This design looks very handsome on
canvas, but how il would look carved out
| III lllt HHlSll VI 10
question, and one which we trust will
receive from those having the matter in
charge the carciullest consideration. The
original design for the monument was
always thought TO be good one-combin
ing simplicity, strength and durability
Why not complete 1t after that Origina
design The site is considered q favOrabl,
one in all respects. It stands where il
ought to stand-On the banks of the Poto
mae, and can he seen for miles around in al
directions, in the midst of grounds suscepti
BILE of beautiful ornamentation, and on tn,
line of the handsomcst drive in the city
through continuous park from the CapitO
to the White House, when the depot ant
hacks of the Baltimore and Potomac rail
road have been rcmovcd-which ought I,
I've done simultaneously with the compile
ton of the monument The people ar,
tired OF this seemingly unnecessary delay
1t is n work in which the whole nation ha
an interest. and in which every either
should take a Just pride Let the monu
mcnt erected to the memory of the Fathe
OF the Country be completed, and withou
| further DELAY