The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-10
THE DAILY STAR
GEN. WO0L'S MONUMENT.
Its Removal to OalSxv voOd. ErOv-As
Large as CieoPatra,s Needle.

origin have been the cause of much de
bate and conjecture with distinguished
historians, and many .nciful and in9e-
niou- theoriesha been advanced regard
ing them, none of which appears more
reasonable, however, than that they
were partly religious, partly historical,
and to great extent ornamental III
character.
In the one known as Cleopatra's needle,
which it is proposed to transport from its
resting place for centuries at Alexandria
to the city of New York, the historical
and ornamental features will he its prm-
cipal characteristics after It's erection in
the metropolis. In the American obclisk
soon to be placed in Oakland Sacred to
the memory of Gen. John f. WOOL" the
three Egyptian features will be com
bned-historical religious and orna-
mental. Cleopatra's needle, that is the
mouolith itself, is about 70 feet high and
feet inches square at the base. The
Gen. Wool monument is GO feet high
and s.. feet square at the base-almost as
large, and certainly almost as heavy, as
its historical companion.
Tie OJkWuud monument has already
been transported from the quarry along
the New England shore, where it was OBJ
tanned, to the city of its destination with
out very much ado or flourish of trum-
pets regarding the engineering problems
connected with its shipment, OF the dan
GERS Of its rough sea voyage thither, and
now preparations are quietly progressing
ior The removal Of the immense shaft to
its final resting place, Not so with the
needle, however. Methods and plans for
its shipment were discussed by the best
engineering talent h the country, and
The talk finally eliminated in sending
Il naval officer abroad to examine the sit
uation and report the most feasible
scheme for bringing the shaft across the
water and setting it up i'll New York
information which doubtless could have
been obtained just as we'll in Troy at the
present time from )ohn Cayanagh x Son
Of Boston, Mass, who have the contract
for erecting the Oakwood obelisk.
A general description of the Wool mon
umrmt has already been given in these
columns, but details regarding its removal
from the vessel to Oakwood will no doubt
be read with interest. The barge upon
which the monument was shipped still
lies at the Troy and Boston dock; at foot
of Adams street, at which point the stones
for the foundation are being unIoalcd
A singular fact is, all Of that portion Of
The monument which will be placed under
ground, namely, the foundation, wa
brought from The quarry in the hold of
the barge, while the stones for the manu-
meut proper were placed upon the deck.
The unloading of the foundation stones
is not attended with very much difficulty,
rs they are not more than a foot and a
half in thickness and 3 to feet square
lhc largest ones are broken into two
pieces before being hoisted from the
hold to facilitate their transfer, and these
will be cementcd together again when
placed in position in the cemetery. The
foundation stones altogether weigh 100
ions.
The base viii he composed of nine
stones, varying in thickness from one to
two feet. The die is six feet high and
weighs forty tons. The base proper will
be II! feet square, and the height of the
base and die from the bottom of the shaft
will be l5l feet. The weight of the
stones above referred to is $50 tons
The monoiith, as already stated, is 60
leet high and weighs 100 tons. 1t is five
feet and hali square at the base and
thrce feet at the top. The total hcirht of
the entire monument will therefore be
~ feet; its weight above ground. $50
ions; its dimensions al the base, IL feet,
and at the top three feet
After the foundation stones have been
unloaded the vessel will he towed TO the
foot Of Hoosick street at which point the
mouoIith, base and die viii! be taken oil.
The plans for the accomplishment of thi,
apparently hercuIoan task arc verv sim
pie. The monoiith viii first be raised
upon powerful jaek-screws to the hciyht
If the dock, and then, by means of Iarga
rollers resting on heavy timbcrs, tie
,halt will be landed upon terra Grma.
Thence it will be drageed on roll
crs to the point in Oakwood
where it is to be erected, the propcl-
ing or pulling power being furnished by