Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-08-05
CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE.
It's Safe Arrical m Nee York-Is
Htstory-Ron II Was Obtained.

the Egyptian o0ellsS deslaed tor this
city. was sighted off Fire Island tonight
Al IS O'Clock The Dessonk will not
come up TO the harbor until tomorrow. 1t
is probable that the obeisk Will not De
unshipped for week or more. The site
il will occupy in Central PARK has NOT yet
been definitely determined upon, out the
monument will probably be reared near
the Metropolitan Museum, at r ghty-
third street. A public reception to Lieut.
Commander Gorringe, VINO mas nau
charge of the lowering and transportation
of the monolith, is being arranged
HISTORY OF THE oBELIsK.
For nearIv two thousand years two
ohelisks one of which has just arrived in
This city. while the other was placed, about
two wears ago. on the Thames embank.
meut, London, stood on the shores OF the
Teysnt, near Alexandria. These great
monoliths, nearly 70 feet high, are of rose.
colored syenite. Egyptologists tell US that
they were taken from the qusrries at Syene
by the skilled workmen of antiquity and
conveyed thence to Ksrnac and Heliopo-
lis. Pliny says that canals were dug from
the Nile to the quarries and that the ODE.
lisks were thus transported on fat bottom
ed boats To the river, and thence to their
destination. Sharpe says that the weighty
masses were placed in an erect position
by cutting groove in the. pedestal in
which the lower edge OF the monolith
might turn as if on hinge, the top of the
obelisk being elevated by means Of a
mound of earth, the size of which was
continually increased, till the stone stood
securely erect. From Heliopolis, where
they stood before the temple OF the Set
Al. tran "a
andris, during the reign of Tiberius.
They are popularity called "Cleopstra's
Needless" wing to the incorrect tradition
that they were taken to Alexandria dur.
ing the reign of that Egyptian Queen,
while research has shown that they were
not removed till some fifty years later.
Other similar monoliths still stand in
Egypt or have been removed to Rome,
Aries, and Paris A great deal OF contro
versy has ragged among the learned as to
its meaning but no absolute certainty as
their import has yet been reached. New
ertheless, a study of the hierOglyphics
with which the needles are covered seems
to show that the obelisks we're intended to
celebrate the greatness, magnlfcence, and
glory of the monarch in whose reign they
were executed. On the obellsk now in
London appears the name OF Thothmes
Ill, the date of whose reign is some
thirty-three hundred years ago. Lieut..
Commander Gorringe, who has so uccess-
fully conducted the lowering and removal
of the obelisk to this country, says that
the American obelisk presents altogether
amuch better appearance than that OF the
stone which stands on the Thames en-
bankment. The hieroglyphics on two OF
of the faces are finely preserved, but on
the other two faces they have been more
or less Injured by the action OF fine parui
Giles OF sand driven against these faces by
the desert winds. The first steps toward
bringing the obelisk to New York
were taken in October, 1877, when in
formation reached the Hon. VIM II. Hurl.
bert, editor of the New York World
though Mr. Dixon, who was then trans,
planting to London the PROSTATE obelisk
of Alexandris, that Ismail Pashs then
Khfdive Of Egypt, had intimated to him
his wish to present to the United States
the standing obelisk of Alexandria. A
recent article in Harper's Weekly says
that several years before the editor Of the
World, being in Egypt had been assured
by the Khedive In person OF the lively in
terest which he took in the formation
throughout the civilized world OF mu
and of the peculiar qualification which il
gave him to know that beginning, al
least, had been made in the formation OF
such museums and collections in Amer
lea. The Khedive took at once az en-
lightend and practical view of the sub
ject. He had been struck by the absence
OF the American flag from the grea'
parade of the ships of all nations through
the Suez canal, and he was firmly con
vlnced that the prosperity OF Egypt
would be advanced by everything which
would tend directly or remotely, to de
velop more extended relations, com
mercial and social, between that country
and the great republic of the west, He
commented rather sarcastically, too, upon
the disposition OF certain European
nations to monopolize not only the
control OF the resources of Egypt, but
the study of Egyptian art and Egyptian
archaeology, and he stated with some EN-
phasis that whatever ne could do in any
way to bring Egypt and America more
closely together, he would always be
found not only ready but anxious to do
Upon receiving Mr.. Dixon's communica
ton, the editor OF the World set about the
WORK OF securing the funds wherewith
the khedve's generous offer could be
carried into effect. The city authorities
and part of the press received the pro
Ject with sstisfscti and encouraging
words. One or two citizens made offers
through the papers to contribute literally
toward public subscription to raise
money to secure the monument The
project, however, w.s too important to be
left al the mercy Of prouacted financial
negotiation through the press with the
public in general, and Mr.. Hurlbert there.