The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-03-18
vAnpERslLrs c rERosITY.
The Railway King Paid the Entire Expenses
o. Securing the Monolith fer New YORK

oI Securing the Monolith fer New YORK.
The New York Graphic says: On Satur-
day last Mr.. VIM. ii. Vanderbilt paid 10
Commander Gorringe the entire cost OF re-
moving the obelisk, its pedestal and the
steps on which the pedestal stood, from Al
exandria to New York, and erecting them
I'm Central Park. Mr.. Vanderbilt's original
contract only included the obelisk, as it was
not known that there were pedestal and
steps TO It. No obelisk that has ever been
taken out Of Egypt, except ours, includes the
Egyptian pedestal and steps. The Romans,
the French and the English have contented
themselves with simply taking the shaft Of
the obelsk. IL the English had dug down
few feet in the sand they would have found
the base and steps on which their obelisk
should now stand. Commander Gorrihge
discovered them after he found his obelisk
had base and steps.
The base is cube Of Syenite granite and
the steps are three in number, of species
of limestone that has evidently been exposed
al some period in its formation to volcanic
heat. Inside Of these steps, directly under
the pedestal, were the Masonic emblems,
consisting of a polished cube, called by Ma.
sons the finished ashler, and placed in the
east, exactly where Masons place 1t now in
the Masonic lodge, the rough ashler placed
I'm the west, exactly where the Masons now
place II In the Masonic lodge, and the Ma
sons square carved out of the solid lime
stone, weighing four tons. and on top oi
these the last stone put in, because 1t had q
lip around II, was laid In the place left fo,
it, and near was square post of Syenite
granite like
THE oBELIsK AND PEDESTAL,
which represents the Masonic apron, and OF
IL was carved an astronomical triangle
which triangle is a part of the insignia o.
the Masonic apron of the master of the
lodge. Other Masonic emblems were carvet
on some of the stones. The Astronomical
triangle was found exactly under the center
of gravity of the obelisk, showing the care
full and precise manner in which the Egyp
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similar base would be found under the bas
of the obelsk taken to England If the,
would send to Alexandria and excavate th
base and steps, and take them up and exam
inc. The base and steps weigh between for
ty-nine and fifty tons, and the expense o
transporting them to New York and puttin
, them up in the park was about $4,000. a
Our obellsk IL now unique in this particu
lar. Ii is the only one out Of Egypt that no,
stands on its original base and placed wit
/ the original Egyptian Masonic emblens ur
. der It. The basis of those obelisks at Rome
[ the one at Paris and at London are not az
, cording to the Egyptian proportions and tn
: lines do not harmonize with the obelisk thu
S stands upon them. The Italians and Frenc
S and English, evidently not knowing thu
b there was an Egyptian base under ever
= Egyptian obelisk, were content to constru'
modern base, according sas & t9 8e fRe dsas oab
= erecting their respective obelisks. If II
n student of archaeology wishes to study an o.
If elisk in all its original purity and harmon
e he must come to New York. If Command
II Gorringe had not been true devotee
archaologic science we might have had u
base or steps left there and never discover
the Mosaic emblems placed by the Egyptia
10 under the base. Few people will begin
m appreciate
,d THE IMMENSE SERVICE
of Tie has rendered to this country in Egypt
i'll archaeology, Is well as to give monum'
We UNIQUE in its completeness and the pert
he ton of all its parts. The Egyptians aiw
ire stood their obelisks on their own base.
on Romans, evidently from their mechanical
The ability to do this, placed all the ooel'
the they brought from Alexandria and took II
ICE, Egypt upon some animal in bronze, as
Of port, under each one of the four corner
e a the obelisk. The oxidation Of these amin
ale or their removal by thieves Tor
nan bronze, is supposed to have cat
e a all the obelisks set up by the Roman
/ Of oave fallen. Commander Gorringe has
,ur, lowed the Egyptian style Of placing the
uiet lisk on its own base, but as the four cor
that were broken of, he is TO place under
9Th. corner gigantic bronze crab weighir
aste quarter of . ton, patterned after the two
anly he found under two Of the CO rners In
pro. andria. and on the claws OF one of
se- crabs will be facsimile Of the inscriI
men found on the crab In Alexandria In Z
the and Latin, and on the other crabs wi
yet appropriate inscriptions in regard :" the
from of the obeisk to the United States, list
man port alton by Commander Gorringe to
4 lie country at the expense of one Of lis
ially spirited citizens. We shall then have
will served all the proprieties Of the obelisl
s base, its steps, Its Masonic emblems
crabs, steps under IL by the Romans
e. yptian insc 'iptions on the rmb EN-
gy at under the base, the four crabs, the
xcites and Roman inscriptions In English
rds Of memorative OF It's transportation u
i Is to country aud erection In Central Park.
ter at |