Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-01-05
The STATUE OF LIBERTY.
6artholdi's Colossal Figure Approach
ing Completion--A Public American
Subscription for the Construction
~ DaAa.k.t

OF Its Pedestal.
New York HERALD
After six years of patient and hope
iul waiting there seems a fair pros
pect that Bartholdi's famous statue of
Liberty, the gift of the French people,
will. within twenty years at furthest,
be placed at the entrance of our har-
Dor ON Bedloe's island. 1t has been
slow work bringing about this con-
summation, but now everything is
about ready to carry out in all its
grand details the gigantic scheme as
originally projected. When the inten-
tiOn of making this presentation
was first intimated by the French
donors the matter met with
the fullest accord on this side. There
was just appreciation of the munifi-
cence of the gift and the kindly feeling
toward our government as shown by
the generous members of the republic
of France. The original design was
TO complete The statue and have it in
readiness for presentation to our gov
ernment during the centennial year, as
that time was more vividly commem-
or tive of the old affection between
tho people of France and the people
of the United States in the early days
of our great revolutionary struggle. 1t
was found, however, that this was i'm
possible. Considering the colossal
character of the statue and the amount
of labor required to bring it to compile
tion much more time was consumed
than was at first anticipated
One of the first steps taken toward
carrying out this great project was the
organization of what is known as the
"Union nco-Americaine," a CON-
mittee consisting of some of the most
eminent gentlemen in France and this
carrying out of the details. The first
thing thought of-in France, of course
after the making of the gift had
been positively decided upon, was to
raise the requisite funds. The expense
of the statue was placed at 1000
600 francs. All France, so to
speak, took hold of the mat
ter with great ardor. There were
fetes and festivals, and musical con.
certs, and theatrical and operate per-
formances throughout the country to
enlarge the contributions to the fund.
The whole amount was raised, and all
that remained was for Mr.. Bartholdi
to complete the statue, which, by the
way, has since been christened "Liber-
ty Enlightening the World" When the
fact of this intended gift became
known on this side Mr.. John Jay, who
was then president of the Union
League club, appointed a committee to
take charge of matters here, Mr.. Will
liam NJ. Evarts being the chairman of
this committee. Since then there have
been several vacancies through death,
and these have been filld by appoint
ments of equally prominent gentlemen,
so that the present committee com,
prises some of the representative men
of the country, although more largely
made aP Of prominent resiGentsof this
city. AS its first step this committee
laid the matter before congress, which
passed the requisite laws providing for
erecting the statue on Bedloe's island
and for its future care and mainte-
nance. A formal reception by the
president on behalf of our government
was also secured, and not only this
but president Grant wrote an autograph
letter of thanks for the gift. During
last October there was, as will be re-
membeTed, grand ceremonial in Paris
connected with riveting the first of the
plates to join the statue to the pedestal.
the first blow being struck by our pres
ent minister to France, Mr.. Levi p.
Morton. The artist then expressed his
firm belief that ne would have the
statue entirely completed by July, 1883.
With this great work thus far ad-
vanced toward its finish the committee
here have deemed it necessary to take
Immediate steps for the construction
of the pedestal. This, as will be read
lily comprehended, has to be a gigan-
tic piece of work, SO as to form a fitting
base for the great statue. The COM
mittee have had a great variety of de-
signs submitted for their consideration ::
but as yet have been unable to agree
upon a selection. This difficulty is not
owing, however, to the poorness of the
designs, but to the uniform excellence
of many of them, between which it is
hard to discriminate. The fact, there
fore, is settled beyond all doubt that the
pedestal will be most appropriate
companion work of the statue, and re-
fleet due credit upon our American
art, for none but American artists are
allowed to enter the list of competitors
for its design. 1t is proposed also to
expend upon it the same sum as the
statue cost, and to solicit general sub
scriptiOns for raising the amount-that
is to say, to give to every American, as
was given to every citizen of France.
an opportunity of adding his quota to
the fund. Fol this purpose an address
to the American people is now being
prepared, which is to be written by
Mr.. John Bigelow, and to be presented
at the next meeting of the committee.
to be held at the Union League club
house on the evening of the 18th inst.
for its endorsement. 1t is confidently
believed that there will be no trouble
and very little delay in raising the
money required.
When completed the statue-a rep.
resentation of the Goddess of Liberty
will be one of the finest as well as
one of the largest statues in the world
Some idea Of its colossal grandeur can
be gathered from the fragment of ii
that has so long adorned Madison
square, brought here in August, 1876
II u
simply the wrist and right hand hold
ing the torch bearing fambean to be
the great future light of New York
harbor. The height of the arm alone
is thirty-four feet and the circumfer-
ence of the thumb twelve feet. The
entire height, including the pedestal,
viii be considerably over two hundred
fest. There is to be balcony around
the edge of the fiambeau, to be reached
| by an inner staircase. The left hand