National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-05-13
THE TALL OBELISK.
VIEW ON TOP OF THE MONUMENT.
History Of the Shaft In Honor Of the Father Of His
Country-Yison OF THE National Capital
ACentury Hence by II "Republi-
can" Rip Van Wrinkle.

Tor the erection OF bronze statue 10 DC ercc'eu
where the residence OF Congress should be estao-
lished representing Washington, in Roman
dress, holding luncheon III his right hand and
his head crowned by a laurel wreath. Our Minister
ut tho French court was directed to select and em-
poy tho best European artists upon the work. but
he never did so. Major Dc DEnfant, however. in
laying out Washington designated a spot for tho
memorial, and upon that identical spot the un-
Snishcd Washington National Monument " now
itands on December 90. 1852 joint resolutions
passed Congress ordering " that
MARBLE MONUMENT DE ERECTED
At the city of Washington, and that the family OF
George Washington be requested to permit his
body TO be deposited under it," The assent Of the
family was granted, but the monument was not
srected. May TO- 1890, Congress appropriated
100000 for creating mausoleum for Washing
Ion and at the next session OF Congress there was
further agitation ON The subject and January L.
1901, "an act to erect n mausoleum for George
Washington" appropriaiing 100000, passed the
House. The bill was killed by Senate nmend-
ments. There were spasmodic attempts To arrive
1t some definite means by Congress for over
thirty years, but they came TO nolhing. Fcb-
mary IS, 1882, Congresi adopted measure, for the
celebration of Washingtou's centennial birthday
III an imposing scale, Henry Clay being at inc
hend Of the movement. A resolution was pasbeu
lext day proposing to again
SOLICIT THE REMAINS OF WASHINGTON
md his consort TO be deposited in the Capitol In
conf rmily with lhe resolution OF December, Ivy.
The Virginia Legislature earnestly requested the
proprlotors Of Mount Vernon not TO allow the re-
noval of the remuius, ana John A. Washington
the elder acceded 10 tins request. Upon the 1ail-
pre- of this movement Congress appropriated s2JOOO
or the colossal statue by GreenOugh which now
ornaments the hack. ttand IN front OF the Capitol
This statue was originally situated in the rotunda,
but was in 1911 removed tp the park because us
immense weight was threatening the hoor OF the
rolunda. In 1888 little band OF publtc-spirited
gentlemen, DISCUS Cd with the procrustinaton of
Congress, originated
THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT SOCIETY
These gentlemen were Daniel and William Brent,
James Kearncy, joseph Gales senior and junior
Peter Force, ". W. stnton, John McCielland,
pishcy Thompson, Thomas Curberry, George Wat
s G %G then IN bis eEhy years was bo
ifst president and Judge William Cranch the first
vlce-president of the ociation whose object
was TO erect " n great national monument to the
memory of Washington mt the sent of the Federal
Government" Contributions were at FIRST limited
- 81 from any one person, and in 1885 $4,000 had
been collected. The financial embarrassment in
1888 suspended contributions Tor several years:
IN 1916 The 81 rule was abolished, aud Ill 1871
thuIized the society TO erect the monument and
the site upon the banks OF the Potomac, comprls-
ing upward of thirty acres, was selected, not PC
cause il was best in The eyes of the society, but be.
cause IL was the Identical site
PROPOSED TO MAJOR L'ENFANT BY WASHINGTON
HIMSELF
IN 1905 for Z" q monument to the American Revolu-
ton" The gentleman charged with the erection
decided upon erecting an obesk 500 feet high, 90
feet square at the base and resting upon ioundn-
ton M feet above the surface OF tile earth The
obellsk was estimated to cost s552O0O and the
whole cost including the Pantheon, was TO be ~,
l27C00. July, A, 1913, the cornerstone was laid
with imposing ceremonies in the presence of the
President, Vice President, both Houses of Con
gress national and municipal officers, and o vast
concourse Robert q. Winthrop. then Speaker OF
the House, pronounced the Grafton. The
board Of managers went earnestly Tor
six years 1866 feet of the monument had been
Quilt In 1854 the funds gave out the society
petli9ned Congress TOR nd ana the COMMITTEES OF
ported strongly III favor Of granting the request
and recommended u, contribution by Congress OF
he mausoieum in 1901 and which had never
been used The recommendation was not needed
On the night Of sunday, March o 1854, during
masked men visited the monument, gagged the
Waterman In the lapidary, and took thereirom the
slab of African marble which had been
PRESENTED by THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT
IS its contribution to the monument broke 1t int
Lagm ITS, and, It is supposed, threw the pieces
association, ousted the old board, and took
he en- aSe sSSk sS
Of managers, with yespasan Ellis as first vice
Gsore H. Plant third vice
Nj. McCalla, treasurer, and passed resolution thai
no one should be permitted to vote upon any ques
Eress in 1859 granite The old board charter which
was approved on February 20 and they resumed e
that was done during the time BY the Know Moth.
ings was the laying OF four feet of CONDEMNED
stone upon the monument, which was taken of
when tile work was resumed August T. 1880,
AFTER A CESSATION OF ABOUT TWENTY YEARS,
during which time numerous appeals had beer
made by the society for financial aid, Congress il
co.. toWad the etion Of the Washns VC on
m, nument to be aisbursed under the supervision
of II joint commission, consisting of the President
the United States. the supervising architects o
the Cal itol and Treasury, the chief engineer o
tue Army and the first vice-president Of the asso
citation, who is our honOrcd philanthropist, w
W, Corcoran. In 1876 an engineer board, con.
sisIing OF nerals Gilmore and Duane, and Colone
KurIz was detailed to examine the foundation Of
the monument, the character Of the board
the soil beneath i!, and in April, 1877, re.
ported TO Congress that the fo.. dalton required
strengthening, and submitted plans therefor
Congress then authorized the expenditure of $780,
300 Tor the strengthening of the foundation, and
Non Uni Tie o Presdent dctaIed uenIsamt Cnionel
Thomas l.. Casey, who was vt that iime Commits
sioner of Public Buildings and Grounds, and asc
detailed Captain George W. Davis, of the Four
teenth Infantry, an assistant engineer. In Sep
TENDER, 1873, several plans We're submitted FOL
strengthening the foundation, but that of Colonel
Casey. which provided Tor concrete sub iounda-
ton, was adopted, and May %, 1880 the laying Of
the concrete was concluded, and Oh the 7,h day Of
August, 1880,
THE FIRST STONE WAS LAID UPON THE PILE.
The summer of 1880 was utilized in the building
by the Phoenix Iron Company, of Trenton, of the
permanent iron staircase, within which the ee-
vutor which is used for carrying the necessary
stone moves up and down. III the season OF 1850
before the cola weather caused the cessation OF
work, twenty-siX feet had been added to the
height of the monument. Quite an interesting in
cideut occurred ON August 7, when the first stone
was laid. President Hayes, Colonel Casey, Captain
Davis, and several other persons were present ant
beneath the first stone in the layer Of mortar eaci
gentleman placed a coin bearing upon 1t the datC
and the initials of his name.
IV.fD
upon TIE monument, which brought Its height vi
to $50 feet, mak ing II even then the highest monu
ment IN America. Yesterday the workmcn wer,
engaged in laying the Two hundred and satietl
course Of stone which, when finished will make
t ti Top oi me monument, Including It's iounda
following are the names OF all those persons who
have ever been
MEMBERS OF THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT SOCIETY
Chief Justice John Marshall, X. Q. Weightman
Commodore John Rogers General 4. S. JeSsup
Colonel George Bomtord, NJ. 81. Clair Clark
William lnSle, John 7. Van Ness, Samuel H. Smith
w. l., BIent, john McClelland, William Cranch
General McComb, John Carter, william Brent
George Wutterston, Colonel Nathan Towson
Colonel A. Henderson, Thomas Aiunroc, General
Walter Jones, Walter LennOx, James Keurney,
Thomas Csrbery, John J. Alert, Elisha Whttlesey
John + lngle T. Hartley Crawford General Win:
tre,isnei isG1 NJ. +. Mapry, DT. William Jones
Peter Force, r. Il. Fendall, h. Ogle Tayloe W. H.
Hodge, Thomas Blugden, Peter g. Washington
nedy, William A. Richardson, ]. G. Brent, George
". riggs, James N. CARLISLE, Filzhugh Coyle, Dr
JSsnnh Henry p ID Snort Dr. InSm NJ pra4basd
Dr. J,hn b. Blake, DR.. Charles T.. Stansbery All
the Presidents OF the United States and all the
Mayors and Governors OF this city since 1884 have
been cx'ohicio officers Of the society The follow
ing are tue
MEMBERS on THE SOCIETY AT PRESENT:
Chester A., Arthur President of the United
states; w, w. Corcuran, first vice president; X. O
Winthrop, second vice, president; Ilorntio King
sec'clAyi j. ~ II. smith, treasurer maungers-