The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-09-30
A TALL WHITE SHAFT.
Work on the summit OF the Washington
Monument.

S a cluster OF bees seemed to have Ii
5 this morning on the summit of the tall
I plain white shaft of the Washingto,
Monument. These to a clearer view
were seen to be busy human laborers
who after a summer of rest, were agail
at work placing tier on tier of marble
on what is already one of the TALES,
and which is to be the tallest artificial
elevation in the world. To-day the
workmen We're laying the blocks
which make the height 292 feet. The
stones are each two ft ct in perpendicu.
lar diameter, and three tiers can be laid
fore be raised about a foot higher every
day for the next two months. The
plan is to build AT least so additional
feet before cold weather.
The work proceeds very quietly and
scientifically. The masons are evident
ly skilled at their craft. The blocks
are cut at the base of the column, and
carried to the summit in strong ele-
vator, which slides up and down the
great dark tunnel which extends in one
smooth abyss from the summit to the
ground. The elevator is worked by a
steam engine in an adjacent building,
and seems to be provided with every
appliance to insure safety. 1t is proba-
bly,, even now, the highest elevator in
existence outside of mining shafts, and
rs it consists of a simple platform, the
trip is not an agreeable one to ner-
vous person. The winding staircase is,
however, not an improvement in this
| respect on the hoist. Not to speak of
| the fatigue Of mounting and descending
| 500 steps, the stairs look fragile if they
are not, and the glimpses of light one
catches in the prevailing obscurity are
not reassuring, as they disclose the
| fatal depths into which he would be
precipitated by false step.
The view from the summit is superb,
and the effect is heightened by coming
upon it suddenly. The absence of any
object to break the height of the look
out also adds to the impression. One
seems suspended in the clouds, while
the capital, in all its beauty, lies far
below him. The elevation is already
greater than the highest point on the
dome OF the Capitol to which visitor
can ascend, and the situation of the
monument is more favorable than that
of the Capitol for view of the city.
The masons are too busy to feast
their eyes with the scenery. They are
rolling the great blocks of marble into
position, and fastening them securely
and properly with plumb line, mallet
and cement. 1t is exciting to watch
laborer stand on the newly placed
block, and, swinging the huge wooden
mallet over the edge of the precipice,
pound the stone into its exact position.
Were it not for tho netting, this step
in the work would be hazardous in the
extreme, and as it is good nerves are
necessary.
This horizontal netting is one of the |
important features Of the work. 1t is |
m n nf nd iS, OF onl, 4
out from, and surrounding the sides of
the shaft to q distance of nearly ten |
feet. TO afford greater security, it is
bent slightly upward from the horizon
tai, so as to throw backward toward |
the stOneWork any weight falling |
upon it's surface. The net has already |
saved one life, and its value as the
monument reaches still more gildy
heights than that now attained will
constantly increase. Apart from its
chief usefulness in affording protection
to the masons, it helps them in their
work by taking away from them the
sense of constant danger and the neces-
sity of working with cautious slowness.
At times the wind sweeps over the
submit with terrific force.
ado you see that young man yon-
der ?" said the master mason, pointing
to a laborer who stood pulling at a
rope few steps distant. "He was
on the edge one windy day,
much as you see him now, when the
wind caught him right off his feet and
flung him over the brink of the monu-
ment. lie landed in the net, held on,
and SO was saved" :
"That was pretty close CALL" said
one of the party of visitors to the
young man. lie was sitting on the
outer edge of the landing, with his legs
down over the smooth surface
Of ths precipicc. He smiled pleasantly
and nodded assent.
"What did you think Of" asked an
other of the party, Gas you lost your
ioothold and fell ?''
"Well," said the quiet young man,
81 remembered that the netting was
under me. / fell about six feet before
I struck. You see, we don't move up
the net till we build about eight or
ten feet of wall. When 1 hit the net ] |
grabbed the mcshes, and they pulled
me up.'
The netting is comparatively recent
device, and is very ingeniously con-
under designs patented by the
master mechanic. None was in use