The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1882-11-16
THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT.
The ProIrcss Of the Work on It---His'ory
OF the Monument.


Discussing about the Washington
monument, a correspondent at th'
national capital says: The monu
ment has now reached a height O
800 feet, and it is expected that about
forty feet more will be added before
the season ends. The height of the
structure has been about doubled since
the work was resumed, couple OF
years ago, after so long a delay, and Is
now little over one-half what it is
to be when completed, the highest
structure in the world. It's height
when completed, is to be $50 feet. The
monument board, after the work was
resumed, two years ago. determined tc
make it the highest structure in the
world. They studied up on monu-
ments, churches, towers and articles OF
this sort, and found it to be perfectly
safe and they will push it up to $50
feet in height. 1t is hoped that the
work may be completed within two,
Or, at furthest, three years after the
present season ends.
Few people are aware that the site
of this monument is one proposed by
Washington himself for shaft of this
nature, yet such is said to be the
fact. 1t is said that General Wash
ington suggested to Major L'Entant,
the originator of the plans for
the city of Washington, that at
the point now occupied by the mon
ument there might with propriety be
erected monument in honor of the
war of the Revolution. This was
never done, but when the site fer
Washington's monument was sought
this was hit upon as most suitable, and
thus the wisdom of the father of the
country again honored.
The date of completion of the monu-
ment is of course a matter of uncer-
tainty as yet, but it is probable that
nearly hundred years will have
elapsed between the date of the first
agitation of the subject and the COM
pletion of the monument. In 17S3
the Congress of the United States
ordered bronze statue of Washing
ton to be erected where the residence
of Congress should be permanently
fixed, and directed the minister ut
the French court to employ an artist
to perform this work, but by some
means it never was done. A few years
after the project took different shape
and in 1899 resolutions for the erection
of marble monument to Washington
were passed by Congress, and the
family requested to permit his remains
to be buried under it. The permission
was granted, but the work was never
begun. A number of other attempts
were made in the same line, but with
out success, and finally in 1888 a few
men, disgusted with the slowness of
Congress, undertook the task them.
selves, and after Obtaining about $780,.
600 in 81 subscriptions, began the
work in 194S, the cornerstone being
laid July 4 of that year. In the next
six years l56 feet were laid and then
the funds gave out. In 1854, during
the Know-Nothing excitement, band
of masked men visited the monument
gagged the watchman and taking the
slab of African marble sent by the
Roman government, broke it in pieces
and threw in the Potomac. In 1855 a
number of members of the "Ameri
can Party" forcibly took possession Of
the monument, ousting the old board
In SO, however, the old board again
took charge, by the direction of Con,
gress, and as first act re
moved several courses of stone LAID
by others when they were in con.
troll. 1t was not until 1876
that Congress persuaded itself to as
sumo the work, and then it was found
necessary to strengthen the founda
tion, so that work was not begun until
1880, since which time it has been
pushed until the present summer
when, owing to the slowness of the
contractors in furnishing the stone
work was suspended. 1t will now be
pushed forward again until colo
weather stops its further progress
The monument is fifty-fve feet square
at the base, and when completed will
be $50 feet, and it is said the highest
structure in the world 1t is Of
white marble. each course of marble