Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-10
THE WARRINGTON MONUMENT.
Its Present Beauty and Wonderful
Gr"wth-PrOmiscd Completion In N
Nppr.

THE WARRINGTON MONUMENT.
Its Present Beauty and Wonderful
Gr"wth-PrOmiscd Completion in n
Ncnr.
The Washington correspondent of the
Cleveland Lcddcr says that no one laughs
now at the Washington monument. The
day OF its being subject for ridicule is
over for ever Its growth is the wonder
of Washington, and its beauty the admi-
ration of both Americans and foreigners.
Already over $50 feet high, it rises from
the banks of the Potomac great white
marble shaft piercing the clouds and
backed against the blue of the sky. 1t is
already the grandest obelisk the world
has ever seen, and in the cons OF the fu-
ture, should the nations of to-day pass
away, leaving no more records of their
progress than the mighty ones of the
Egyptian past, it will surpass the pyra-
mids in the wonder of its construction.
1t Is already higher than the third pyra-
mid, and within 100 feet of the size of
the second 1t is taller than st. Paul's s
Cathedral, and when finished it will be
the highest structure in the world. To.
day the Cathedral Of Cologne-512 feet
highs the tallest work in the world
next comes the great pyramid, 4S3 feet
high then the Strasburg Cathedral, 473
feet then the second pyramid, 453 then
St. Peters, 430 st. Stevens ut Vienna,
4i3 and St. Paul's, at London, 3S4. The
monument when completed will be 555
feet high, forty three feet higher than the
Cathedral at Cologne 1t will be far diff
ferent, however, from the needle-like
shafts of the great European Cathedral
each of its sides at the top will be thirty
. five feet in width, and the whole massive
tower will seem q solid growth of natural
rock rising from the earth and reaching
to the sky. The width at the base of
each of its four sides is fifty-fve feet, the
monument gradually tapering for over
500 feet until 1t becomes cone each side
of which is thirty-tive.
The work of building is going rapidly
on, and it is expected that it will be com.
pleted within two years at least The
lower part OF the monument is granite,
with marble facing on the outside. AS
the monument rises, the granite backing
diminishes A few feet more and 1t will
disappear, and the remainder of the mon-
ument will be made entirely of marble.
Some of the stones Incorporated in it are
memorial blocks, given by different states
and nations. One slab comes from Greece,
another from Turkey, and others from
China and Siam. All are inscribed in the
languages and letters of their countries.
Other stones are the gifts of different
.statoa of the Union. Others-and none
OF these should be inserted-come from
firms and men who wish to advertise
themselves or their business.
1t is now thirty.tive yeras since the
Washington monument WAS begun, and
eighty-three since it's plan was conceived.
In December, 1779, ten days after the
death of Washington, Congress passed
resolutions to erect monument in his
honor The plan was to have Washing.
toms remains deposited under the monu-
ment. Nothing, however, was done be.
yond passing the resolution, and the mat
ter remained dead-letter up to 1888. A,
this time an association was formed at the
capital for the purpose of pushing the
matter. Papers were gotten out and con
tributions solicited. In 1S47 the sun
was large enough to warrant the begin.
ming of the work, and on July 4. 1913
the cornerstone was laid. John Quincy
Adams was to have delivered the address
on this occasion, but he died a few months
before, and it WAS spoken by Robert o
Winthrop, of Massachusetts. The build
ing of the monument went steadily oil
from this time until 1856, when the fund
gave out, and it was stopped not to b.
touched again'for twenty-four years. II
1866 the monument was 156 feet high
During the next two decades it came t,
be thought that it would never be com
completed, but In 1876 Congress decided
to take the matter in hand, and in 1SS
the work of building was resumed.
was given into the hands of Colonel Ca
sey and band Of competent engineers
They found before commencing work o.
the shaft that the foundation WAS poor
and that it would not sustain the mass {
$4,000 tons of stone intended to be place
upon il. The monument already weigl
ed 32 176 tons. Now look what Colont
Casey did. He went down in the foundl
ton as built in 1S4S and dug from und'
feet square. This was directly under IL
monument, which, with its $4,000 ton
I stood above it. Around this, thirteen fe
! deep and 1876 feet square, solid wall WI
built. Part of the old foundation WI
then torn away and new and better OIL
built, gradually reaching outward al
uniting with the new foundation, SO tn
the pressure iB now exerted upon ba
1876 feet square instead of eighty feet,
formerly The total pressure now res
ing on this foundation is estimated
vx about 70 600 tons. Since 1880, when Il
foundation was completed, the settl
ment of the shaft has been one and
~auarter inches, aud this though t
weight has been increased nearly 30,0
tons. The settlement has been remark
bly, uniform. and there is no danger OF
Washington monument turning into
second tower of Pisa
The action of the monument is watch