Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-09

teresttng Particulars About It's Con.
structiOn-The Settlement OF the
Shaft-IHOSv Slight Movements Of the
Mass Are Detected by Delicate Mea-
surements-A CONSERVATION Caused
by Enterpri~ing NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ing the Foundation, &c.
1t was only few years ago that the Wash
fngtOn monument was the laughing stock not
only of irreverent visitors but Of our own citi-
Gems 1t was an ugly, stumpy mass Of marble,
which had stood In the marsh since 1856. with
out growing an inch. Nobody thought that 1t
would ever be completed. 1t has been growing
rapidly, however, in the past few years, and its
completion is now matter of but a very short
time 1t Is already one Of the most imposing
objects In Washington. being almost as conspic-
uous as the Capitol itself. When finished 1t
will have the greatest height By twenty-five feet
of any structure in the world the spires of the
Cathedral at Cologne towering SIS feet above
the ground, ranking next to it.
THE ORIGIN OF THE MONUMENT.
The plan of erecting a monument to our first
President originated in Congress- and it's views
were embodied in resolution of that body De-
cember 24th. 1879, ten days after Washington's
death. as follows: THAT a marble monument
be erected by the United States, at the city Of
Washington, and that the family of General
Washington be requested to permit his body to
he deposited under it. and that the monument
De so designed Ia to commemorate the great
events of his military and political life" Here
the matter rested. Not a move was made to-
wards executing the resolution until 1883. when
several prominent men in Washington citizens
and officials. formed an association for the pur-
pose OF erecting IA great national monument TO
the memory of Washington at the seat OF the
federal government" BY soliciting contribu-
lions from the people at large the society had
collected by 1S47 sufficient fund to warrant
commencement of the work.
THE CORNERSTONE LAID.
site was selected by a resolution of Con-
gress January 3lst, 1s4S, and on the 4th Of
july of that year the cornerstone was laid.
Numberless nnfavOrable criticisms have been
made upon the site selected. 1t has been
claimed time and again that it was one of the
most unfortunate choices that could have been
made and that Capitol Hill would have been
much preferable for location than the low,
marshy bank OF the river. Probably the most
likely reason for the selection was that the
monument would be visible from both land and
water, and would IN reality overlook Alexan-
fngton and Georgetown The present
site, too, was recommended by Wash
tngtOn himself for . monument to COM
memorate the American revolution, which
It was proposed to erect In 1875. This site was
also selected for the equestrian statue Of WASH
ingtOn which was ordered by Congress in 1888
As stated, the work was commenced In 1S4S
and was continued for eight years. reaching in
time. height of 156 feet at a cost Of $500, COO
This money Was contributed, in small amounts,
oy hundreds and thousands Of people, and was
gathered from almost every town and village In
the land. The funds ran out, and halt was
made when the height Of 156 feet was reached.
THE WORK TRANSFERRED To THE GOVERNMENT.
In 1876 Congress determined upon the COM
pletion OF this monument, and by the act of
August I'd of that year, created joint commits
sion to direct and supervise its construction.
This commission consisted of the President of
the United States, the supervising architect Of
the Treasury department, the architect of
the Capitol, the chief of engineers q. S. A., and
the first vice president of the Washington Ma
tional Monument Society. The act appropriated
S2OooVo- required all the property and rights of
the monument society to be transferred to the
United States. and directed the commission to
be assured that the foundation was sufficient to
sustain the weight Of the completed structure
before commencing work. In 1875 and 1877 an
examination of the foundation was made by a
board of engineers, and it was decided INSULT
Gent TO sustain the weight. 1t was found that
the weight of the shaft as 1t stood was 80 ! 76
tons giving pressure of 5.027 tons upon each
square foot OF soil under the foundation and
IL
dafion would be "a 0e3 tons giving a pressure of
e.42 tons per square foot OF area OF bed of the
foundation With the proposed new foundation
the weight would be about so. 600 tons
STRENGTHENING THE FOUNDATION.
1t was determined to strengthen the founda-
tion, and the work was placed in charge of
Lieut. Col. Thos- L. Casey, corps Of engineers,
who has superintendent the building the mon
ument ever since. The plan adopted for
strengthening the foundation was to underpin
the old foundation and spread out the corner
courses. SO that the weight of the finished
structure should be distributed over an area two
then occupied, so that no greater
pressure per square foot should
be brought upon the new foundation than the
new bed c0nld sustain. This work Of strength
enlng the foundation was commenced In Octo-
Der, 1878, and was carried to successful COM
pletion in 1880 by Col. Casey and afforded a
splendid demonstration OF the resources of mod
ern engineering skill Ever since then the work
OF construction has been pushed rapidly, and at
the Close OF the working season last year the
monument had reached height Of $40 feet, 90
feet having been added to its height during the
year.
THE WORK RESUMED.
The work on the monument for this year was
commenced on Monday. The work could have
been begun some time ago, but as the courses
can be laid so much faster than the marble can
be received and prepared, 1t was thought advis-
able to wait until there was good supply on
hand. so that the work could be carried on with
"a little interruption as possible. cargo OF
marble from the Lee quarries in Massachusetts,
mas arrived. and it will at once be put i'm condi-
tion to be laid. Enough marble already on hand
has been cut and finished to make fifteen courses
OF two feet each, so that a good start can be
made. with no fear of getting out OF material for
Some time to come.
THE GRANITE BACKING.
As the walls Increase in height the proportion
Of granite backing to the marble facing dimin-
lshes- At the level of $50 feet the granite back
Ing Will disappear and the walls from that
height TO the top will be entirely of marble II
the marble can be obtained as rapidly as Is anti
cipated, 1t Is estimated that the walls and pyra-
indian. or roof of the shaft (Which is to be fifty
feet high can he completed possibly by July 1st.
1854. and certainly by the close of the working
season u that year As the monument has in
creased in height. very careful watch has been
maintained 10 observe what effect the increased
weight has had upon the foundation. Since the
completion OF the foundation. in 1880. the total
load added TO the then existing structure has
been q. 355 tons and