The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-07
THE MONUMENT.
How the Idea Originated and How the Work
Was Conducted.


How the Idea Originated and How the Work
Was Conducted.
WAsHINGTON, Dec G-Soon after the death
of Washington Congress recognized the proprie-
ty of erecting monument TO his memory and
passed resolutions to that effect, but no funds
were appropriated, and for years no further
movement was made. At last in september
1888, paragraph appeared in the National In
telligencer calling for meeting OF the citizens
of Washington to take tho matter in hand In
response to this invitation meeting was held
on Sept 26, in that year at the City Hall at which
were present Daniel Brent William Cranch
who was later chief justice Of the Circuit Court
of the District of Columbia; George Watterson
and other prominent residents of Washington.
This resulted in the formation Of the National
Washington Monument Society of which the
venerable Chief Justice John Marshall was the
first president and Judge Cranch the iirst vice
president. George Watterson, the Originator of
the enterprise was the secretary and was sue
ceeded at his death by John Carroll Brent who
followed by DR. j. b Blake ami then by
Hon. Horatio King the present incumbent
Upon the death OF President Madison. in 1876,
the constitution of the society amended
that the President of the United States should
be eX olhclo president Of the organization. An
drew jackson was the first ex oitciO president.
and he was followed by the Presidents they
have been respectively elected to the chief
maSistracy OF the Nation. The mayors of
Washington were made cX OGicio vice presidents
of the society The plan adopted 10y its found
ers was to secure the assistance and TO unite the
efforts of tho people of the country to erect
monument to President Washington. At first
contributions limited to 81 annually from
any one person, contributors to become members
OF the society. The contributions amounted in
1876 to the sum OF $2S 900, which was placed at
interest and during this year advertisements
were published inviting designs from American
artists the cost of the monument being esti-
mated at 81 900 OOl Many plans were sub
mtted and the award was finally given to Rob
ert Mills, tho architect! Of the Interior Depart
ment
The cornerstone was ia;d in 1913. the now
venerable, aud then and always elegant aud eo
quent Robert G. Winthrop delivering the ora
tion to some 1000 people who gathered ut The
base. III six years the money collected by the
Monument Association ran out, aad work
stopped. The pile was Ia feet high and $50
600 had been spent. There it stood through the
exciting years that followed, when Washington
was filed with marching regiments and Tie sur
rounding hills were white with tented armies.
The broad meadow from which the monument
rises was devoted to cattle pens for the uso of
the army Thousands Of cattle were driven in
there daily and slaughtered. The four mule
teams of the Commissary Department tmonged
in there every night wallowing through the
mud hub deep, to take out supplies of meat to
the soldiers in and around the city. The monu-
ment itself was used as a slaughterlng place,
and many carcass has cooled no in JAe inside
of the shaft, where tho butchers pulled them to
keep through hot July day.
1t was not until 1873 that steps were taken
for continuing the work. In 1876 the govern
ment undertook the work, S3QO,O 900 being apPr0-