New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-29
BARTHOLDrS GREAT STATUE.
THE COMMITTEE pINCHED FOR MONEY.

| A TOTAL sToPPAGE OF WORK THREATENED-THE
ENTHUSIASM OF THE FEW, THE INDIFFERENCE
OF THE MANY.
The refusal of Governor Cleveland to sign the Dill
empowering the Board oi Estimate and AppoI ton
ment to appropriate $4,000 of city funds tor the
pedestal of the Statue of Liberty on Bedloes Island
has becn a sc ycrc blow to tho Executive COMMITTED
Private subscriptions have almost ceased, because III
was the general impression that the $4,000 from the
city would certainly he obtained The committee
have in cash about $40. 300. This will enable Mr..
| King who has contracted for the masonry on gen
erous terms to build three four courses OF ma
| sonry after which he must stop. Mr.. ID reXel the
| chairman of the Executive Committee has been
compelled to 20 to Europe and the all OF his energy
| and business ability is lost when most needed
| The members of the Executive Committee have
| raised from among their friends most of what has
been subscribed. 1t is plain that the money must
| come FROM NEWCOMERS. Every exertion has been
made to obtain funds from the country ut large,
and there has been response. FOR a time 1t was
believed that money was gradually accommodating in
the hands of local committees Western cities, and
| that when important amounts had been gathered
| they wonld be forwarded. This delnsion has now
| vanished and New-York stands face to face with
the fact that the pedestal will not be built at all I'M
| less with New-York money.
| = The subscription agents who were gathering
| some time ago about thousand dollars week
from persons in the city now bring in the me rest
! trile Various plans have been presented to the
committee and are receiving attention One OF these
is to scatter envelopes ntaning postal cards with
printed subscriptions leaving blank for the
amount Those who are willing to subscribe have
slmply to sign their names, fill in the blankand drop
theicardnto any box. Itss directed to the office
If the Executive Committee The cards will be then
sorted and handed over to the present subscription
agents who will collect the amounts subscribed.
This system will enable the agents to cover
the whole ground of the city thoroughly
Ii was adopted successfully when the Metro
pOlitan Art Museum and the Museum OF Natural
History were asking for the aid of citizens.
Another idea is to place boxes in conspcu-
Gus situations for dime and half-dme con
tributions Mr. Butler the secretary, IS IN favor OF
this PLAN IN lugh others of the committee, rcmem-
bcrnq tho bad success of tho boxes for the Cooper
Monument, are afraid Of it, especially rs it will en-
tail some outlay. But all agree that the ridicuc
with which some Western papers have endeavOred
to cover the subject of the pedestal and the statue
il not felt by the wOrkng-people of New-York.
There may be- a doubt in the minds of many as to
the success of the plan, but there is II firm belief
that there is general good will toward the statue
among all classes of the city. 1t seems logical to
believe that this good will would express itself IN
contributions of dimes in great numbers. But the
apathy with which the rich now regard the work
has some what discouraged the Executive Committee
and have forgotten that II appeals strongly To
that American sentiment which the nomination OF
Mr. Blaine has evoked.
General Stone said to a TRIBU NE reporter that the
action of the public school children of staten Island
was due lar gcy to Commissioner Frcan. They have
| subscribed an amount sufficient to pay for one of
the largest stones in the pedestal in size three cubc
wards and the executive committee nave chccrtully
| agreed to put up brass memorial tablet rccor.n-
the fact in the whispering gallery at the base OF the
| pedestal
The structure is siXty-twO feet square at the bot
tom where il rests upon the concrete, and the inside
well containing the spiral stairway Is twentysevcn
feet square The thickness therefore of the outer
wall is considerable Instead of beln5 sold 1t con-
! tans an arched circular passage, communicating
! with the exterior platform by entrances on each of
! the four sides. This will be lighted by electric
lights at the time that the torch in the hand
of the colossal figure begins to flame. lt is proposed
to place in this circular CALLER memorial tablets of
those who contribute, like he children of the schools
of Richmond County, for specific parts of the strnc
| good example may he followed by the children Of
! the public schools in New York. Brooklyn and Jer
| sey City,
| General Stone has succeeded in solving problem
| of some Importance with regard TO the durability
| Of the statue itself 1t is well known that when
! two metals are brought together under the cOndi-
tons lsting the copper skin of the statue aud
it's steel skeleton. electric currents are established
Whcney er there is a sufficient amount of moisture
| in the air. The General declined to say IN what
| manner he would overcome this difficulty, because
| others would Immediately take advantage of his
method 10 the pecuniary injury of the work itself.
Had not this been lOreseen the copper OF the statue
| in given number Of years would have totally dis
appeared, leaving nothing but the supporting skele-
| ton of steel and iron.