National Republican., 1885-12-02
MOUNTING THE MONUMENT.
now THE ASCENT OF THE TREAT
SHAFT is MADE.
Nearly Thousand Steps to Count
When the Elevator Ia Not Running
The Steps Well Braced, but Tiresomc
TO Tread.

II n visitor should succeed In eludlng the
vigilance Of the guard at the entrance TO
the Washington monument and get inside
the big shaft, with the hope of viewing the
city,from one Of thelittlc four feet windows
that look out from the top, 555 feet in the
air, he would probably hesitate for some
time before attempting the ascent. Stand :,
ing within the dark aud chill entrance and
looking up, the scene that meets the eye Is
not encouraging, and would cause almost
any cool-heade6 person to consider that
there is no way Of reaching the desired goal
except by counting 008 narrow iron steps
that follow the windings Of the interior
wall Of the great monolith.
The elevator is not running at present,
and no visitors are allowed to enter It
Workmen are still engaged In fixing the
lightning rods In position so as TO reduce
any stray flash Of atmospherlcal electricity
that may have designs on what NJ. Bar
tholdi, the great French sculptor, calls the
'monument Washington
These rods are being placed in such a
way as to form an almost complete cover
ing OF armor for the monument. From tho
outside these rods cannot be seen, but on
the inside of the monument near the top
one has to dodge continually to keep out
Of the way Of the intricate mass OF rods
that begin at the aluminium tip which
forms the apex Of the shaft, and disappears
In the gloom of the interior, finally finding
refuge in mother earth nearly 600 feet be-
low.
Tho steps leading from the entrance TO
the little iron platform that commands the
most extensive view Of the city and sur
roundings at the top are of solid cast iron
NM ara foaf .n1 t.,t al 20 IL.
by innumerable bolts and nuts, which
make them really part OF the monument,
and If by chance the big monolith sue
cumbed to q strong gust OF wind or some
stray earthquake shock the steps would be
found still clinging to the big blocks of
stones to which they were originally fas-
tened.
The steps, as stated, follow the course Of
the wall with endless monotony, aud the
act Of climbing them impresses ono with
the idea that he is working a treadmill,
| such as are used in English prisons. The
steps are fixed In close proximity to one
another and enable u person, even In the
half light which penetrates the immense
shaft, to mount by simply elevating the
| foot four or five inches and putting 1t
down. A man with strong muscles and
good lungs can accomplish the journey to
| the top in about twelve minutes.
| There yet remains good deal to do before
the monument is finished, but In less than
a year it will probably be ready for inspec-
tion for visitors and the passenger elevator
will be put in. Almost every day visitors
go over to look at II, and make the stereotyped
request to be allowed to ascend to the top.
but, as the watchman at the entrance says,
they never expect to receive permission
when they ask. .....
"They come just the same" said he,
"and will stand about here and ply all sorts
of question about the monument. Almost
every country visitor asks where the popes
stone is placed, and can always tell what
state man comes from, because he in.
varlably ask where the stone such q
state sent is located. or course / don't
know, but l always point up and say
right there and they go home and say
they have seen the stone contributed by
their state. There were about 100 tons
OF stone left after the monument was
completed, but there amt twenty now. A
man who would come over here with O
hammer and knock chips of that pile OF
granite could make fortune. Everybody
wants souvenir, and II you tell them that
they have got an original chip they go away
happy. / guess there is over 1000, 900 tons
of original monument chips in this country
The woods is full of it,"