Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-06-13
PRESIDENT LMcoLN,s MONUMENT.

n.diy Constructed Originally, the Sep
Poicner IL Being Slowly Disintegrated
~ the Severe illinois CIimate.Con-
scAne REPAIRS Necessary.
springfield Letter, to Chicago News.
The Lincoln monument, under which
sleeps the body of the great emancipa-
sor Is In villianous state of disrepair.
Ihere is no reason to believe that It is
going to fall down right away-although
that fate is certainly in store for it-but
It Is certain that as a monument de-
signed to bear upon imperishable stone
the name and deeds of great man, and
furnish, as well, a fitting sepulcher for
his ashes, 1t is as lamentable failure as
could well be conceived.
Repairs may maintain the place for
many years. but when say that import.
ant parts Of the structure have twice fall
en- away; that the keystone of one of its
important arches was wedged with bits
of wood, which, decaying, caused it to be
rebuilt; that the chambers under the ter.
race are filled with wooden braces; that
this important support was never held
except by few angle irons, and they 80
small and far apart that the seams broke
open, the supports tottered and the i'm
mediate safety of the entire structure
was threatened, the damage can be ap-
preciated. Repairs were ordered, and
taken down and replaced. When the
designed for it they were found to have
insufficient bearings to trust the bronzes
upon, and they were required to be re-
h,,rl ho ohor
of the terrace is going the same way, and
thus the body Of the late president
stands in danger almost as disgraceful
as it once did from thieves.
This monument was constructed under
the auspices of the National Lincoln
Monument association, Gov. Oglesby
being president A board of Directors
showed the names of Shelby M. Cullom,
o. NJ. Hatch, James H. Beverage and
twelve others. Funds were contributed
by the soldiers and sailors of the United
States to the amount of $4,000. Eight
thousand dollars of that sum was raised
by the colored soldiers. Several thous-
and Sunday-school scholars gave $4,000.
The state in two appropriations paid
$1,000; New York, $4,000; Missouri,
81 600; California $500, and enough to
make up 5000 was secured by miscel-
laneous contribution. It's exterior is
wholly Of Quincy granite. Its base is 20
feet square, with semi-clrcular extern
sions on the north and south. From the
centre of The terrace rises square shaft
to the height of 100 feet. Larkin Mead's
really good statute of Lincoln, done in
bronze, stands upon square pedestal on
the south side of the terrace. Be-
meath the statue is the memorial
hall, and within that is the catecomb.
This is semi-circular vestibule of ten or
twelve feet radius, having an arched
ceiling, marble floor, and five crypts. At
the rear in the vestibule, which is
reached through grated iron door, is a
time ofthe alleged attempted theft of the
body, the remains ofthe president. The
crypts are those of the children of the
Lincoln family who are dead, and there
remains place for those who yet live.
But the body Of the president does not
sleep in the sarcophagus, nor does that
of his unfortunate wife occupy the CEN
trail crypt, which the custodian points
out as hers. They lie far below, side by
side, in a grave of earth, whittier they
were removed by the executive COM
mittee, John T. Stuart, John Williams
and Jacob Burns.
Mr.. Stuart told me himself of this, and
said that when Robert Lincoln came on
with the body of his mother he was
taken down and shown his fathers rest
ing place. He said that Mrs. Lincoln
should also lie there, and there she was
placed. Mr.. Stuart, speaking for the
said that there was nothing,
not even Quincy granite, that could
the influence of this climate.
The extremes of winter and summer
were beyond their resistance, and even
the granite of the monument showed
signs of disintegration. ct is true of all
the country of this latitude from New
York west; l have studied it for years."
he said.