Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-11-04
THE BARTHOLDI STATUE.
Fair Frances Great Statue-Its History
Other Statues.
THE STATUES HISTORY.

ldTScSt staluc III lHc Woliu DcSluS ueaI
ly ten years ago, when tho first step
were taken in the matter by n body o
distinguished Frenchmen, enthusiastic
lovers of liberty, whom its originator
and creator then interested in his no
bic conception. These gentlemen form
cd themselves into society called tn,
Union Franco Americana dc France
and held banquet Nov. 6, 1875, to in
augurate tho project. NJ. Bartholdi'
design was enthusiastically approved
and q subscription for the erection o
the statue begun. The City of Pari
subscribed $4,000, and in five year,
France had subscribed, chiefly in small
sums, the $780, necessary for thi
purpose. Another banquet was thcl
held in the French Capital, at whicl
an address TO the people of the Unitct
States was adopted, recalling tho al
lance of France with this Nation il
the cause of liberty during the Revo
lutionary War, and embodying senti
ments expressive of their hearty nc
cord in the maintenance of democratic
principles of government. Work OF
the colossal statue was promptly be
gun under the superintendent of it
designer, who has witnessed its com
pletion. The United States Minister
to France at that time, Mr.. Morton
drove the first spike, Oct "a, 1881, rivet,
ing the first OF the bolts which were t.
Join the statue to the pedestal. Onl,
the right arm, head. and shoulder!
were at that time ready, but all thu
plaster casts Were completed, ant
steady work was being done with The
bronze of which the statue is made
The hand and wrist holding the torcl
had already arrived in America in time
to be exhibited at the Centennial Elk
hibition, and were afterward temper
arily placed in Madison Square, New
York.
Meanwhile on this side of the Allan
tic measures OF cooperation with the
generous French nation were taken.
Jan. 2, 1877, Il meeting of citizens o.
New York was held for the purpose O.
presenting the undertaking to the
American people, TO promote the leg
islation necessary Tor the reception anG
inauguration Of the statue, and to ere.
ate financial npa;ls tpr erecting q suit
able foundation and pedestal Con
grcss passed Il resolution providing fol
the erection OF the statue on Bcdloe'
leland, New York llnrbor, and for its
maintenance in good order, More.
over, its formal reception by the Presi
dent of the United States on behalf Of
the government was secured, and Pres.
ident Grant thanked tho French pco'
pie for the gift by autograph letter.
An address to the people of this coun.
try asking subscriptions was written
and circulated, but funds have come
In with provoking slowncss, and the
statue has seen dark days when its fate
trembled in the balance.
IT'S SITE.
Springing up from the waters Of
New York Bay, near the center of the
harbor, and commanding an unob.
structed view out through the Narrow:
to the ocean, Bedloe's Island is an cs.
pecially favorable Sito for the erection
of beacon-light that shall at once
guide the mariner to safe haven and
symbolize TO the emigrant when he first
reaches our shores the idea of liberty
which has been so largely instrumental
in bringing him hither. The island it.
self is much larger than appears either
from the New York shore or from the
photographic pictures of statue and is
land which have recently been scatter
cd over the country. 1t has an area
of four or five acres, and will doubtless
be delightful breathing-placc for the
city resident, and a Mecca to tho won
der-hunting country visitor, when it
has received the last identifying touches
of the Pedestal Committee and return
ed to The Government.
The foundation on which the pedcs-
tai is to rest is vast mass of gravel,
and sand, and lime, ninety-one feet
square at tho base, siXty-seven feet
square at the top, and iifty-two feet
ten inches in height. 1t rests on bed
Of gravel some twenty feet below the
surface. This huge mass of what is
for all practical purposes solid block
of granite represents the actual work.
outside Of plans and designs, which
has thus far been done for the recep-
ton of the statue. Upon this will be
built the granite pedestal, III feet
high, and twenty feet square at the
top. The facing OF the pedestal is Of
Leetes Island Comm granite. which
is rich purple in color and of great en-
durance. The statue will be anchored
to this pedestal by heavy iron rods
passing from each corner of tho statue
through tho pedestal to its base. The
statue itself is ISL feet high, made of
copper and iron, and weighs nearly 200
tons. An elevator and stairway will
ascend from the base of tho pedestal
up through the statue to the head,
whence the stairs will continue through
the uplifted arm to the torch held in
the hand. Upon the small balcony be-
meath the torch there is standing room
for fifteen persons. The height of the
entire affair is reckoned as follows:
Height Of base of foundation above
high-wator mark, 8 feet; height of foun-
dation-mass, SO feet; height of pedestal,
III feet; height of statue, 15l feet.
TOTAL 329 FEET.
This raises the torch several feet
above the pinnacle of Trinity church