Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-21
CHIPS FROM THE SHAFT.
incidents and Notes Concerning the
Great MOuumeut

Great Monument.
THE WORK COMPLETED WITHOUT ANY SERIOUS
ACCIDENT-THE FAsCISATIoN OF HIGH
PLACES FOR SUICIDES-A CAT THAT LEAPED
FROM THE TOP, &C.
A most remarkable circumstance connected
with the construction of the monument is that
there was no accident involving loss of life,
Notwithstanding the perilous heights TO which
the wOrkmen had TO ascend. Only one acct
dent happened, and that was near the base of
the shaft. workman slipped and broke his
arm As the shaft was carried upwards, a
strong netting extending out several feet from
the wall was kept around the obeltsk, and
shifted from height to height as the work pro-
crossed, to be always on the level of the
platform where the workmen were engaged
On several occasions workmen fell into this
netting. once a young lady visitor in spirit
Of bravado threw herself into the netting, an
experiment which not even the workmen had
sver tried for fun.
A CAT THAT JUMPED FROM THE TOP.
When the shaft had been constructed to
height of $50 feet, one morning when the
workmen assembled the elevator they were sur
prised to find a cat at the top. The animal was
startled at their approach and jumped upon the
wal lof the monument. One OF the men went
toward 1t, and the cat. seeing no way of escape,
Jumped over the side to the ground. Instead
Of being smashed TO atoms, as the workmen
expected, upon reaching the ground, although
evidently a little stunned, IL got up and started
TO run away, when the watchman's dog caught
sight of it and, seizing the cat by the neck,
killed IT, 1t was afterwards found that the ami
NAL had belonged to Mrs. Il. T.. Brown, OF South
Washington, who bad missed it for about
week
CONSERVATION CAUSED BY SPIDERS.
One morning, at about the time when those in
charge of the work were most anxious about its
success. the plummet, which measured defec-
tons in the monument was found swung far
to side. CONSERVATION among the work.
men followed, and the monument was thought
to be doomed. When Col. Casey arrived on the
ground he made inquiries about the other line,
and learning that 1t showed no unusual move
ment he knew that everything was all right.
An examination was at once made to find out
the cause of the unaccountable movement of
the plummet, and it was found that during the
night spiders had built their web from the line
to the box-caSing, and thus drawn the line out
of perpendicular. AT another time the other
plummet showed a similar irregularity, and at
the top an owl was found quietly Pershing upon
some time. After its death it was stuffed and
presented to Mrs. Hayes. and 1t now probably
adorns the Hayes home al Fremont, Ohio.
Mr.. MLAUGHLINS STRANGE FINDS.
A strange thing happened to Superintendent
Mclaughlin soon after he took charge of the
monument which will confirm the faith of peo-
pie who believe in signs. While crossing the
grounds his foot loosened a silver three-cent
piece. Nine days afterward he found in the
same way another silver three-cent piece with
the Roman numerals Ill" With exactly the
same interval of time he found three copper
cents of the coinage previous to that in use at
the present time. Being struck by the curious
incident, he took the coins home to his wife and
asked her, jOkingly, the meaning of the finding
OF the nine cents with the interval of nine days
between each find. Mrs. Mclaughlin immedi-
afely replied that the nine cents were either
symbolfcal of the length of his stay on the work
or that 1t would be nine years before the struct-
ure was completed. Mr.. Mclaughlin has en-
with the work. and 1t is estimated ii will be two
years before RI Is finally finished off, both inside
and outside. These coins Mr.. Mclaughlin
placed under the aluminium point of the mOnu-
hent.
CRANKS AND SUICIDES
A crank recently interviewed in New York
paper declared his purpose of distinguishing
himself by leaping from the monument and
Enjoying the exhilaration of q 500 foot fall at
the expense of his life if necessary. He pro-
posed to take q parachute with him to open
Just before reaching the ground. This feat he
wanted to perform on the day the monument
was dedicated. Persons entrusted with the
care of high places, accessible to the public. all
have stories to tell of the fascination which
dizzy heights have for suicides. Even persons
OF well-balanced minds feel an almost irreSSti-
BILE desire to throw themselves from such
places. If the fascination increases in proper
ton to the height of these places the Washing
ton monument will be great attraction for
suicides. To throw themselves from the mOnu-
ment a person would have to Chamber out
through the peep holes, which will be open dur
Ing the hours when visitors are admitted to the
top. These peep holes cannot be barred or
grated on the inside, because the marble
closures have to swing down in them. 1t is
deemed undesirable TO place gratings on the
outside as they would disfigure the face of the
monument The watchman who will be en-
Ployed at the top to keep persons from writing
their names all over the marble will have to
keep up sharp lookout for cranks.
SOUVENIRS.
The city has been flooded with souvenirs of
the monument. 1t is estimated that there are
enough chips from the capstone offered for sale
around the city to build another monument.
The block from which the capstone was cut was
OF so wonderful a size, apparently, that the sup
ply of chips from it is inexhaustible These
chips are usually adorned with little painting
representing the monument, or scenes at Mount
Vernon. Another form of souvenir Is medal
or pin made of aluminium. the metal of which
the apex of the monument is composed. Some
gentlemen in the city possess pieces of the cor
ner-stone. Knocked off when that stone was
laid. When the foundation was undermined q
Few years ago the cornerstone was exposed and
few chips were then knocked off 1t, and now
form highly priced souvenirs.
ACRES OF STONES AND OCEANS OF CEMENT.
About IA 900 barrels of Portland cement were
used in the new foundation and shaft In con-
structing the new portion of the shat 9613
stones were laid.