Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-22

Brief prayer by the Grand Chap
lain, invoking the blessings Of nourish-
ment, refreshment, and JOY upon all
who were assembled, and response by
the brethren, - SO mote il be. Amen
brought this part Of the proceedings to
an end.
The address of the Grand Master
concluded as follows: =. Know We,
all yc people, that we be Pree-
masons, loyal and true, citizens
obedient TO law and order, and
can never be concerned in plots
and conspiracies against true Govern
ments. The immortal Washington him
self was a Freemason, and devoted his
hand, his heart, his sacred honor, and,
il need be, his life, also, TO the cause of
freedom, Of conscience, Of speech, and Of
action; and from his successful leading
has arisen this nation. To him and 20
the memory Of his deeds grateful peo-
pie have erected this memorial in the
capital which he founded, and which
will bear his name to the remotest
ages--a monument towering above other
monuments as he lowered above other
men,"
COLONEL CAsEY's PRESENTATION
SPEECH.
Colonel Thomas l.. Casey, United
States Engineer, was assigned the duty
of presenting the part taken by che
General Government in the construo-
tion Of the monument and Of delivering
i 10 the President of the United
States, lie said the first really eff
fectiye proceedings in Congress with
view to the completion of the
monument were had on the 9Th day
Of July, 1876, on which day the chair
man (Mr. Sherman) had introduced in
the Senate a concurrent resolution re-
ferring in terms to the centennial Of our
national independence. The resolution
declared in substance that Congress, in
the name Of the people, at the begin
ming Of the second century Of the national
existence assumed the direction and com
| pleti0n ofthe monument. and il instructed
the committees on appropriations to
propose suitable provision of law to
carry the resolution into effect. The
result was the passage of an act which
appropriated 100000 for the compile
tion Of the monument; provided for the
transfer TO the United States of the
ownership Of the portion of shaft then
built; created a joint commission to
direct and supervise the construction of
the monument. From the early days
of the construction there had been ap-
| prchenSions that the foundation was not
| Of sufficient size TO sustain the column
if carried TO the height originally de-
| signed. Investigations were made by
capable engineers, and the conclusions
drawn by them were to the effect
| that the existing foundation should
not be subjected to any additional
load whatever. In 1873 an appropria-
ton was made to be expended by the
commission in giving greater stability
! TO the foundation. and the work was
begun in January Of 1879 and finished
in May of 1880. The weakness of the
old foundation lay in the fact that it
was too shallow, and covered an area
Of ground insufficient to sustain the
pressure Of the completed work. The
strengthening consisted in the enlarge
mcnt Of the foundation by spreading it
over greater area and sinking it to a
greater depth in the earth. A. com
pleted the new foundation covers two
and half times a. much area and ex-
tends thirteen and half feet deeper
than the old one. The prcssures on the
earth beneath the foundation are no.
where greater than the experiences Of
yesrs,ha,e shown this earth to he able
to sustain, while the strength OF the
masonry in the foundation itself is
largely in excess Of the strains brought
upon it. The stability of this base is
assured against all natural causes eX-
cept earthquakes or the washing ont of
the sand-bed beneath the foundation.
The first marble block was set in the
shaft on the 1th Of August, 1850. and
the last stone was placed, at level of
800 feet, on the 9th Of August, 1884.
thus consuming four seasons in finish
ing the shaft. The topmoSt stone Of
the pyramidlon was set on the 9th
of December. 1884, Thus essentially
completing the obcliSk. The masonry.
constructed by the Government, is the
best known 10 the engineering art. and the
weight is so distributed that, Subjectedto
wind-prcssurc Of 100 pounds per square
foot on any face corresponding TO
wind velocity of AS miles per hour,
the monument would have a large fac
tor of safety against overturning. The
| marble has fine grain. is close and
compact in texture, free from disln-
tegrating impurities. and in this climate
/ will endure for ages.
In conclusion, Colonel Casey said
" Although the dimensions of the loun-
dation-base were originally planned
without due regard to the tremendous
forces TO be brought into play in build
ing so large an ObeliSk, the resources
Of modern engineering science have sup
piled means for the completion of the
grandest monumental column ever
erected in any age of the world.
In It's proportions the ratios OF
dimensions of the several parts
of the anceint Egyptian obclisk have
been carefully followed. The entire
height has been made slightly greater
than ten times the breadth of the base.
producing an obelisk that for grace and
delicacy of outline is not cxcclled by
any OF the larger Egyptian monolith'.
while in dignity and grandeur it sur
passes any that can be mentioned.
=" MIR. President For and in behalf OF
the Joint Commission for the Compile
/ ton Of the Washington Monument, |
deliver to YOU this column
The remarks Of the various speakers
were inaudible. bot a puff of steam
from their mouths was evidence that
the proceedings were being carried on
according to programme, and at every
little intermiSsion the auditors stamped
aPproyingly.
ppIsJnLNT ApsrUI-R'S ADDRESS,