The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-07-01
THE BARTHOLDI STATUE
Its Arrival at New York in Q
French Vessel.
Formal Transfer of the Great Statue
to the United States,

The French transport vessel Isere, with the
Bartholdi statue on board, arrived safely in
the port of New York OH the 18th. When
tho vessel came to anchor at Sandy Hook
Captain de Saunne, her commander, sent
tho following telegram to General Stone, the
acting secretary of the Bartholdi Statue com.
mittee:
"Isere, carrying statue. waiting instruc-
tions to remove. Answer Immediately"
To this General Stone sent the following
reply:
"A thousand welcomes l will 20 to see
you Immediately
General Stone and Agent de Beban, of
the French line of steamers, at once started
for tn, Castle Garden dock, whcro n tug was
in readiness to take them to the 1sere. As they
| were about putting of President of the Board
of Aldermen Adoph Sanger, who was also
! president of the aldermanic reception coll-
mittec, came running up to the strinspiece
and jumped aboard This was nbout 10
| o'clock i'll the forenoon. When they reached
the Isere they found that they had been pre-
coded by the acting French consul and some
other French gentlemen. a steam launch
| from tho United States ship Omaha had
also come down from the naval station
at Gravesend, where the vessel was an
| chored, with an invitation to tho Isere to
como up to the anchorage. Commander de
| Saunne's response to the invitation was that
he should first receive the president of the
American committee. When General StOne ar-
rived lie seconded the suggestion Of the Oma-
has commander, and it was arranged that
the Isere should proceed to G:avesend late in
the afternoon.
The greeting between the visitors and those
who had gone to meet them was naturally a
cordial olle. Commander, de Snunno, took
from cabinet all elegantly engrossed pre-
sentation address signed by Bartholdi and by
Count Ferdinand de Lesseps chairman of the
French committe. and handed it to General
Stone, re1resenting the American committee
1t was in French on yellum. At one side was
all Illuminated white silk badge, with pic
ture of the statue upon it, and at the top the
words "La France rAnerique" This was
known as the document of transIer. ltread:-
GENTLEMRN:-The colossal statue of Lib
erty Enlighting tho World" is this morning
embarked on the national ship lsere, and will
soon arrive in its new fatherland. The
French government has kindly joined in the
work of the Franco-American union, taking
upon itsclf its transportation.
The official flag of the French republic
thus comes to complete the popular action
and the great manifestation OF friendship for
the countrymen of Lafayette. The official
transfer OF the statue having been made TO his
excellcncy Mr.. Morton, minister plenipoten-
tiary of the United States at Paris, we have
the honor Of recalling to you nov the terms
of this solemn act which, carrying the official
signatures, has been confided to the hands OF
{,ti of in of
United States in the year 1881, on the 4th of
July, on the anniversary Of the American
day of independence in the presence OF
NJ. Jules Ferry, president OF tho
council of ministers and minister Of
foreign affairs, Count Ferdinand do LeSseps
in The name of the Franco-Amarican com.
mttee and the national manifestation Of
which that committee has been the organ
that prescl.tM the colossal statue OF Liberty
Enlis shtcning the World, the work of tho
sculptor Bartholdi, to Mr.. Morton, minister
plenipotentiary of the United States, request
ing him to be the interpreter OF the national
sentiment Of which tins work is the express
sion.
Mr. Morton, in the name of his countrymen,
thanks the Franco American union for this
testimonial of the sympathy Of the French
people, He declares that in virtue of the
powers which have been conlided TO him by
the President OF the intel States, the Amer
ican committee represented by its PRESIDENT
Mr. William NJ. Evnrts, lie accepts the statue,
and that it will he erected in conformity with
the joint resolution Of Congress Of February
90 1877, in the port of New FORK, as beacon
of the ancient friendship existing between the
two nations.
(Signed)
In tho name OF France:
" " JULES FERRY.
BRISSON.
President of the Chamber of Deputies.
" ' ~ MORTON.
In the name Of the Franco American Union
FERDINAND DE LEsSEPS
+. DE LA FATFTTE.
Shortly before seven o'clock i'll the evening
tho 1sere came to anchor off Gravesend,
alongside the Omaha. Commander do Saunne
at once had his gig lowered and paid visit
to the American commander. A number OF
stoam yachts circle,l about the new arri.
val until sundown, each ono as they
passed firing salute of one gun.
Tho crew of the 1serc numbers Is all told.
She is transport vessel, carrying no guns,
about 50 feet beam and 2l5 feet long, Her
last journey before coming to America was in
conveying French troops to Tonquin She is
of G5) tons burden.
The colossal statue weighs 900 tons, and
was packed awnv below decks III PIP boxes
,hnc Of them twenty Ie"t long. 1t took
seventeen days to stow then away SO n; To
prevent shifting when the vessel rolled and
tns:ei in the Tremendous hillow$ The work
was well done, fer Lieutenant Amet, of the
ISert, said that not box novel from its
lla q, though in the early plrt Of the
vuyagc there was ample provo"atlon
Til. hold of the vessel was curious sight
Huge crates, each containing many tons Of
metal, were packed away Us neatly and with
as much economy of space MS SO many bricks
on Hudson river scow. The diadem was III
al arched frame large enough for horse
and wagon to drive under. Other pieces,
hardly recognizable from the careful
manner in which they were packed,
wero pressed close beneath it
until it looked rs though tho iron sides OF the
vessel would bulge out under the enormous
weight. The eyes and noc filled one crate,
the forehead another. an ear and part of the
crown another until every foot of space
seemed to lie utilized. a sheet iron curl
looked largo enough for the smokcstack of a
small steam launch. A sailor said that it
was eight feet long