The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-06-24
ABOUT THE MONUMENT.
WcrEzen Above the Clouds Repairing Dam
ages to the Washington 0eelisk.
I7ssr Proceedings Eagerly Scanned by Hun.
sysds of Gazers- Changes OF the Poto-
in the Vicinity of the Capt.
tai Personals.
prrciel tn l.e s,.nlincl

save the Hso5lpraciit il did to save the
Union. The s4eonolitiie stone the north
side in the course directly Uader the cap
stone bad b,-cn sheltered by a toying thun-
ser-bolt. Tire crack i about half an inch
wide and extends completely through this
particular block Of marble. IL will have to
be repaired and tl,at will be done by deli
cately applying = powerful force and driving
the PsT-s tosethor A well padded mlul
may perhaps accomplish the task Then
some method of rivcting will be employed to
hold the masonry i'm position. workman
teid me that coHple of bronze expansive
bolts would perhaps be- all that is needed
0f course i don't know a bronze expan-
sive bolt from q holt in convention, but il
must be some character of durable iron
IrOnsery.
This labor hccomc, interesting when We
remember that the workmen are 5i5 feet
shove the surface of the earth, shining
around In another atmosphere on ropes; bus
81 is gratifying to know that still other ropes
.ashed about theiri bodies. prevent the posi-
;bility.Of fall Crowds gather ON the street
to look at them: they look like eagles on a
limb, and strong gla>>,> regarding them
from every part of the city. The operation
has the interest of q trdpeze performance
above the clouds and il draws like Buffalo
sBill,s New Combination and Greatest on
Earth
One OF the best views al the Obeisk i from
stbe south window nj Fifth Auditor Alex
aBder's window in the Treasury building
The view takes IN vast area Of the Potomac
fats. reclaimed from wastes of stagnant
'Uate- by dredging the river. When
aieneral Washington approved this site
for a National Capital. the Potomac was
"a glorious streanL sparkling within
n confinement Of green banks, u il
danced TO the Bat the making of fields
In the upper country AMI the dcfOresting OF
the mountain sides. not perhaps foreseen by
the father of his country. wrought change
Swollen by foods the river has burst its
natural confines and Inundated PennSylva-
MIA avenue. Mr. VOORHEES, told me that he
had several times seen that magnificent thor
,Oughfare covered with boats. Then il re-
-ceded 10 ponds further south. where tadpOleS
disported and malaria bred during the sum
mer time, conducting L. a congress of all
ments, such a. sunStrokc and fatigue. Mud
from the bottom of the river now has filled
and i filling these depression>, and soon
the trees just planted shall have time 20
make a showing, this place. but q little while
ago 20 unsightly-a niirc upon which no foot
ever vsntured=will be the most beautiful
park. ina city that, for beautiful parks l.
surpassed by no other capital on the globe
The last four years have witnessed won
ssieftul sGhange>, was the language of Mr.
Alexander lately Tine anxiety growing
.Out of President Garfclds assassination and
the Inauguration of President Arthur was
awful Compared To H. the change of ad
mlnl>tratlOn consequent upon the election o
President.C Cleveland wis sunshine and glad
tn
office The doubt ami uncertainty aS 10 the
probable course Of Mr. Arthur was high
above every personal consideration. I'm re-
gard To nty@elf. did not know what the dis
position .Oi the new administration would
be, nor did | know what NV sef-respact
would allow me to IL" j hope never 10 be
called uPnn:t9 witness y, caamitous period
again. And then ! have witnessed the
growth. of the Washington Monument from
an incOmpleted shaft os sixty feet, where it
remained while the war was on Svmbolical
-sf the distracted condition of the county To
the capstOne. Nou can see where the new
work began IiIGe and. the elements tinged
abe base with bronze. For years perhaps,
that which v-:ts.tlOne during Pierce admins
tration may toe distinguished with the naked
eye from that which was done during
Arthur In AL this there is something
highly gratifying. We will not be gravely
assured ~OOn again that one of the parties
-eaD not manage tlIs Government and that
change OF authority would disturb public
affairs
But how did these men, who look like
mites against the side of the pyramid and the
blue .! the sky. get there They were carried
within sixty feet al their present altitude by
the elevator. They carried along huge coils
Of rope. large and small. woven with extra
ordinary care and pEe.pcry tested. narrow
plank and some tos,l-
"Now We are rcl,ly said Superintendent
Mclaughlin ~ he stegqH7l into the elevator,
accompanied by acarpentcr and two riggers.
whose nerves had often been tried in the
work on the great .DbeliSk. In ten minutes
the elevator reachedtbe base Of the pyramidal
roof and stopped. Fr"ss this point interior
ladders rsn zap di~taDcc of fifty feet, and
reached tiie bd>c Oi HE window directly un-
der the cal,-stone ;tnd looking south.
climbing mp with tl4.ir accOutrements.
and .sfayiug them~elN.- - best they could
by .ciiuging Ia the -fane arches and
.s.r0ss7liece~ of rhe iIae-fl~r construction. Nc
1-au,shiin and hs men rsn the plank out of
tile window until ai~a1 TAO feet OF il pro-
jected over the le,iss. The other end was
securely Ia~lcsl by q lis--e al the stout rope
- beam below. AroEfssl flse waist of james
Hogan, one 0f the rigger- one end OF rope
svs.- Ias-esl .and made -<sx1re- Ii was drawn
80 - - allow barely lcB.tb for freedom of
movement. and the UUltT end was tightly
1:ssisiled within the rOs,f ia Hogans hand
a. then 1,lacea about Gffs-ess feet of the
sLJsk Which was only Twelve inches wide
j. a.tsefiosl~ly crswied To- it, projecting end
asEi slowly Strss gbt"Iing himself stood
sss<-f tIlpon the Slender footing which over
hHxg Il height 0i ,Is feet. For several seconds
B<zSin stoOd rigidly. ~ il waiting for sud
tf5l f1ddIn.e~s 4, pas away, and then holding
the iEO efldls of the rs4je he threw the loop
over tie tops@f the cal,-stOne. and permitting
jt to drop until IL reacked the base of the
window iied il firmly around the pyramid
By the saale pracess and iB the same manner
a single strand 81 the rope was tied around
the monument ~ tire top Of the window.
Hogan next stepped upon the rope four
inches in circumference and. holding to the
upper rope with bi- hands. crepf around TO
the western side Of the monument. Assistant
Bfger Charles smith then passed out upon
The narrow ropeway and Mr.. Mclaughlin fol-
lowed. making his way at once 10 the north
frn side OF the pyramid. where the telescope
Lad ioeafcd the stone injured by the lightning.
Bob Yefe protected "a the same ulsBDer -