The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-29
THE STATUE AND ITS MAKER.

Dimensions of the Great Memorial The
Strength of the Huge Structure.
Bedloes island, on which it is situated, is one
of the most accessible as we'll as one of the most
pleasant breathing spots around New York The
solid granite walls of the old fort, which are in
good condition, balance well the height Of the
statue and contrast nicely with the beautiful
grass and shade trees with which the island is
covered. The famous statue is in the middle of
the island, and is, as is generally known, the
largest in the world, being 300 feet in height
above tdewater. 1t is a gift of the French peo-
pie to America. A party of French gentlemen
having made up their minds that it would be q
good thing to get up costly gift, to be paid for
by small subscriptions Of the masses engaged
Auguste Bartholdi, young and promising
sculptor, to carry out their idea and sent him to
America to confer with a committee here as to
what the most acceptable form of the good will
of France to America would be- On his arrival
he was struck with the beauty of New York's
harOor, and seeing Bedloe's island, conceived the
idea of locating it there. Richard M. Hunt has
the honor of designing the pedestal and General
Stone, the engineer-in-chief, had charge of the
construction of the pedestal and of putting the
statue in place after it had been brought over
from France in small pieces, to be riveted to-
gether into one beautiful mass.
Auguste Bartholdi. the most distinguished liv-
ing sculptor OF colossal statuary, was born at
Colmar in 1888 He started life as a painter. but
soon turned his attention to sculpture At the
age of nineteen he produced notable bas-relief
of Francesca da Rimini. which won him his
first laurels During the Franco German war he
fought as volunteer. In 1878 be produced the
'Lion Of Belfort," colossal monument to the
herolsm or oelesguered garrison, carved in
solid rock. More than ten years Barthod de-
voted himself to his gigantic work, making
many personal sacrifices in striving to accom-
plish his great life-purpose. He has, however
found his reward; his name will be immortal
That the grandeur of this memorial has not
been exaggerated may be judged from glance
at the actual dimensions of the figure. The
total height of the statue and PEDESTAL from low
water mark to the top of the torch, as has been
already stated, Is 305 feet eleven inches. The
forearm is sixteen and one-half feet in cir
conference The nail of the finger is
twelve inches in length The head is
fifteen feet in height, and forty persons can
be accommodated within it's interior. The nose
is three feet and seven inches in length. The
eye is two feet and one inch In width The
| total weight of the figure is nearly 500 600
pounds 1t is made up of 300 sheets Of copper
| one-eighth of an inch in thickness rivited upon
massive framework OF wroughtron. The
work is immense. The legendary Colossus of
Rhodes could not possibly have had the shape
or DigneSS attrlouted TO It. The colossal statue
OF Arminius in Bavaria, is about ninety-four
feet in height; that Of ST. Charles Borromeo on
the shores of Lake Maggiore, seventy five feet
The Virgin of Puy comes next, ffty-two feet,
and the statue of Bavaria last, scarcely more
| than foot shorter. All of them shrink out of
countenance beside the gigantic copper figure on
Bedloe's island.
The pedestal proper at its bass is sixty-two
feet square, aud begins at elevation above
tide-water OF sixty-fve feet. In the middle of
each face, just on level with the proposed ter
race. is doorway five feet wide and thirteen
feet high On each side of every door is a pro-
iecting disk of stone, on which the arms Of the
United States and of France will be cut in relief
Above the doors is broad band of stone run
ming around the pedestal, and broken into forty
smooth-faced medallions, ten on each side on
which the coats.of-arms Of the various States
will probably be placed. Still higher than the
medallions are four large panels. twenty-three
feet and six inches long and five feet and three
inches from top to bottom. These will also be
covered with appropriate inscriptions and de-
signs.
With the panels . decided break in the pedes-
tai proper occurs. The sides shrink in foot or
two. and the smooth stonework Of the FIRST sqIA
ton is succeeded by free rough edged arraz
ment, which relieves the eye Aad gives chan
for further smooth work higher un From ia
base Of the pedestal TO the top OF the BIG pQneM
| is seventy-t two feeE and eight inches Here b
four walls recede. except for ahalE-dozen feet 81
each Uesner and leave four balconies, each Eve
feet and eight iSehss ia width, set of with