New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-26
THE OBELISR or ON.
WHY IT Is CRUMBLING IN CENTRAL PARK.

THEORY THAT TIE NETWORK CLIMATE IA NOT
AT FAULT.
1t is well known that the mercury sinks shudderin
into the bulb In New-York thermometers when Jack
Frost ugly and means mischief For that reason
many puoho monuments have been made of gran tie
because that material will resist frosts 10 spite OF
tha well known fact and in spite Of the excellent
ddion OF numerous granite structures all over the
country upon which far less pains had been bestow
than upon public monuments which deserve and To-
oeve the best attention of the scaling of
the Ooelisk in Central Park at once buted to
the severity of the climate There are reasons to-
thinking that this explanation may be correct.
Granite cannot resist the action of heat well A
other stones and even these latter far inferior in
that respect to brick and Gotta The great fires
OF Chicago and Boston proved conclusiyely that
granite when submitted to intense heat dsntegrated
In other words, granite, being crystalline onglom-
crate OF telspar and hornblende under the action Of
fire separated itself into constituent particle. and
crumbed into tragmentary chips. That which makes
1t strong against frost-its crystalline composition
make 1t weak against fire. For the of the frost
giants, according to Scandinavian sagas, hew with
the line of cleavage. as every must have noticed
uDon the Catskis and other neighboring mountain
But crystalline rocks have line of cleavage,
and therefore the frost giants harm them not
When M. Caffa began his paraffne preserva-
tive process he found that the whole surface of the
Obeisk was disintegrated and he convinced the Park
Department that 1t would be necessary to remove all
these crumbing chips before applying the parafIne.
Leave was given him. and his went 10 work care
fully a3d delicatey with small chsels and did their
work thoroughly on the sides where the herogyphica
had been oblIterated, but not perfectly on the
other two sides where they remained In the
OF this scaling they removed chips of large SIZE
of hi -.
sion of the Park Department was handed over to the
Historical Society of NEWPORT Careful investigation
of this splinter showed sand the inside and this
may be accepted a sign that the disintegration ex
listed when the Obelisk in Egypt. Examination
also showed little pockets filed with black dust and
his was thought at the time to be due TO natural
anlts IN the syente consisting of minute crystals of
hornbende. The size of the splinter and the
manner of the disintegration, which the
entire surface of the four Sides facts ac-
counted for by the hypothesis that the disnte grafton
was due 10 weathering. At the that the Obehsk
placed in the Park by Commander Gorringe a fey
archaoioGsts IN + timid and hest
tutine manner TO the effect that the monument had
received such damage IN the sixth century before
Christ that it could not De placed upright m the open
.nr without injury. But when the proposition
made that II should be placed IN the Metropolitan Art
Museum II was immediately pointed ont thai 1t would
he necessary make special foundation it, the
hoorg OF the main hall. the only place where II eeud
be put, was unable 10 bear great weight. The |
Obesk prncely gift of of New Orks mill |
lOnsires and translation and location were in a
measure In private hands. that there bad no
opportunity TO- previous consultation arrangement
Had this not been the II is possible that an aper-
ture might have teen made IN the floor of the main |
hall. and the ObelsS might have been lowered u the
ground hoor, which can support any weight. Bat ~ |
the csse was. there was opportunity Tor making |
ARA gements and the Obelisk placed in ts pres
emit position with full knowledge the part OF all
concerned that II would crumbe.
ILis Obelisk Wac Que Of m,nY which adorned either
he chief temple the residence OF the igh priest ia
he ancient CITY of On. On the Egyptian WORT Tor
he and therefore the city called by Greeks
Of the PtOuIueau epoch HelOpB oils the Civ Of the
Sun. Cauibyses the Persian cOuQucrOr. gave No the
place to the rapne Of it hOrdes aud then burned
il utterly, so that Nhen II visited by Scion and
ilecattpus and aterward by Plato il more than
Lr shOst~0l itself. city of ruins.
When the ODclisk lay upon the sands Of Egypi
eighteen miles from caro-. al the evil had done
% II that could well be done No claims that the
'bnteiauon OF the mystic figures OF the sides
Fas caused by gthing the tires lighted by the
Oidiers of Cambyses. 1t Is not dheult 10 20 lttle
urther and To com prehend thai the heat which
Iisutcgraed the granite fnOnolth thOruGg Iy
)urn Out all vestlge- Ot tL-s- uecpy cot forms
clslutegTa ed the stoIr 10 certain below
he remaining surface. The spntcr- OF chips winch
.ame away the hands of Mr Caiai's wOrkmen a.
they sounded the stone with their chiseis were
u; proof of TIE intense heat 10 which the Que
lsk lad been subjected.