Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-09-29

are gone or deserted, and the red brick house
of the post commandant 10 now . place OF
lodging for the contractors assistants. The
walls of old Fort Wood are broken down or
grass covered, and the guns that used to
frown across the harbor toward South Brook
lyn, lie time worn and dismounted along the
grassy slope that leads down to the shaky,
decaying pier. There is nothing, practically,
now on the leland but the towering statue.
Even the sallyport of the ancient fort is only
a convenient entrance to the base of the ped
estal, and the stone walls, half hidden with
turf, sort of fanking cover.
The pedestal is what one sees for the most
part from the barge office, where the wheez
ing little steamboat that makes hourly trips
TO the island on SUNDAYS and fewer ones on
week DAYS. has its landing place. The huge
folds of the dress below the waist are only a
dark copperish mass against the brighter skv
toward the west, and above all is scaffolding
or framework, looking like the cranes and
derricks on the top of high buildings with
unfinished roofs. As the little steamer runs
slowly across the harbor, the shape of the
body and drapery grow more distinct; the
workmen pounding the copper sheath or riv-
citing the iron bars viii hold the thousand
and one pieces together come to view. The
fresh gray Of the pedestal shows sharply
against the dingv colors of the old fort walls
and sallyports. One can see the bare round
ed arm, crooked at the elbow, holding fast to
the tablet, turned slantwise to the light Of the
big torch Not until the visitor gets fairly
under the pedestal can he tell how broad and
tall the statue as whole is. The foundation
itself is fraction over SO feet high The
pedestal proper carries one 81 feet higher,
and from this massive base the gigantic god
dess lifts her torch Isl feet further. almost
into the upper air. The figure weighs 440,
900 pounds. the upper sheathing making
l76 900. and the cast iron framework, boiling
and bracing 264, 900. Just over the embank-
ment, at the foot Of the pedestal, lie the pieces
not vet hoisted and nailed into position. The
fingers are over three feet long, and a half
dozen boys almost could be hidden in the
mask. As seen on the ground Liherty's
features are smoothly cut, 'serene and high"
half Grecian. the manager will perhaps tell
you. and half French, The torch and sames
scarcely look realistic at short range, and one
would never guess that the streaked pieces of
bronze lying about were a goddess, much
less a French or Grec;an woman's hair The
crown is mere ring of copper, with huge
spikes at intervals of six iAches. Ii will come
last in setting up. circular balcony will
slip like bracelet over the goddess right
arm, and spiral stair will lead up to it from
the pedestal. one hundred or more feet
below.
Once inside the barred Enclosure, which
forbids all visitors entrance during working
hours. one an easily reach the base Of the
pedestal, now nearly so feet from the old
forts parade ground The space between
the forts walls and this little gallery will be
terraced in and a long row of steps will be
built down across the embankment to the
sea wall and the pier.
Inside the pedestal all is solid masonry
except a square shaft-for an elevator, pos
sibly- running straight up to the figures
base
The narrow wooden stairs wind painfully
up, though the journey is enllvened by broken
bolts or rivets that keep falling down the
open shaft. Another gallery of solid granite
opens out few feet from the top of the ped
estal, aud then few more pine board stairs
lead up into the interior of the copper frame
itself.
Where the goddess sandal should be is an
opening, verv broad and heh, on the last
scaffolding that runs around the figure. No
lookout could be more commanding. The
whole bay is spread about the tiny island be-
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