The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-03

The unveilinS OF Bartholdl'S great statue
of Liberty Eulghtenng the World" at
Bedloe's Island in New York harbor. October
%, makes tho following description OF the
magnificent gift of tho French people to the
American people both timely and interesting:
This new wonder OF the world. now paced
in position on its pedestal, on Bedlocs Island
the site selected in New York harbor by
General William T. Sherman, as authorized
under the act of Congress, February, 1877,
deserves more than q Passing comment, oe.
ing the largest statue Of the ancient or mod
ern world. Some idea of its magnitude
may be obtained from the following facts:
Looming up G0j foot above tide-water, the
height of the stature is Isl feet, 2 inches,
that of the pedestal 9l feet, and the founda-
ton 81 feet, 10 inches.
Tho Statue is constructed Of copper sheets
SIG of an inch thick. The fore6nger meas
ures feet in length and 5 feet in circunl-
, ference at the second joint. The nail meas
ures IA inches in length by 10 i'll breadth.
Tho head is II feet high. The eye is 70
inches in width The nose is feet inches
long The total weight Of this stupendous
figure is 440,UOJ pounds, Of which l76,t %
pounds are copper, the remainder being
wrought iron.
About forty persons can find standing
room within the head Asix-foot man stand
ing on the level Of The lip; only reaches the
eyebrow. Fifteen peop.e might sit around
the fame Of the torch, which elevation is
reached by spiral staircase within the out
stretched arm.
Tho manner of properly lighting the
Statue BY means Of electricity has been care.
fully studied during the past three years, and
country have been consulted. The system
adopted embraces q powerful electric light
from the torch, tho illumination of the
Statue itself, and small clusters OF lights IN
the diadem TIE means for procuring the
necessary plant was voted by Congress.
While discussing our goddess, let us turn
for q moment to heathen mythology, three
centuries before the birth Of Christ. The
elder Pliny informs rs, that at the entrance
stood the most celebrated statue Of antiquity,
"The Colossus of Rhodes statue Of Hclios,
the Sun-God, made Of brass, and l05 feet
high, costing the sum of 3OG talents, or about
$S75, ,OU6. After being erected it stood only
26 years, being thrown down by an EARTH
quake ga years before Christ, to remain on
the spot where it fell 700 years, being finally
sold to q specuiator for old brass.
After the Grecian epoch we pass on to
Art, vet nothing that compares III maSnl-
tude with the Bartholdi COLOSSUS OF Lib
erty."
This Colossus OF the Colossi CT ancient or
modern art represents an outlay of more
than million OF francs ($200, ,Q0U), tho indi-
vidual subscriptions of the artizans of France,
and stands in its imposing majesty higher
than the enormous towers of the great
Brooklyn Bridge, or the steeple Of Trinity
Church-the loftiest church steeple in The
City of New York. The total cost OF static,
pedestal and foundation is nearly one million
dollars.
A word here is apropos as to its artistic
merit. The pose, stride and gesture, with it,
classic face, are pronounced by art critics as
perfect; the drapery is both massive and
fine, and in some parts is delicate aud silky
in effect. as if wrought with fine chiS.l on
the smallest scale.
The conception and execution OF this great
work of art are due to the efforts of the emf
nent French sculptor Bartholdi, who has de:
voted eight years OF his life and part OF
his private fortune to tn, completion OF q
task so nobly and generously supported by
the French people