The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-11-28

have hammered faces, so as to offer a
slight contrast to the rough face Of the
rest Of the structure.
It was expected that the crown (the
star and balD would have also been
placed in position Monday, but a delay
in its transportation from Boston post
poned this event day or so. The cap-
stone was drilled, three inches in diane
ter, to admit the rod AKA inches square
which supports the star and also, run
ming down (being ten feet long), serves
as a bot to bind firmly together the cap
stone to the top Of the shaft. This rod
weighs $50 pounds, and rises above the
cap-stone feet. Above this "gleams"
the ten pointed star, itself spreading feet
8 inches in diameter. This makes the
actual measurement of the monument.
from the bise of the foundation
to the tip of he star, 3l6 feet, 1016 in
ches. And from the bottom OF the cor.
ner-stone 307 feet, 1917 inches The star
and bali weigh 1875 pounds-the cap
stone weighs little less than two tons.
THE LOOK. OUT CHAMBERS.
While the shaft is in no sense an OBJ.
servatory, being characteristic Of the
men and the event IL commemorates,
/ Eukk u III It's BIduucuT VI tltupltCky1
just the kind of monument Bennington
people have always insisted upon build.
inP, vel there are two places inside from
which observations may be made when
completed. The first of these, not count
ing the openings ut the several landings
OF the air case. j. 1888 feet above the
entrance. This is what has been popu-
larly cal ell the Look cut room" 1t
has four windOws-one on each side
11xl4 feet, inches high, and divided by
dub row OF pain columns. four Of the
columns being flush with the outer sur
| face IT the shaft ard The others behind
them in the interior. These columns are
l6 inches apart and across the front row
on the inside ARE run three inch brass
rods foot apart. The back row Of col
umns is flush with The inside walls Of
the shalt and visit, rs can pass between
them and, advancing up to the bronze
railing look out upon the landscape
through The spaces between the front
columns.
In this room have been placed the his
toTical tablets OF Vermont granite, with
suitable inscriptions, the contribution of
the Grand Lodge. F. & A. M; the Grand
Lodge, l. o. o. F., the Department of
Vermont, G. A. R; the Vermont His
torical Society.
Further up. or at an altitude of $50
feet is another "look out" the windows
OF which are inches wide by 20 inches
high. The State tablets" are at the
bottom Of the structure, 10 feet above
the floor, and above these are places
where other appropriate inscriptions
may be engraved by the Association.
NOT A LIFE LOST.
Not life has been lost nor serious
accident occurred, during all the progress,
of this work, and the outer walls stand
tonight completed. This, considering
the nature of the work, is almost mirac-
ulous, and shows the most careful man.
agement.
The contract was let in the spring Of
1887, the ground was broken for the
foundation in June and the conversion
was laid with imposing ceremonies ana
a grand display on the anniversary of
the battle, the 10th af August following.
This contract provided that the work
should be finished in three years, and
the work has rapidly advanced, so that
in less than the specified time the pro-
visions will be fully complied with. The
contract cost is little over $76 900, in.
GLIDING a wooden staircase. This
wooden staircase will not be built, hut
It is now proposed to make it of iron,
and possibly build an elevator also. All
the material used in construction has
been lifted by steam power through a
large upright chute, by means of which
the roll of thirty" ascended. 1t vi
require several weeks to complete the
masonry Of the interior of the monu-
ment.
| THE MONUMENT PARK.
When completed this shaft will stan
in the midst of a beautiful park. In
1886 the Legislature of Vermont appru
priated SIC, 200 for a site and an area Of
five acres was purchased. The State
Commission, however, recommended a
plot OF "A acres, and this ia available for
purchase should the Association con-
clude to extend its borders, This land
is owned by the State of Vermont. but
by law the monument ia the property OF
the Bennington Battle Monument Asso.
citation.
The Rutland Herald describes this site
as follows: The monument stands on
historic ground. On or very near the
spot stoo the Continental Storehouse Of
the Revolution. In this storehUuse were
u.u lily kept large quantities OF corn,
flour, wheel carriages, arms and other
army supplies. In the vicinity a large
store of cattle '-as also KEEP, Benning
ton at that time received large suppl es
from the New England P. ov noes which,
passing by the upper part of the Con-
Decticut River, took the route TO Man.
chester, until they were at length de-
posted al Bennington, whence they were
conveyed as occasion required to the
regular army"
THE STATES AND NATIONAL APPRoPRIA
TIoNs.
The Bennington Battle Monument As
sociation, which has erected this struc-
ture through its building committee,
Hon. Il. G. Root, Maj. A. B. Valentine,
Hon. NJ. G. Huling, was incorporated by
the Legislature Of 1875, "for the purpose
of erecting and maintaining a suitable
monument commemorative OF the
achievements OF General John Stark and
the patriotic soldiers of Vermont, New
Hampshire and Massachusetts, at the de-
cisive battle of Bennington fought the
10Th day of August, 1777." The bill ap-
| loNCu bhC buul VI p1O WV lut
monument, conditional on the raising of
IS, 900 more by private subscriptions.
As a matter of fact $4,000 was soon
contributed, and this sum has since been
largely augmented by private enterprise
from all parts Of the country. By the
law Of 1880 $4,000 was set apart as the
Bennington Battle Monument Fund
placed at interest and the State Treas
urer made the custodian for the Asso-
citation.
In 1877 the Legislature Of Massachu-
sets appropriated 81 500, which lapsed
aud in 1886 the Legislature renewed this
appropriation, and increased it to $40.
900, To this was added 5000 by the
Association and the $15 600 was made
the Bennington Battle Monument Fund
of Massachusetts,.
10 1877, New Hampshire appropriated
$5, 900 towards the monument; and in
1881 Congress appropriated $40, 900 under
the law marking Revolutionary battle
fields, he General Government contribu.
ting as many dollars towards this object
as the Association had already raieed.
just how much the completed monu-
ment and park, all told, will cost de-
Ponds upon several contingencies; but
OF one thing we are safe in the predic-
tion the cost will come within the AS
sociation's resources whether the expect.
ed additional appropriation of Congress
becomes fact or not. The CONT ibu-
tions already made, both Of public and
private means, and the money already
expended assures the early completion
Of the memorial shaft. In the words OF
another "When Ibe last trace OF dis
order ehall have been faced, the last
last Il. Of staging demolished, the