Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-20
PRAISED BY PARIS.
THE FRENCH CAPITAL DELloh eo
WITH MeRclE,S STATUE OF Lee
The Defects In the Columns VIII N"'
Cause a Delay in tho Unveii-
ing Ceremonies.

! Mr. G. P. T. Burgwyn, the engineer u''-
der whose direction the Lee monumeh'
was built. and who is now in Paris as ,no
agent Of The Monument Board, yesteruaS
cablsd the Dispoch, as follows;
P,RIs. March 19-l:14 j. W.
! While General Ices statue was on eN-
! hibition it was viewed by THOUSANDS ~ ui
people. Europeans and Americans AuI .ne
| general Judgment is that there ls hO'uiHs
IN Paris superior toit. n,o mn
MerciG hiss given TO Leo the ma
/ iestic bearing natural TO ouI LA
commander has placed MN IN III nln n
saddle gracefully. ana ueplc1rII Ia Ia
| expression as nearly liie-like as couiu nc
expected in a work OF this character. ne
position Of the horse well acc0rds WIN ln5
/ otliet dignity IF the r1deT. while hlst9flca
I accuracy has pcen given all the det"I1' III
/ Gliding uniform Of the Generai anu One
/ trappings Of the horse. 1-oo
am now busy packing the group morse
| and RIDER. and several pieces are alIeauy
/ bOXed for shipment. bVhV"i''
WHEN IT WILL BrAcH HERE.
4 reporter yesterday evening caIieu III
| the residence Of Colonel Archer Anderson,
! one of the members of the Lee Monument
/ Hoard. and made INQUIRIES about the pro-
/ lable date when the statue Will be shlPpeu
/ 10 Richmond.
/ Colonel Anderson stated that the board
were not vet able 10 say exactly when the
monument will arrive in this country.
/ When Mr.. Burgwyn cables them as TO Wnat
steamer il will be sent by then they can
| tell very nearly when It will reach heIe'
ExEMFT FROM DUTY.
The statue will be exempt from custom
| duty. a. it is property Of the State OIL vi
! cinia. Under these provisions no expense
] -. rafln
! shipments when ordered 10y the States OF
! thG Union are allowed 10 enter the ports
| free. The Colonel sad several members OF
| the board have seen the monumental faiIs'
and viewed from an artistic point OF view,
/ il is pronounced faultless.
MR.. gURGwYNs MISSION.
! Mr.. Burgvvn was sent TO Paris TO inspect
! the statue from an engineering point oi
| yiew-that is 10 say. he went 20 investigate
| the inertia OF the casting and lts capacity
! to stand the climatic conditions OF TINS
/ country. lie really had very little II any
| thing to do with tho artistic merits or tne
! group, as these points had been previously
! examined in detail by persons fully able TO
pass judgment upon them
TIE CASTING.
Colonel Anderson said the group was
| cast in several divisions the rider IN one
casting and the head. body, and limbs OF
! the horse each in separate pieces. these
will al be 80 put together that no marks OF
! the combination can be detected. Inc
! color of tho bronze when first cast will be
very bright. something like small one.
cent piece when new, but IN the course OF
a wear or so il will become darkened by
! the action of the elements and be Ike the
| Washington statue in the Capitol Square.
| Works Of bronze are said TO be lmperish-
| able as far as the action of time affects
| them. Excavations from ancient cities OF
! Italy show the statuary cast In bronze 10
! DO in perfect condition.
WILL. THE PEOPLE RESPOND?
Colonel Anderson was asked about the
| probability of the citizens of RlchmOnd
! drawing the statue from the depot or
wharf to the pedestal. He said he had not
| the slightest doubt that every passer-
| bv would lend a hand with the
! trv of the steed and its famous
rider would exceed the triumph with
which the Wooden Horse of the Greclans
wasled into Troy. And besides, said ne.
"this horse will be the source Of no DIS
sster to US as was that awkward animal to
! the Troians.'
The reporter suggested that public en-
| tbusiaem would be somewhat quenched 10y
| DRAGGING the disjecd meD,hG III different
|
| be ioined together until they reach the
| pedestaD. but Colonel Anderson was OF the
| opinion that the sentiment OF the thing
! would lend them all the needed help, and
that willing hands would be abundant
THE COST.
| Colonel Anderson remarked that there
was one important thing IN connection
! with the Lee monument which had excited
| but little comment and that was tne
cheapuess with which the whole thing had
! been executed. - ~
In the fret place." he said, Mr..
Netherwood's contract was between so 900
| and $4,000 lower than any one else's offer
| TO do the work, and with the exception OF
| the defective columns (Which can be sub
sututed at comparatively little eXpense)
every one pronOunces the work to be
! gem of architecture"
THE statue" continued he, which we
! took especial pans 20 nave executed Dy'
! so far a. we knew the finest living sculp-
tor. will only cost about Sl7, 600 which, Tor
a work of such magnitude and 10y such q
| celebrated artist, is n mere trliie."
I'm the selection Of the group by Mer-
Gle" concluded Colonel Anderson, we
! held in mind the dignity and modcsty OF
General Lee. and for that reason we re-
commended horse in natural and easy
posture-not a rampant animal IN tn
Washington group"
NO CHANGE or DATE.
Yesterday Governor Mckinney received
a letter from General Early, IN which he
saws there is an impression abroad IN the
South that on account of the defect IN two
| of the columns on the Lee monument pedes-
tai the unveiling will not take place on the
date fixed upon.
The Governor authorizes the statement
that the statue will be unveiled on May
2ath. and the defective columns will in no
way interfere with the programme.
Ex-Governor Lee, who was present when
Governor Mckinney authorized this state
nent. remarked: 1.-The column adds no
! strength to the monument and can be
fixed afterwards. i will not IN the least
interfere with the. unyeillng ceremonies"
BALTIMoBEANs COMING.
At the meeting in Baltimore Tuesday
nicht of the Society of the Confederate
Army aud Navy it was announced that the
organization would charter train to come
10 the unveilng Of the Lee monument, and
! that che United States Marine Band would
board the tram at Washington. The Com
mittee OF Arrangements consistso OF Captain
| +. NJ. Colston, Major W. ). SyminGt0n, D..
! Mex. White. James Il. Wheeler, William
Polk. Colonel j. Lyle Clarke, August
| William Peters.