The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-07-22
THE TOWER OF ucroey.
Completion Of tho Monument at Ncwburt.
After Nearly Two Years labor.


After Nearly Two Years labor.
The Tower of Victory at Washingtons
headquarters In Newburp, work upon
which was recently completed, is the
outcome OF movement which was
originated in the ycors 1sSOs1, the
primary design boing to mnrl, by a fit
ting monument the spot where the Con-
tinental army disbanded, Us well as the
encampnent grounds at New Windsor
and those OF Fishkill This design,
however, was subsequently changed to
single monument ut Newburg which
should commemorate the whole.
Work was begun upon the structure,
says the New York Herald, early in tho
spring of 1880, and the tower itself was
completed in October of that year.
There wasn't enough money, however,
and things were Mt stantlStill from
that time till the appropriation of thirty
TWO thousand dollars wos mndc by the
national government Tho latter was
to pay for the four bronze gates and the
four bronze statues that n1lorn tho
inches on tho exterior OF the memorial.
The design represents q tower Of vic
tory. built of stone, of rectangular
form. Its dimensions on ground lines
arc thirty-sevcn Ivy thirty-two feet, and
its total height Is fifty-throe feet Four
large archwnys open into tho e&rialm,
one on each side
In the center of tho atrtu1Il upun n
polished pedestal of red grnnitc, which
stands upon four large crabs, stands
life-size statue of Gen WASHINGTON.
This is the work of William Rudolf
ODonovan, of Now York, and the
statue is said to have cost ten Thousand
dollars Mr.. ODonovan hos repre-
scnted Washington in tho act Of sheath
ing his sword
From the ground floor of the tower
two narrow spiral staircases lone for
ascent and one for dcsccnt) lead to
belvidere OF open outlook, capoblc of
holding about ono hundred persons.
The view from the bclvidcre embraces
broad expanse of river and mountain
scenery, with outlying vnlleyh North
and South Beacon, upon whose tower
ing tops the signal fires wore Lit during
the revolution, are directly in front,
while to the right Is seen the northern
gate to the Highlands, and West Point
in the distance. The belviderc is sur
mounted by an iron ond tile roof,
affording protection from sun and rain.
The roof Is supported by thirteen mas
sive columns, upon which the shields of
the thirteen original states Of the union
may eventually be placed The interior
walls are also provided with reoesses
for the reception OF hos reltefs and
medallions, which can DO sampled in
the future.
Resting in inches on tho cost and
west wells of the structure are four
bronze figures representing the four
arms Of the service In the continental
army In tho rcvolution-the dragon,
tho artillcryman, the rifenan and tho
line officer Of whom Is dressed in
the exact uniform of the time.
On the east side of the tower Is set a
bronze tablet. with Its figure of peace
in relief. The tablet bears this expla-
natory inscription:
This monument wns erectsi under tn,
authority OF the congress Of the Cnfbed States
nnd OF tho stote OF New YORK; In commernor.
ntion OF the disOondmout under proclamation
OF tho continental congress or October 10 l7S3
OF the armies by whose patriotic ond military
virtue our national independence and sorTer-
eiGnty was established.
Four large bronze gates guard tho
and lowered by portcullis- They ore
modelled entirely of bronze.
The keys of the Tower of Victory
have been handed over to MIR. John Fl.
Martin, superintendent ut Washing
toms headquarters, by Lieut. John
Biddlc, Of the Engineer corps stationed
ut West Point, who received them from
the contractor last week
1t is probable that the structure will
soon be formally accepted by the state
government There is no probability
that any celebration will mark the
completion of the memorial The fact
of the matter is that the trustees of
Washingtonis headquarters don't seem
to like the design or appearance of the
structure and never did, and this dis
like is quite largely shared by New
burg people generally