St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-05-05
51fisrelIaffu.
THE GRANT MONUMENT.

monument which took place on April
27, are not without interest to the
people of the entire country, who feel
a lust pride in the fame of the great
commander, but they are of especial
significance to the residents of New
York city and vicinity, who have be-
come impatient of the long delay IN
providing a suitable memorial to
take the place of the temporary
tomb in Riverside Park. The design
for the monument has been approved
bv a committee of distinguished
architects, the foundations are fin
ished a first course of granite ten
feet in height has been put under
construction, and the date selected
for the laying of the cornerstone was
the SEVENTEEN anniversary of Gen
eral Grants birthday. This cere-
mony was performed by the presi-
dent of the United States, there being
present upon the occasion citizens of
distinction in all the walks of life.
and the exercises being conducted
with a state and solemnity designed
to fifty mark great historic Eevent.
Although General Grant died in
1885, the movement for the erection
of suitable monument in his memo
ry has met with so many obstacles
that it is only within a few weeks
past that the work of collecting the
necessary funds has been pushed with
a vigOr to give promise of success.
The committee first having the mat
ter in charge were not united as to
the amount which should be raised
for the object, and it was a long
time before a generally acceptable
design was presented. Subscriptions
amounting to about 1856, 900 were
obtained, and then the work Jagged,
and for nearly seven years there has
been almost nothing done Recent
w, however, the Grant Monument
Association, charged with the work
of construction, has been reOrgan-
lied and enlarged by legislat
enactment, and broad and careful
~ considered plan has been put in
operation to interest every business,
trade, and profession in the city in
the obtaining of subscriptions for the
prompt completion of the monument.
Of this association, General Horace
Porter is president, Frederick D.
Tappen treasurer, and James c. Reed
y,
direction of President Porter, COM
mittees of public-spirited citizens,
representing all interests, are now
actively engaged in the work, there
being no salaried officials. The esti-
mate | additional amount required
for lne construction ofthe monument
is about $35O,OOO.
The design is the work of Mr. John
H. Duncan, of New York city, who
was also the designer of the Soldiers
and Sailors Memorial Arch, now
nearly completed, at the entrance of
Prospect Park, Brooklyn. The low
er portion of the structure is 100 feet
square, its four sides facing the
points of the compass, and the main
entrance being on the south side.
The monument is placed on slight
angle to the Riverside Drive, so that
it will squarely face the point to the
south on the approach where it first
presents itself to the observer. 1t
forms the terminus to the vista on
123d street, looking toward the
west. The height from the base line
will be 16O feet, or nearly 800 feet
from the water level of the Hudson
river.
In front Of the main entrance will
be a colossal equestrian statue of
General Grant, and over the entrance
extends a portico, into which are
worked the coats of arms of the diff
ferent states. Further up is another
cornice, into which are worked de-
signs of weapons and battle flags.
The pyramid at the top ascends by
steps or terraces, and below it is a
row of windows through which visi-
tors may look from the inside, an
outer gallery here being 40 feet
above the ground line. The extreme
top may be reached by steps above
this gallery.
Within, the whole space is open,
making a large hall, and in a crypt
below the center of the floor the
black granite sarcophagus will rest.
This is according to recent decision
of the executive committee, for it
was the original design to use this
central hall as a memorial hall, in
which also might be held assem-
blages of Grand Army men, the tomb
itself then being crypt at one end
of the main hall. At one side is a
staircase leading to a gallery 1872
feet above the floor, from which fine
views may be had over wide region.
Over four of the six Doric columns
forming the entrance will be eques-
trian statutes of four generals who
commanded under Grant, and the
monument is to be surmounted by
an appropriate statue or group.
Panels on the east and west of the
cfr h0S
others important in command in as
ISOLATION with General Grant.
A more noble and beautiful site
probably could not be selected in the
whole country, as there certainly is
not to be found location where the
monument would be more conspic-