The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-20
THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT.
IT Swings Around In = Circle. and II Siswiy
Growing Taller.

GROWING AAhors
WASHINGTON, July 18.--Thsrs II much
speculation In Washington just now over
tho statement that tho Washington monu-
msnt, 555 feet high and fifty feet square .
the base. 10 psrceptibly iuclintng from the
perpendicular. Custodian Hawkins. In
charge of ths shaft, to-day made m inter-
ssting explanation Of the affair. He said:
"'Ths monument 10 ineiining, for fact,
but IL has done that ever since II wsa hrst
built. and the direction is just now TO the
southwest. Come here and can show 20 q
Just how il behaves"
Mr.. Hawkins took from his desk some
rolls Of drawing paper. Each sheet had on
II circle Of about ten inches diameter and
divided by CROSS lines into quadrants.
Down in the southwest quadrant there was
succession of pencil lines like twin cob
web. intsrspersed with small red figures.
"IhRt," said no, lis chart OF the move
msnt OF tho monument for this month. The
figures are the dates and the lines show the
direction. Inside the shaft there are two
plumb lines. One In the north gives the
inclination Of the monument 70 the
east or west, and one in the west
or south. The lines are heavy wires.
both enclosed in metal castings to keep them
from being disturbed by any outside infu-
enos. Ths Weights arc large pieces OF lead,
immersed in thin oil to keep them steady
| against any minor vibrations. The move
msnt Of the shaft is really 80 minute ss TO
| bs unpereeivablo by the naked eye, and
there are two telescopes, with slow moving
screws. that can be brought to bear on each
plumb line, 10 that tho variations of tho
line along ths scale behind it can be read to
tho one -thousandth Of an inch.
"This circle in which the chart of the
shafts daily movement 10 plotted is equal
| A. tar ~ - ho nj h in 4
scale, being enlarged in this way to make
the movement visible. The shaft has a
slow and tolerably regular yearly move
| ment, which seldom exceeds one-hundredth
of an inch. II travels round in circle.
and now you see it 10 down in the south
| which il the one yOu see potted here tor the
past two weeks, and in the daily movement
too. of the shaft there is also somewhat
circular movement. swinging around from
day to day between one one-thoussndth and
one ne-hundredth Of an inch each way.
strong. steady wind has some minute effect
upon the inclination of the shaft, but the
principal movement comes from the effect
| of the suns heat upon the stone.
| '"Thero are level readings taken from
time to time to determine whether or moi
the foundation of the monument has sunk
At the corner of the monument, near tn.
ground, there is an iron slate with = holt
| In u pIoJectlnQ IEOm tno wall. " II
to hold the level rod steady while rest
ing on the iron plate set in the pavemen
beneath. Out on the northeast side of tn,
terrace there is bench mark, over whiol
the instrument 10 set whom the rsading il
taken. Strange to say, the last reading
show that the foundation has raised in
stead of lowering. The movement is meas
ured in thousandths OF an inch, and j
wholly impcrceptible to anything but
leveling telescope but it is reassuring TO
the patriotic mind to know that the monu
ment is growing, and if it stands lon
enough future generations may have reasol
to feel quite proud of its progressive spirit.