The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-12-09
A PATRIOTIC SHRINE.
wASHINGTON'S BlRrHPLAOE TO
HAVE A MONUMENT.

Two Ideas are Under Consideration
One Is Building OF Granite, the
Other u Huge Boulder.
There is TO be another shrine on the
historic Potomac. The birthplace of
Washington. at Wakefield, Westmore-
land County, Va, is finally TO be marked
by an appropriate monument. Wake
field is seventy.five miles down the river
from this city, says a Washington letter
TO the New York Times. All that re-
mains of the house in which Washington
was born 10 ruined hearthstone and
chimney. Old maps of Virginia call at
tention to the site by the inscription !:
1.-The Birthplace of Washington"
The idea of erecting q memorial on
this historic spot was advanced many
years ago, but for long time the Con-
gress displayed the utmost indifference
10 it, Finally, in June, 1879, an ap-
preparation OF $4,000 was provided for
the erection of a suitable monument,
TO see that the money was properly ex-
pended.
Ii appears that nothing was done TO
carry out the wishes of the Congress un-
ill the following year, when Mr.. Evarts,
then Secretary of the State, made visit
to Wakefield
Mr.. Evarts submitted five drawings of
the proposed commemorative structure.
These plans contemplated a building Of
granite with tiled roof and bronze
tablet bearing an inscription, bronze
doors, and windows so arranged with
bronze screens that the interior of the
building might be plainly seen from the
outside.
The neglected burial place of the i'm
mediate ancestry OF Washington, close
to the homestead, suggested to Mr..
Evsrts the protection OF their remains
from further exposure and dishonor He
provided in the plans for securing in the
outer walls Of the structure the ancient
tablets and headstones to be taken from
the neighboring burial ground.
Nothing more was heard of the matter
until February, 1891, when Congress
appropriated $50, 600 for the purpose Of
marking the birthplace. The act pro-
vided that this sum was to purchase the
old homestead and TO erect a suitable
monument theron. Under this stimulus
the State Department brought about the
transfer OF the property to the Govern
ment, and also obtained the right of way
for road to suitable landing place on
the river.
General Casey of the Engineers, who
had not then attained his present position
as the head Of the Engineer Corps, main.
tanned that, in the interest of the public
generally, landing place on the river
was an absolute necessity. Without
such landing place the materials for the
monument would have TO be hauled over
very iuferior road for at least six miles,
and the cost Of this long haul would, Of
course, be included in the cost Of con-
struction.
Surveys were made and estimates fur
nished, but nothing was done toward
constructing the memorial In April,
1884, General Casey submitted plan for
wharf, to be constructed of cast iron
screw piles, with timber deck. The
plan provided that the dock should be
1850 feet long by l6 feet wide, the head
to be 40 by GO feet. This great length
was made necessary by the shallow con
dition of the river opposite Wakefield.
Nine weeks Of inactivity followed upon
the preparation of this plan. At it's last
session Congress approved the plan and
authorized the expenditure of $l1. 1876
for the construction of the wharf, out Of
the original appropriation of 100000.
The unexpended balance Of that appro-
priation is ga, Tie, so, by deducting the
amount specifically allotted to the wharf,
there remains $l557 for the monument
proper.
Colonel John NJ Wilson, United States
Army, the present Superintendent of
Public Buildings and Grounds, 10 now in
charge of the undertaking, and proposes
to push it to completion. The contract
for the construction of the wharf has
been awarded TO |. II. Hathaway & Co..
Of Philadelphia. The contract price is
$3.50. Work on the wharf must begin
May next, and be completed by August
/.
Nothing will be done toward the con
struction of the monument until the
wharf is completed In the meantime
the plan of the proposed memorial will
be decided upon.
So far as can be learned, the ideas AL
vanced by Mr.. Evarts thirteen years ago
do not meet with general approval
Colonel Wilson is Of the opinion that
the proposed building would hardly be
appropriate. To his mind a more rug
ged memorial befitting the character Of
Washington, would be more appropriate.
He said to the writer that If the matter
were left to his judgment, he would lay
in the space occupied by the ruins of the
house solid foundation Of cement, and
on this place a monster piece Of granite,
to be transported from some quarry. On
this stone he weuld place the proper in
scriptions.
"Such a memorial, said Colonel vii
son, "would last for ages and would
never require any care. It would be a
common sense memorial, and | have no
doubt Of its acceptab;lity to the masses
OF the people"
II remains 10 be seen whether Colonel
Wilson's ideas will agree with those OF