Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-28
ART AT THE CAPITOL.
The Proposed Colossal Statue to Christie
pher Columbus.
Progress Made I'm Supplying the Busts
of Twenty-Three Vice Presidents
More Niches Needed.

+ Some Of the people who daily pass the
Peace monument, which stands at the west
ern entrance to the Capitol grounds. says
the New York Times, are curious to know
when 1t Will be removed TO furnish a site
for a more pretentious work of art These
people have in mind the effort which was
made a year or two ago to have a statue
OF Columbus placed there. This movement
contemplated the removal of the Peace
monument to a point in the northwestern
portion OF the city. A bill was introduced
In Congress calling for the erection of a
Colossal statue of Columbus and appropriat-
ing $1,000 Tor the purpose. The Senate
passed 1t. but the House committee on the
library 'pigeon-holed' 1T, and no subse-
Quent effort has been made to revive it.
Word now comes that. Notwithstanding
this apparent Indifference of Congress- Mr.
e. Turini. an Italian sculptor, has leased
premises at Garetson's, s. l., and is engaged
In modelling statue of Columbus; that the
arusts design has been accepted by the
committee, and that Turini is proceeding
with his work I'm the expectation that the
House OF Representatives will agree to the
appropriation"
Mr.. Edward Clark. the architect of the
Capitol. said that dr Turini. il engaged in
producing a model. was undoubtedly pro-
ceeding on faith alone. There Is no appro-
priation available. Mr.. Clark added, and
action by both branches of Congress will be
necessary before we can begin nego .iations
with any artist concerning the proposed
statue The prospect is that some time
will elapse before the Peace monument
ceases 10 tell Its story to Capitol visitors
He is Doing His Bess.
ON Architect Clark rests mainly the re-
sponsibuity Of furnishing to the Capitol
the works of art provided for by the Con-
gress- The task is naturally full of Diff
culties. No two visitors 30 the great
structure on Capitol Hill agree as to the
merits Of the pictures and sculptures dis
played there. Its q horrid daub" says
one whose attention has been attracted TO
particular work by another whose admit
ration has been excited by it And 50 II
goes Mr.. Clark. like the pianist in the
wild and wOoily mining Town, is doing his
best. and viii be gratihed If the public will
please not shoot
Just now he is giving considerable
thought to the task OF providing marble
busts of men who have been Vice Presi-
dents of the United States. To be perpet-
uated In marble is one of the few cOpnpen-
sations Of the Vice President. Once he
takes the oath of Office he becomes eligible
TO niche In the Senate chamber, In which
his counterfeit presentment may rest for a
more or less indefinite period In 1888 the
Senate adopted resolution to the effect
Vice Presidents of the United States should
be placed in the vacant inches in the Senate
Chamber from time to time.
Architect Clark was directed to carry out
the provisions of this resolution, subject to
the approval of the Senate committee on
library. This committee decided that $50
ought to purchase a good vice presidential
bust. and MIR. Clark received instructions
TO secure first the busts of living e-S-Vice
Presidents and afterward take I'D the list
chronologically- Five busts were deemed by
the committee sufficient for one order. 1t
was also thought proper that the work
should be given to sculptors from the states
which furnished the Vice Presidents.
Progress of the Work.
Mr.. Clark has followed his instructions
to the letter. No sculptor has received
more than $50 for a single bust of Vice
President His selections have been made
from sample" plaster casts. The privilege
Of naming the sculptor has been given to
each subject when possible. in the case Of
Chester A. Arthur there was some en-
barrassment owing to his selection of the
sculptor ST. Gaudens. St. Gaudens does not
turn out busts for $500. and he would not
make an exception. even to please the then
President of the United States. Finally an
arrangement was effected by which friends
Of Mr.. Arthur agreed 10 take a replica Nj.
ST. Gaudens proceeded with the work, and
two marble photographs of Mr.. Arthur,
instead of one. came from his model
the inches in the senate saIieries Thev
represent John Adams, the first Vice
President; Thomas Jefferson. who succeed
ed MINI. Daniel TompkfnS. who served
from 1911 to 1S25: Hannibal Hamlin, the as
sociate of Lincoln in 1S6l-5; William n.
Wheeler. Vice President from 1877 to 1881;
Chester A. Arthur, Vice President and Presi-
lcent, 1SS1-5; Thomas a. Hendricks, Mr..
Cleyeland's first presidential running-mate
and Levi p. Morton. who lately gave way to
Adlai E Stevenson. The latter, by the
way. has already arranged to sit to a
sculptor.
More inches Needed.
There are fifteen Vice Presidents yet to
be provided for, and. with only twelve va
can't inches remaining. the architect of the
Capitol will one day be confronted with a
serious mathematical problem. A fine bust
of Elbridge Gerry. who was Vice President
In lsl3-i1, has for some time stood in the
east corridor Of the Senate gallery Not
until a pedestal Is provided can il be re-
moved to its waiting niche. The rugged
features of George NJ Dallas, Vice Presi-
dent from 1Sb to 1Si3 have lately been
transferred to marble by H. j. Ellicott,
sculptor who would appear 20 have a
future, and the work Is now on exhibition
In Mr. Clark's apartments. In the basement
of the Capitol
II Is fact worthy of comment that few
people can name the subjects of the sculp-
lures IN the senate chamber which are un-
marked None can mistake Gen. Arthur
"A few have no difficulty In finding Thomas
JEFFERSON The others are subjects of
suesswork- Such Is fame!