River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-06-06

memorial to Washington at Wakefield,
but definite action was not taken until
June, 1879, when an appropriation of
e., 700 was made by congress for the
erection of a suitable monument. BY
the provisions of the act the matter
was placed in the hands of the secre-
tary of state, who was instructed to
see that the appropriation was proper
ly expended. 1t was found that the
s., 900 set aside would be inadequate for
the expense of preparing a suitable
memorial; so, in pursuance Of a request
made in a personal letter from William
NJ. Evarts, of New York, who was then
secretary of state, and who had visited
Wakefield and learned the necessity of
immediate action in the matter, Con-
gresham Samuel J. Randall, of Penn
sylvania, then chairman of the house
committee on appropriations, recon-
mended to congress the passage of
bill appropriating the sum of $4,000
for the purchase of the old Washington
homestead, and for the erection of
monument to mark the birthplace of
the greatest and best member of the
Washington family. The bill was
passed in February, 1881. The land
was soon afterwards transferred to the
federal government, and the secretary
of state obtained the right of way for
road to suitable landing place ON
the river, n mile away.
The first subject to occupy the atten-
ton of the authorities was the con-
struction of a wharf to afford an APP
Il, a. 10. .
was found that the cost of hauling the
material for the memorial six miles
over .he rough roads would entail
enormous expense, SO the only alterna-
tive was TO build a wharf on the river
front. Surveys were made and esti-
mates prepared for the work, but it
was not until 1854 that Gen. Casey,
who has since then been made chief of
engineers in the war department, con-
ceived plan for the construction of
permanent wharf and asked Legislative
authority for the development of his
plan. But nothing was done towards
commencing the work until 1898, after
delay of nine years. Congress then
made provision for the construction of
the wharf in accordance with the plans
submitted by Gen. Casey. The work
was begun at once and it progressed
rapidly until completed in September,
1894. The structure is conceded to be
the finest of its kind on the Potomac
river II is built of cast iron screw
piles with a timber deck, and is 1,050
feet long and 10 feet in width, with
deck head 40 by 60 feet wide, the great
length of the wharf being required in
order to reach a water depth of nine
feet, mean low tide. so as to permit the
landing of the large river boats which
ply between Washington and Norfolk.
When Secretary Evarts sent his let
ter TO Congressman Randall, chairman
of the committee on appropriations. in
1850. he also sui nitted plan which he
had conceived for the erection of a
memorial at Wakefield. Only the
hearthstone and chimney of the orig
inal house in which Washington was
born now remain on the spot. 1t was
Mr. Evarts' idea to erect in their place
handsome modern structure built of
granite, with tiled roof and bronze
tablet. bearing a suitable inscription.
The building was TO have bronze doors
and windows, with screens So arranged
as to permit the entrance of light maxi
ing the interior visible from without
Such a building, Mr.. Evarts ther be-
lieved, would require no care or Atten-
ton and would be practically .-aperish-
able. Col. J. NJ. Wilson, commissioner
of public buildings and grounds, who
had immediate charge of the work of
building the wharf, has a plan for a
memorial which Is entirely different
from that proposed by Mr.. Evarts four
teen years ago. Secretary of State
Gresham. who was delegated with au-
thority for the execution of the work,
has not vet given the matter much con-
sideration. He is however. disposed
to consider Col. Wilson's plan with
favor. After paving for the eonstruc-
ton of the wharf there was left, out OF
the original appropriation of $4,000.
only so4,7Ia which could be expended
on the memorial proper. This sum is
deemed insufficient to construct the
granite vault, and Mr.. Evarts' plan
will, therefore, not be adopted. Col.
Wilson's plan is to erect over the spot
where the old house stood a simple
rugged shaft bearing an appropriate
inscription The shaft is to be gran
lite column. and of sufficient height TO
be visible from the excursion boats on
the river. The work Il now fairly IN
Ger way. Surveyors are at work 20 as
certain how high the shaft viii need to