The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-05-28
ALL THAT REMAINS OF WASHINGTON
BIRTHPLACE.

memorial to Washington at Wakefield,
but definite action was not taken until
JUNE, 1879, when an appropriation Of
$500 was made by congress for the
erection of q suitable monument. BY
the provisions OF the act the matter
was placed in the hands OF the secra-
tary Of state, who was instructed tC
see that The appropriation was proper
ly expended. It was found that the
$1,000 set aside would be inadequate for
the expense of preparing a suitable
memorial; so, In pursuance Of request
made IN personal letter from William
III Evarts, of New York, who was then
secretary of state, and who had visited
Wakefield and learned the necessity Of
immediate action il the matter, Con.
gresham Samuel J. Randall, Of Penn
sy.vania, then chairnlsS of the house
committee on appropriations, recon-
msnded to congress the passage Of a
'Til appropriating the SUM Of $780, GOO
for the purchase Of the old Washington
Homestead, and for the erection Of a
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
read to a suitable landing place on
the rfver, mife away.
The first subject to occupy the atten-
ton Of the authorities was the con-
struc8ion OF a wharf to afford an APP
proach to the estate from the river. It
was found thai the cost of hauling the
material for the memorial six miles
over the rough roads would entail
enormous expense, SO the only alterna-
tive was TO build a wharf on the river
front. Surveys were made and est
mates prepared for the work, but il
was not until 1854 that Gen. Casey,
who has since then been made chief of
engineers IL the war department, con-
ceiveG q plan for the construction OF a
permanent wharf and asked legislative
authority for the development of his
plan. But nothing was done towards
commencing the work until 1898, after
q 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. It is built of east iron screw
piles with a timber deck, and IS ESQ
feet long and Is feet in width. with
deck head 40 by 60 feet wide, the great
length of the wharf being required in
order 10 reach Il water depth of nine
feet, mean low tide. so IS to permit the
landing Of the large river boats which
ply between Washington and Norfolk.
When Secretary Eyarts sent his let
ter to Congressman Randall. chairman
of the committee on appropriations. in
1850, he also submitted 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. It was
Mr.. Evarts' idea to erect In their place
handsome modern structure built of
granite, with tiled rOuf and bronze
tablet, bearing . suitable inscription.
The building was to have bronze doors
and windows. with screens 50 arranged
as TO permit the entrance Of light. MAX
ing the interior visible from without.
Such building, Mr.. Evarts then be-
heved- would require no care or atteu-
ton and would be practically imperisi-
ehle. Col. J. ". Wilson, commissioner
Of public buildings and grounds, who
had immediate charge of the work of
building the wharf, has n plan for a
memorial which j. entirely different
from that proposed Icy Mr. EvartS four
teen years ago. Secretary Of State
Gresham, who was delegated with an
.hority for the execution Of the work.
has not yeJ given tlle matter much con