The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-06
THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT.
some Interesting Facts About the
Tail Shaft of White Marble

some Interesting Facts About the
Tail Shaft of White Marble.
Washington Etar.
The distance at which the monu-
ment is visible has always been mat
ter of debatable interest with Wash
1ngton people. Not train approaches
the city. nor boat speeds up or down
the Potomac, but carries group of
people anxious to see at just what
point they can last see the white
marble against the sky as they depart
or first find it as they return.
Probably the greatest distance at
which the monument Is seen is from
the summit Of the Blue Ridge at
Smokers Gap, a distance of about
forty-three miles In an air line. The
elevation there is 1000 feet above the
Potomac. The nlounltaineers years
ago. with their keen eyes trained to
long and sharp sight in the noun
tains, detected the white spot gleam-
Ing on the horizon, and they can al
ways quickly determine its place on
the horizon line. But to city folks,
however. the location Of the white
shaft is not an easy matter. Thou
sands of Washington people every
summer invade that region as summer
bCarders. to subsist on fresh milk and
fried chicken and incidentally in their
excursions up ON the mountain to get
days it is distinctly visible, especially
to those who are familiar with its
precise location. But Is more easily
seen at sunset than at any other hour.
as the sharp reflection Of the suns
rays brings out the white surface of
the marble. The mountain people are
only too glad to point out the monu-
ment to their visitors. and usually tell
them the secret by which they can
themselves locate 1t. This is by find
ing first on the horizon line the slight
elevation of contour presented by
Munson's HILL Then, slightly to the
the rarer specimens, which are sold
The point from which the monument
was first seen from the Blue Ridge is
the mountain farm Of Louis P. Shoe
maker. of this city. and the place is
called Monument View"
One of the most singular stories that
may be told about the Washington
monument is hardly credible, yet it can
be vouched for as perfectly true. There
are hundreds Of ladies in Washington
who wear upon their hats the plum
age or the entire skin Of bird which
has lost its life flying against the tall
mass of marble in the dimness of twi-
light or daybreak. Every morning one
of the watchmen who spends the night
in the monument finds about It's base
quite a number of birds who have lost
their lives In this way. This mortality
Is not limited to any one species, but
includes nearly all the birds known
in this region. Strange to say, few
English sparrows lose their lives by
flying against the monument, but the
beautiful golden finches, cedar birds.
starlings, tanagers, grosbeaks, and
many others of bright plumage and
great rarity have been found. The
Waterman takes these birds up town
to taxider.mist, who stuffs and mounts
for a good round price to collectors.
and the skins Of those less rare are
prepared for the milliner. Hardly
morning comes that there are less than
a score Of dead birds about the base
of the shaft.
Another queer thing to know about
the monument is that it's height and
width vary. 1t is taller in summer
than In winter. and In the latter season
it's width on the south side is about
an inch greater than on the north,
east, or west sides. This is due to ex-
pansion under the heat Of the suns
rays. This phenomenon was deter
mined by Capt Greene during the cree
ton Of the shaft. Plum lines were
hung at each corner of the marble WALL
and the plumb "bobs" or plummets
were suspended in pots Of glycerine
and molasses. Across the top of each
pot was laid a finely graduated steel
bar. and three times a day an army
engineer "took off, the registration
thus made of the expansion Of the
walls 1t was held that the plummets
moved precisely with the points at
which the plumb lines were attached
to the top of the shaft, and the glycer-
Inc held them firmly without vibration
or oscillation, so that the officer could
note any change Of position. All these
registrations, twice day every day Of
the year, were recorded in book dur
ing the seven years that were occu-
pied in finishing the monument.