The sun., 1896-10-24
TEE WARRINGTON MoxumEyr
9ous Interestins Facts About the Tnu
shart OF white Marble.
from the Washington rrerno star.

from the Washington Frentno Star.
The distance at which the monument Is visl.
BILE has always been n matter OF debatabe IN.
tsrest with Washington people. Not train M
proaches the city, nor boat speeds up or down
the Potomac. but carries q group Of pcopl.
anxious to sec at just wha. point they can las,
zee the white marble against the sky as they
depart or nrst find 1t as they return.
Probably the greatest distance at which the
monument is scen is from the summit II IN.
Blue Ridge at Smokers Gap. adistance ofabout
forty-three miles In an air line. The elevation
there Is 1000 feet ABOVE the Potomac The
mountaineers years ago, with their keen eyes.
trained to long and sharp sight IN the muun.
tains, detected the white spot cleaning "u t.s
horizon, and they can always quickly determine
It's place on the horizon line. But t. city folks
however. the location Of the white shat, Is
region as summer boarders, to suh..-, on
fresh milk and fried chicken, and incidentally
in their excursions up on the muGa'ain
to get sight OF the monument, On c,earUays
It Is distinctly visible especially to those VINO
more easily seen at sunset than a. any ulher
hour. as the sharp reflection Of the suns rays
brings ont the white surface Of the marble
The mountain people are only too glad 20 vo!n,
out the monument to their yi.iiors. and u>lt.Y
tell the scent ri. 0E Ssfn sg n 'h.y Y; m
horizon line the slight elevation u: contour PEE
sented by Munson,s Hill. Then, slight To- lns
from which the monument was 'irst se.u rom
the Blue Ridge is. the mountain farm " Mr.
Louis p shoemSSer 4 sni' city anu The pace
One Of the most singular stories that may IS
told about the Washington monument i hardy
credible. yet IT can be rouched for as ,Her;e t.y
true. There are hundreds OF ladies IN Washing
ton who wear upon their hats the piumac- or
the entire skin OF bird which has lost u. 70
flying against the tall mass Of marble u Ne
dImness OF twilight or daybteak. Every in"rn.
ing one Of the watchmen who spends tie n'shs
in the monument finds about It's base qA,'ea
number Of birds " no have lost their lives n us
way. This mortality is not limited TO Any uns
species, but includes nearly all the birds khownil
this region. Strange to say. Few English -rarro"s
lose their lives by tiying against the mnnumeut,
starlings, tanagers, grosbeaks ana many others
of bright plumage and great rarity have Jven
found The Waterman tafes these birds ~
town to n taxideriuist. who stutis anu uIogn q
the rarer specimens, which are sold for good
round price to collectors. and the skins OF those
less rare are prepared for the miiiiner it"r ~
q morning comes that there are less ttar a
score of dead birds about the base OF tile shaft
Another queer thing 10 know about the II NV
meut Is that its height and width vary. Il 10
taller In summer than IN winter and in tile latter
season its width on the south side is abot al inch
greater than on the north. east; or west side.
This Is due to expansion under the heat o. tbs
suns rays This phenomenon was ceierm ned
by Capt. Greene during the erection otthe shaft.
Plumb lines were hung at each corner OF tie
marble wall. and the plumb "bobs or plum
NETS were suspended in pots Of Elycerine and
molasses Across the top of each pot was laid 4
finely graduated steel bar. and three times a
ton thus made of the expansion OF the walls. 1t
held that the plummets moved precisely
with the points at which the plumb lines were
siycerine held them firmly without vib-a,ioa
or oscillation. 80 that the officer could note any
change Of position. All these registration :,
in a book during the seven years that were oo-
cupied in finishing the monument.