Evening star., 1896-03-18
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHPLACE
~
Progress of the Work in Erecting q
Monument.
Col. Wilson fs Informed That the
Stones VIII Soon BE on the
Ground at Wakefield.


has the contract for erecting a granite
monument at the birthplace of Washing
ton, Wakefield, Westmoreland county, Va,
has informed Col. Wilson, the engineer OFF,
Ger IN charge of public buildings and
grounds, that he expects to have the stones
to form the pedestal and column at the
site in about ten days or two weeks. These
huge blocks of granite were towed to
Wakefield from this city on navy yard
parees. and a temporary wharf had to be
built for their Decentralization. The monu-
ment is in five sections, including the shaft,
plinth, two square base blocks and die
block. Altogether they weigh 115.ooO
pounds.
stone. 1t is Az feet high and weighs
g. 600 pounds. The total height OF the
monument VIII be 81 feet Each section
has been hewn from carefully selected
granite, quarried at Barre, VT. The mono
lith is one of the largest single pieces of
granite ever quarried in this country.
The erection Of this monument was in
trusted by Congress to the Secretary of
State, and by that Official was placed in
the hands of Col Wilson, by whom the
present contract was entered into with
Crawford & Son Of Buffalo. Col Wilson
has selected as the site for the monument
the site of the old homestead where WASH
ingtop was born The house is entirely
dismantled, and nothing but portions of
the foundation walls remain to mark its
location. The monument will be erected
directly over the ruins. its base VIII nearly
equal the area of the ancient building. Mir.
Stewart of Col. Wilson's office surveyed
the ground last week. and marked off the
lines of the monument. 1t will stand on
square, meeting the four points of the
compass, with its front toward the Poto-
mac, and bearing the simple inscriptions
Birthplace of Washington and Erected
by the United States"
Although the site is some distance back
from the river, the monument will be in
plain view of passing steamers. This Is the
main reason for having it face in that d.rec-
ton. 1t is proposed to convert the land
around it into a park and otherwise make 1t
attractive to visitors. A wharf has already
been built out in the river, which is quite
shallow at this point so as to facilitate the
landing of passengers and freight.
r Progress of the Work.
Great difficulty is being encountered in
taking the stone sections from the river
bank to the site. The worst Of the work is
>over, however, now that the bluff near the
river has been crossed. The contractor says
he will have all the stones in position in a
few days. Col. Wilson has sent cne of his
best men down to Wakefield to supervise
the work Of erecting the monument This
Is Mr.. Stubs, the same man who SUPER
vised the erection of the pedestal for the
Hancock statue at the corner of Pennsyl-
vania avenue and 9TH street He is now on
the ground. When the stones are at the
site no difficulty is anticipated in putting
them in place. Col. Wilson expects to make
a visit to Wakefield next week, in order to
satisfy himself as to the faithful execution
of the contract.
Wien the monument is erected he will
report the fact to the Secretary of State
and it will be for that official to say wheth-
er any ceremonies shall mark the event
Col. Wilson is now endeavoring to have
Congress authorize the employment of a
watchman to look after the monument, and
guard 1t against the attack of the insatia
HE relic hunter. That such a provision is
necessary is clearly shown by the history
Of a memorial stone placed over the same
spot by Washington's adopted son, George
Washington Parke Custis. This stone,
which was intended to mark the birthplace
OF Washington. was Clipped into small
pieces by relic hunters, until now not a
vestigc Of 1t remains to tell its story. In
asmuch as Congress has authorized the
erection Of a monument to mark the spot
where Washington was born, 1t would
not appear inadvisable that 1t should make
some provision for the protection of the
monument, as otherwise its purpose will
fail of fulillment.