The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1896-12-17
THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT
Some Interesting Facts About the Tall
Shaft of White Marble.


The distance at which the monument
is visible has always been matter OF
debatable interest with Washington
people. Not a train approaches the
city. nor a boat speeds up or down the
Potomac. but carries a group of people
anxious to see at just what point they
can last see the white marble against
the sky as they depart OF 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 Snick-
ers Gap, a distance of about for'y-
three miles In an air line. The eleva-
ton there is 1000 feet above the 70
tomac. The mountaineers years ago.
with their keen eyes, trained 10 long
and sharp sight in the mountains, de-
tected the white spot cleaning on the
horizon. and they can always quickly
determine its place on the horizon line.
But to the city folks, however, the To-
cation of the white shaft is not an easy
matter. Thousands of Washington peo-
pie every summer invade that region
as summer boarders, to subsist on FRESH
milkand fried chicken, and incidentally
in their excursions up on the mountain
to get sight of the monument. vi
clear days it is distinctly visible, es-
neciallv to those who are familiar with
its precise location. But it 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
arc only too glad to point out the mon
ument to their visitors, and usually tell
them the secret by which they can
themselves locate it. This is by md
ing first on the horizon line the shght
elevation of contour presented by Nun
sons Hill. Then, slightly to the left,
perhaps one degree. there II Is. Inc
point from which the monument was
first seen from the Blue Ridge is the
mountain farm of Mr. Louis p. Shoe
maker of this city, and the place 10
called Monument View"
One of the most singular stories that
may be told about the Washington
monument is hardy credible, yet II can
be vouched for as perfectly true. Ihere
are hundreds OF ladies in Washington
who wear upon their hats the plumage
or the entire skin of a bird which has
lost its life flying against the tall mass
of marble in the dimness of twilight
or daybreak. Every morning one Oh
the watchmen who spends the night
in the monument finds about It's pase
quite number of birds who have lost
their lives in this way. This mortar
ity is not limited TO any one species.
but includes nearly all the birds known
in this region. Strange to say, FEW En-
glish sparrows lose their lives by flying
against the monument, but the Deautl-
full golden finches, cedar birds, star
lings. tanagers, grosbeaks and many
others of bright plumage and great
rarity have been found. The watch
man takes these birds up town TO a
taxidermist, who stuffs and mounts
the rare specimens, which are sold for
a good round price to collectors, ana the
skins of those less rare are prepared
for the milliner. Hardly a morning
comes that there are less than a score
of desu birds about tie base Of the
shaft.
Another queer thing to know about
the monument is that its height and
width vary. 1t is taller in summer
than in winter, and in the latter season
its width on the south side is about an
inch greater than on the north, east or
west side. This is due to expansion
under the heat of the suns rays. Thls
phenomenon was determined by Capt.
Greene during the erection of the SHAFT.
Plumb lines were hung at each corner
of the marble wall, and the plumb
"bobs" or plummets were suspended ID
pots of glycerine and molasses. Across
the top of each pot was laid hnely
graduated steel bar, and three times a
day an army engineer "took Off the
registration thu. made of the eXpan-
sion 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 glycerine held them firmly without
vibration or oscillation, so that the Of
ficer could note any change of position.
All these registrations, twice day,
every day of the year, were recorded
in a book during the seven years that
were occupied in finishing the monu-
ment. Washington Star.
A~oyican Hardwoods in Europe,