Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-08-08

cofh2 precisely similar to that of her
husband should inclose her body. When
it was ascertained that the intention of
congress was that only the remains of
Washington should be inferred in the
national capital, her compliance was
withdrawn. Therefore the body of
Washington was never brought to this
city, but was inferred at Mount Yer
non, side by side with that of his wife.
The Washington heirs were represented
by George Washington Parke Custis,
who said: "They were lovely and pleas
ant in their lives, and IN their deaths
they were not divided"
George Washington was in his grave
33 years and a new generation came
upon the scene of life before any fur
ther action was taken concerning the
erection of a suitable monument to his
memory. Those who have wondered
that nothing has been done by congress
for the erection of a suitable monument
to the memory of Gen. Grant at River
side park, need not marvel when they
learn that SO many years passed before
anything tangible was done in memory
of the Father of His Country. In 1882.
40 years after the passage of the first
resolution by the contin- ntal congress,
an appropriation of S., 900 was made
sl<illful artist for the construction and
erection of statue to be placed in the
rotunda of the capitol. Edward Ever
EFT, from the committee on the library,
made a report recommending the en-
ployment of Horatio Greenough, Of
Boston, and he was finally given the
contract for the work, which he esti.
mated would cost $4,000. President
Andrew Jackson signed the contract.
and it was specified that the head should
be modelled after the Houdin cast.
In 1884 Greenough went to Florence,
Italy, and there. after much travel and
| i1cessant study, began work upon his
model. He worked steadily and care
fully, and in 1910, after six years OF
| painstaking effort, the work was COM
| pleted. In 1S41, after numerous vexa-
tious delays, the statue was transported
20 America in the American ship Sea, of
Norfolk, after the vessel had been
| altered SO as to admit the bulky, boxed
| figure through it's hatchway. No ordi-
| nary sailing vessel of that period would
| admit the statue N it's hold, and there
was not ship in our navy which could
| transport it. There was considerable
| correspondence between Greenough
and the secretary of the navy on this
| subject. Finally the Sea was chartered
for $500 to bring the statue to Wash
:ngton, with the privilege of stopping
at other ports than Leghorn, for addi-
| t'onal cargo. The anxiety of the artist
| 20 display this statue in the national
capital without delay was such, how
ever, that out of his own private funds
he paid the commander of the Sea 81, 500
20 speed straight to Washington city
with his precious burden. Consequent
| ly, on July 81, 1S41, the Sea anchored at
| the navy yard in the Potomac river, and
| preparations were Immediately COM
| Inenced foc the erection of the statue
in the rotunda of the capitol. The sum
| of $4,000 was spent for a pedestal and
| $4,000 more was expended in the re-
moval of the statue from the ship to the
rotunda.
Nobody liked the statue after it was
! placed in position. 1t filled the center
of the rotunda, the light upon it was
unsatisfactory, and finally, at an ex-
pense of $4,000, it was removed to the
position which it now occupies on the
east front of the capitol, and was sur
rounded by an iron railing. Twenty
| years ago, however, the railing was re-
moved, and there it stands an object ct
| admiration and of criticism. Concern
| ing it's merits, each observer must judge
/ for himself.
| Ten years ago it was discovered thai
1 the frost and rain had caused the back
| of the statue to crack. The soft italian
| marble could not withstand the vicissi
tudes of outdoor life. In 1889, by re.
| quest of the senate committee on the
library, the architect of the capitol was
authorized to erect a temporary shelter
and since that time, in winter months
| the statue is covered by movable frame
| house, and the disintegration of tn,
marble has ceased. Early in July th-
| house was removed, and the statue /.
now exposed to public view by day ant
| by night. Greenough, the artist. dur
ing his lifetime repeatedly urged con
| gress to erect over and about it a pa
| vilion for it's protection; but congres.
never does anything right, until com
tpelled to by stress of circumstances;
i and hence the pavilion has never beer
erected, and is not likely to be for year.
| to come.
Concerning the criticisms made BY
n memorial to congress, saying: "Th,
designs of Frederick IL. with his hug,
walking stick and preposterous queue
Louis XVI, with his sredundant periwig
cumbrous robes and stilted shoes, wer,
lapplauded by contemporaneous artists
The effect Of those designs to-day is ir
repressible laughter. have been there
by influenced to avoid putting up IL
high places of this republic colossa
copy of an uncouth costume, which ha,
already passed into disuse-"
SMITH d. FRY.