The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-11
PHILADELPHIA,s MONUMENT.
a Memorial TO Washington Now Deliberatei
ana Decorously Ncara Completion.

a Memorial TO Washington Vow Deliberately
ana Decorousiy Neara Completion.
In these days of attention centred on the COM
ing dedication OF Gen. Grants mausolcum. poo
pie in this town may not observe that Philadel-
phiB has a ceremony on hand which is Of more
than local interest.
This il the unwilling Of the monument 10
Washington that has been erected by the Phila-
delphia branch of the Order of the Cincinnati.
1t will be remembered that the delays In getting
the base for the Bartholdi statue and the slow
development OF the Riverside mausoleum in its
earlier stages excited some criticism upon New
York: but for real freedom from hurry we must
turn to the Philadelphia enterprise that was
started between eighty and ninety years ago.
The Society OF the Cincinnati. composed of
officers who had served in the War OF the Revo-
luton. was formed over a century ago. with
Gen. Washington as its first President. On his
death the society began to talk of erecting a
memorial to him, and the project was formally
launched on July 4, 1910. in the Pennsylvania
branch, when Mr.. Charles Biddle's motion to APP
point a committee for the purpose was passed.
Richard Peters, Major d. Lennon. and Major
jackson were appointed the committee.
funds accumulated. it would appear, about
$4,000. As the sum originally proposed was
$780, 900, 1t became evident that the Quaker
Wv fNNo " boAtAk ~ iSpoAN ~ tig AtiIN 'AihN
haste In the matter. and would do all things
quietly and with deliberation. But Mr.. Binn6y
gave the fund the great aid Of his business
years later, in 1885. it had increased to about
SO, 100. Thereafter he continued for half n CEN
fury more to be the custodian OF tho fund, which
began to take care of itself; and at his death, in
1875. 1t exceeded SlO7, 900.
A few years later, with tho same moderation,
yet not unmixed with tirmness at the critical mo-
ment, it was decided that tbs time had como to
furnished, and prominent among. them were
those Of Prof. Rudolf Siemering OF Berlin and
y; W. Ste st9ry; T., Tho designs s50n Of Of the sh former called {, led
originally been proposed to expend $l5O.O0O
and, II a published statement is correct, the sum
then on hand was only $4,000.
was reflected that. II finished in tho leisurely
spirit which had animated tho enterprise thus
far, the fund would grow up, by the ordinary
The order was thereupon given, and about ten
years later a colossal bronze group at the Berlin
International Art Exhibition Of 1901, America
showed how the skill and industry of the sculptor
had been employed In the interim.
In that group Columbia had. her hands placed
on the heads OF 3 farmer and hunter. the former
awakening and the latter already alert, with
rifle In hand, and looking about him.. That was
only a part of tho monument. The chief figure
was to DO an equestrian statue of Washington
in army hat and cloak, while another was of
America, with trident In ono hand and horn of
plenty In the other. Figures of Indians and Of
Continental soldiers, of elks, buffaloes, and wild
part of the large model then in the artists studio.
But, after all, while the work itself Is in
trinsically interesting, and the purpose OF the
memorial so lofty, one cannot help dwelling nj
first on tho leisurely development OF the history
of the undertaking, which is now embodied in II
sort OF bronze object lesson of tho. value OF put
ting aside q little money IN jndicious, invest.
ments, and letting IL grow to n fortune in II few
generations,