Morris tribune., 1897-12-01
WASHINGTON MONUMENT.
How the BIG Siaaft Was Uas0en Up and
Pushed to Co@AQao6&on.

How the Big SHAFT was UasSen Up and
Pushed to CoMpae6&on.
''Not many know 1t. but the Dis
trict militia are entitled to the credit
of having the Washington monu-
ment completed" remarked an old
official at the capitol to reporter.
Gas every one knows or should
know, the monument was an unfin-
ished shaft for nearly 80 years.
There was a feeling that the whole
thing was a mistake, and no one
seemed to take the lead in having
the work resumed. Indeed feel
ing had grown up that, after al, the
monument was not exactly the
thing it should be. Many prominent
persons thought that an arch would
be a better work, and some urged
that the unfinished structure should
be turned into one leg of an arch
and another erected. Others were
strongly opposed to the location,
and it was very seriously urged that
the site should be changed. Some
thought it should go to Meridian hill
and others that the monument
should be moved to the circle on
Fourteenth street and its juncture
with Massachusetts avenue, where
the Thomas statue now stands. Sen
ator Morrill, led the movement for
the arch idea, and in it he had the
support of many who thought they
were really artistically inclined and
who thought the day for shafts had
passed away. In 1876, the centen-
NAL year, the District militia was
stronger than it was ever before or
since At that time the idea of sol
diery was parades, brass bands and
the like The modern idea of organ
izing soldier companies to spend
their leisure time shooting rifles at
a mark in the rife ranges had not
been dreamed of, and target firing
was more of a good natured frolic
than anything else. There were
hundreds of young men who made
elegant and proud looking soldiers
who were by no means successes as
marksmen and who had no ambi-
ton in that direction. On the 22d
of February, 1876, there was what
was general then, parade OF the
soldiers, a practice which, | regret
to notice, has dropped out of late
years.
THE parade that day was partic-
ularly good one, and as result
there was enthusiasm all along
Pennsylvania avenue. Congress was
in session and month previous had
been to Philadelphia and dedicated
the grounds for the Centennial ex-
position. AS senators and representa-
tives were on their way to the CAPT
toll that morning they could not es-
cape the enthusiasm caused by the
militia parade. Samuel S, Cox of
New York-'S Sunset, as he was ia
miliarly called-and General B. F.
Butler we're members OF the house
of representatives, and it was often
said of them that if they were joined
in favor of any measure, which was
seldom, for it was General Butler
who christened Cox Shoe Fly,
they could carry it through regard
less of whether the house wanted to
pass it or not Soon after arriving
at the capitol Mr. Cox, who had
witnessed the parade and joyfully-
for he took special delight in pa
triotic parades-wa asked in a gen
eral conversation if he did not think
it was time that there should be
some movement looking toward
completing the Washington monu-
ment He replied, Yes, and | think
it should be done today In less
than ten minutes be had drafted a
resolution directing that the work
should be resumed and making the
necessary appropriation tor secur-
ing a better foundation. General
Butler had his ears opened when
Mr. Cox sent the resolution to the
speakers desk to be read, and on
hearing it indicated to his personal
followers that it was right and
proper This was sufficient, and in
less than half an hour it was passed
The senate soon concurred, and
the work began very shortly, though
it took some years to complete it.
1t was the Washington birthday pa
rade of the District militia that did
the business, and Mr. Cox told sew
eral among them, myself included,
that he had no thought of the mon
ument until he had seen the parade
and was enthused by it's influence >
Washington Star.
A Princes Hobbies.