The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-27
HISTORY OF THE MoNUMENr
The Money for it's Erection was Rails.
ed Almost Wholly in New
York CITY,

1t was by popular subscription that
the fund necessary for the erection of
the tomb of Gen Grant was raised, and
it is estimated that 10000 people con-
tributed sums ranging from 1 cent to
IS, 600.
In all $559.OOO was secured. The IN
expected balances We're kept in trust
companies and drew 3 per cent inter
est, SO the sum increased until it now
amounts to about $500, 000 With the ex-
ception of about $4,000 the entire fund
was raised in New York City
Five days after the death of General
Grant, on the 28th of July, 1885. New
Y York city having been suggested by
General Grant before his death as the
place for his burial, VIM. r. Grace. then
mayor, called a meeting of citizens at
the city hall to take steps towards the
collection of fund for the erection of
national monument.
On the day following the Grant mon
ument committee was permanently or
gained with eX-PreSident Chester A.
Arthur as chairman. The first appeal
to the public was signed by Mr.. Arthur
as chairman. and by VIM. r. Grace and
Hamilton Fish as vice chairmen, and
within a week subscriptions of money
were pouring in so fast that there was
serious belief that little difficulty would
be found in collecting 81. 000, 600. In Feb,
1886, then the Grant Monument associa-
ton was organized under an act of the
legislature; $4,000 had already been
raised.
Scarcely a week after this date. how
ever, eX-President Arthur was forced to
resign as president of the association
because of the illness which shortly af-
terward proved fatal Sidney Dillon
was then elected president, and was
succeeded by Cornelius Vanderbilt in
the early part of 1887. In Feb, 1888,
VIM r. Grace, eX-mayOr, became pres
ident.
When subscriptions began to move
slowly many plans were followed out
for the collection of money The mem
bers of the G. A. r. in this city worked
with untiring energy from the start
and subscription boxes were placed in
all of the post quarters; collectors rep
reSentng various enterpriSing period
icals solicited funds in every quarter,
and the newspapers of the city kept the
urgency of raising money quickly ever
before the people, publishing from day
to day he names of subscribers and
amounts subscribed.
With the year following the creation
of the Grant Monument assOcia ton,
prominent architects We're requested to
submit designs for monumental tomb
but because of the general desire to OBJ
tain a design which should at once be
a work of art. picturesque to the pop
ular eye, and durable enough to last
through the ages, great caution was ia
ken and ideas and plans were criticised
from every standpoint.
1t was not until September, 1890, that
the plans of J. H. Duncan of New York
were accepted bv the association, and
on thea anniversary of Gen. Grants birth
day in 1891 ground was broken. with
appropriate ceremonies, for the con-
struction of tomb to cost between
$500, 600 and $500, 600.
FUND LANGUISHES.
By Jan, 1892, with the work of con-
structiOn under way, the fund had
languished Despite all effort the fund
had for several months remained sta
tionery at $155, 600 From other states
where there had been strong opposition
to the burial of Gen. Grant in New York
protests came that the city had not full
filed its promises to erect a suitable
tomb.
A growing sentiment that the remains
should have been deposited in the Ma
tional Cemetery resulted finally in the