The Portland daily press., 1897-04-28


taken by five tons of solid granite.
The tirst coffin is air tight and is oon-
sidered understandable. 1t is six feet
long and the outer case of cedar is Gov
cred with black cloth. The metallic In
terror Ia copper, highly polished, and is
one-sighth of an inch thick. The frames
and portals are of solid silver; the top is
open the full length and covered with a
heavy, French plate. bevelled glass. Over
this glass the lid fits to make the copper
coffin complete, and on the lid is a gold
plate, fixed with gold screws, which bears
the inscription: gu. S. Grant, Died
July 23, 1885," The handles are massive,
of special design, and are of silver.
Within, the coffin IL lined with tufted
silk, light cream in color, with a pillow
on which is embroidered IL white the
initials ~. s. G."
The second coffin is solid cedar and
serves as strong protector for the FIRST.
Inside it is lined heavily with lead,
outside it is highly polished and heavily
mounted with silver.
The steel case which formed the third
covering. which was large enough to
permit the coffin to fit snugly was the
most remarkable Of the three. It was OF
5-8 inch metal Of the finest qualify,
Hanged at every angle and so heavily
riveted and carefully m ade that neither
air nor water could find a point of
entrance way. It was made at Troy, N.
Y. The greatest care was taken in its
construction. 1t was perfectly plain
steel box, broken only by the double line
OF rivets, whicn were driven home and
welded with the understanding that they
were never to be drawn. They were
almost part of the steel casing itself.
When the big steel case had been I'm
ishsd and brought to this city, it was
placsd in tho temporary tomb, boltsd to
the piers, all ready for the reception
Of the oofin on August 8. The end which
faced the door was left open. and 1t was
through this end that the coffin was slid
into place.
After the first coffin had been made in
1t was brought to this city.
For two days it remained in an under
taxing establishment on Eighth Avenue,
and during that time 1t was looked upon
By nearly 70, 600 persons. All sorts and
of people went and were 20
anxious to get sight that they made
wild PUSHES and damaged considerable
property in the neigh borhood. Police
men had to be called to keep the crowd
within bounds.
The closing of the end OF the steel case
in the temporary tomb ON the night the
coffin was pat there, August 8, 1896, was
AN interesting detail. Some few people
then were able to understand the care
with which the Gaze had been con-
EARLY in the evening of that
day, Patrick Cregan who had charge Of
the work, with seven men who had como
from Troy, entered the tomb.
was in readiness for the
placing of the fifty-six steel bolts which
were to fasten the front steel wall. For
two and half hours the men worked by
the light of candles. A portable furnace
reared, and the clash of hammers on
metal gave the little tomb every appear
ance and sound of boiler works When
the task had been completed, Cregan
said the armor steel case was not only
sealed, but was chisel
proof. "That will last 10000 years,
he remarked as the tomb door was
locked.
More than Thousand people had
gathered about the tomb, anxious to see
bhezwork in progress. A Gordon of police
however. kept them back. When 1t was
ali over the people soram bled for each
my bit of metal and other material left
~ the workmen. One man got, and
treasured, the end of q candle that a
workman had held in his hand.
THE NEW TOMB.
One hundred feet above moan high
water of the Hudson River. the Grant
Monument stands, a solid pile 1T white
granite $50 feet in height. The first 72
eet Of this height ia cube of theGreoian
Doric order which measures 90 feet on all
sides.
The entrance, on the southern side, il
enclosed by portioo made up of O row
If recessed columns. Above and behind
jhe portico rises an almost blank wall,
which will one day be relieved by the
Jour equestrian statutes shown usually
IN plans of the monument, and finishes
IN parapet which shows upon its face
he sculptured figures OF Peace and War.
Above the parapet. there starts abrupt
y cupola, 20 feet in diameter, sur.
as relief, with Ionic columns.
Around the crown of tho Gupola line
If fasces, surmounted with eagles, con-
lects the columned drum with the pyra-
nidical top.
The fiawless granite of which the tomb
consists is of dotted whitish gray taken
rom quarry of uniform grain, and is
10 light in tone that in the strong sun
light it is hardly distinguishabls from
mari BILE.
Passing up the great steps which ex-
end three quarters of the way across the
ront of the structure, one comes first to |
~ H. - L