The San Francisco call., 1897-05-16

lives, and will live, because what he did
was for the exaltatiou of man, enthrone'
ment of conscience and the establishment
of Government which recognizes all the
governed And so, too, will tae Nation
live victorious over all obstacles, adher-
ing to the immortal principles "nlch
Washington taught and Lincoln sus-
tanned"
The decorations throughout the city
were lavish. The Presidential party fol-
lowed the procession under the escort OF
the City Troop. 1t was rendered an ova-
ton. After the ceremonies were over the
President and party were driven to the
train for Washington. The remainder OF
the distinguished guests attended the So
ciety of the Cincinnati banquet at the
Union League tonight.
When the movement for the monument
was started in 1910 by the Society of the
Cincinnati that organization had not yet
acquired its peculiar distinction as an or
ganization of patriots of opulence and
leisure dedicated to the worship OF their
ancestry. They were not unlike the
legions which have grown out OF the late
Civil War. and Washington was as near
to them as Grant still is near to US.
They began with the purpose OF raising
about $3.50. 900, but the war OF 1872, with
It's two years OF excitement and the hard
times which followed, caused temporary
suspension of the movement. More than
seventy years ago some Philadelphians,
who were disposed 10 be faster and less
conservative than the Society of the Gin
cinnati, began to raise complaints. When
Lafayette came to the city the absence of
any monument of Washington was re-
garded as a matter of reproach.
In the outburst OF patriotism at that
time o committee of citizens proceeded to
raise new fund, which was soon forgot
ten, but which was revived IN 1882, when
the one hundredth anniversary of Wash
ington's bir,h produced another revival of
patriotic memories. A great procession
was organized in honor of this centen-
nial; and in the division given up to
trades was car drawn by seven horses
ana carrying the cornerstone which the
stonecuttcrs had prepared for the Wash
ington monument.
Again The next year there was great
parade and the cornerstone was laid in
sight OF the yenerated dependence Hall.
Year after year and decade alter decade
went by and the soil which was laid over
the cornerstone was hot disturbed. Now
and then there was somc talk OF a de
sign"
The original fund of 1910 in the custody
of the Cincinnati had remained undis-
turbed in all these years. The citizens
fund of 1924 ana 1882 was also substan-
TALLY intact in the care of Charles Chaun-
cey. They had at The beginning asked
the Cincinnati to unite their fund with
the Chauncey fund, but the request was
denied. 1t was in 1858 that John Sartain,
together with Joseph R. Ingersoll, Joseph
Harrison and others, entered into a move
ment for the consolidation of sthe tive
funds, but they met 50 much oppos ition
that,the projectors abandoned il in disgust
The Society of the Cincinnati would meet
once year and solemnly pass resolutions.
At last, about fifteen years ago, they
went into court and asked for the Chaun-
cey fund. Alexander Purvis of the Phila-
delphia Saving Society had invested it so
carefully that il amounted to $50 900. On
the other hand, there had been not less
prudent hus bandry OF the Cincinnati fund.
II had swollen to about S130, 900. The
un ion of these funds forms the treasury
in which has been accumulated the money
for the payment of the monument now
awaiting dedication at a cost OF more than
$500, 900.
Now, while the old cornerstone is in its
place, the beautiful structure of to-day,
entirely different from the ideas of those
who originated the scheme eighty-six
years ago, adorns the park. The monu-
ment is the most magnificent and costly,
with the single exception of the tall shaft
at Washington, ever erected to the mem
ory OF the Father of His Country. The
monument is A feet high. The equestrian
figure OF Washington stands 20 feet above
the pedestal. which is II by 80 feet, and
rises from platform 81 by "a feet, reached
by thirteen steps, symbolical OF the thir-
teen original States. The cost of the
monument was $3.50. The platform
and pedestal are of green and pink Swed-
ish granite, the pedestal being beautifully
polished, and the statue. figures, bas-
rellefs and other ornaments are OF bronze.
Washington is represented in colonial