The Portland daily press., 1897-04-28

rated in high relief sculpture, emblema-
tic of the military and civic life of Cen
eral Grant.
The windows are twelve in number,
three in each side of the cross shaped in
terror.
The Crypt is reached by side stairways
which lead directly into the passage en-
circling the space in which rests the sar-
oophaaus. This passage is shut III by
square columns which support the pan
elled marble ceilinR.s
The sarcophagus rests in the centre of
the crypt, one hundred and forty feet
below the dome. OF all the perplexing
questions which arose in connection with
the new tomb the greatest was that of
obtaining suitable material for the sar-
oophagus The proper quality was found,
after long search, in the ouarries of
Monticello, Wisconsin, prophyry of tine
texture, brilliantly reddish in color
Cut from the solid rock, it is highly pol
ished, rejecting the nearby surfaces as
1t rests in the crypt The great block
10 10 feet 4 inches long. feet 6 inches
wide and feet inches high, and weighs
five tons. In this immense block space
was Followed out into which the coffined
remains OF General Grant were lowerd.
Then the cap stone was set, and The
sarcophagus again became as a solid
FLOCK. 1t ia plain, save for the simple
engraved inscription at the head of the
cap stone. Ulysses s. Grant,
The pedestal on which the saroophaRus
rests, is square of ten feet ten inches.
The lower course of one foot inches is
made in sections, above which is a five
1nch indented course. Still above this
are two heavy blocks of marble on which
the saroophaaus directly salts. The total
height Of all is seven and one haif feet.
Some day the body OF Mrs. Grant will
repose beside thet of her husband in
duplicate of the sarophaRus now in the
Crypt Of the tomb.
WHERE THE TOMB STANDS.
Riverside Park is, Indeed, a fitting
place for the tomb OF hero. Nestled OH
the banks Of the Hudson it seems tn lift
itself mp from the smoke and CRIME of the
scenes below to purer atmosphere. Mas
sive walls Of gray granite that from the
river look like rows of pnrapets guard the
park on. the water front. The steep in
cline is tbickly wooded and only here and
there can the gray rugged sides of the
hill be seen from the river.
From NO other point in sthe city can
such view be obtained as from River
side Park. For twenty miles the placid
Hudson can be seen vending it's winding
way to where the tall mist covered Palis-
ades blend with the western horizon. On
the Jersey side is old Fort Lee, the ferry
house and dainty villas that dot the
banks and look like Swiss ohalets nest
ling in the warmth of the Alpine sum-
mer, with no grim, snowy peaks to cast
a shadow on their rural lovelinsss. On
the bosom of the Hudson, palatial pleas.
ure yachts, ferry boats, steamers and
putting tugs make their way by summer
while in winter silent grandeur reigns.
Looking to tho cast are the signs of
great city, the tall smoke stacks of fac
tories. the hum from the busy streets.
and the distant shrek of trains and
ships. To the south is the smoke of Jer-
sey City, with It's myriads OF masts and
outlines of docks that gradually grow in
distinct until nothing is seen Dat the
blue waters of the bay that seem to
mingle with the eastern sky.
The striking features with which kind
nature has endowed the Park have been
added to by the mechanical genius of
man, for almoat within mile of tn
great tomb colossal structures have bean
erected and today this part of the c1ty
Is practically the scholastic centre of the
Metropolis, although some OF these build
tngs are not yet entirely completed. The
new Columbia University buildings on
the Heights to the east of the Park are of
great architectural beauty. Near them
is the new Barnard College. Just beyond
on the lsvatlon of Morn.ngside Heights
is the Teachers College; ST. Luke's
hospital aln0 overlooks these heights and
at night ita many lighted windows shine
like some heavenly constellation. One
Of the Heights will be crowned with the |
new Protestant Episcopal Cathedral OF |
ST. John the Divine, which for size and |
grandeur. promises to surpass anything |
on this continent and to rival the ancient |
cathedrals of Europe.
With such exceptional natural advant-
ages it is not surprising that Riverside
Park has become favorite summer rest
Ing place for the New Yorker. On a
warm day its sloping green sides are
crowded with children, while along it's
winding sheltered pa this the invalid in
his carriage is frequently seen drawing
new life from the refreshing breezes that
blow from the bay or down through the
eafy palisades. And when the sun sets
and the Hudson Rlimmers with the re-
1eoted light of thousand uickly pass
ing port holes the benches in the Park
are almost always filed with those CRATE
'ul people who love the silence and who,
in the silence love.
Il u I