Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-16
HISTORY OF THE MONUMENT.
How il Was Erected-The society OF
the Cincinnati.


The magnificent memorial dedieate'
to-day with such pomp and pageantrS
has history almost as full Of Interest
a,a "rnovine incidents" as that Of the
hero whose prowess it commentaries
! ON the 4th of July. lN1-more thar
] eiqhtv-dye wears ago-the Society or the
B Cincinnati which still had among it'
/ members officers who had fought In th'
| Revolution, met in Independence hai
and adopted a resolution TO erect Hou
ument TO the memory OF George Wdsn
, inrton. The society was then not unlike
/ tbe leqions which have grown out of the
/ civil war. and Washington was as neal
/ n them as Lee and Grant are TO tne
veteran organizations Of the present day'
| A word about it's formation by the banc
) of warriors VINO led our hosts 10 VIC
, tory and something of its history VIII
! ba said presently. At the meeting aDoV'
referred TO q committee was appointed
/ made up of Major ID. LenoX. judge Il
Peters. Major w. Jackson, 'Mr." Biddie
a descendant Of Mick Blddle, 'he
doughty Commodore of the Revolution
and Horace Binney. They appealed iol
funds 10 the people Of Pennsylvania
and 5000 came in FROM TINS siiiail saso ao1 oe
ginning the fund has grown TO $zSJ,OuO
L dllHOuEu tilc f~''io---
raise only $4,000.
The war of 1872, with its two years
| of excitement and the consequent hard
times. caused a suspension or the move
ment. 1t remained in abeyance for a
number of years Finally. IN 1892 the
Tooth anniversary of Washington's birth
produced another revival OF patriotic
memories, and a COMMITTEES OF citizens
started a new fund for the monument.
In honor OF this centennial there was
great procession and IN the DIVISION
given up TO trades was car drawn by
seven horses and carrying the corner
stone which had been prepared for the
monument. Again the next year there
was a great parade, and the stone was
laid in the centre of Washington square
within sight OF the venerated lndepen-
dence Hall.
Meantime, the original fund In the GUS
tody OF the Cincinnati had remained un-
disturbed and the citizens fund was
also substantially intact Overtures
were repeatedly made for consolida-
ton of the two funds, but the sturdy
conservatism OF the Cincnnatians de-
feated them. until about fifteen years
ago. when the matter was carried TO
the courts, with successful issue. Du-
ring the interval Of quiescence both funds
had waxed fatter-the citizens 10 $4,000,
and the Cincinnati to sl30,00O. The union
formed a treasury which continued 10
accumulate up TO the grand achievement
to-day Of the purpose OF our forefathers.
The monument. which is the design or
Professor Rudolph Siemering, cele-
brated sculptor Of Berlin. is about forty
feet high. From an oblong platform,
reached on four sides by thirteen steps,
symbolical Of the thirteen original States.
rises pedestal bearing an equestrian
statue In bronze OF General Washington.
The Father OF His Country is represented
In the Colonial uniform OF the American
army. q large military cloak being thrown
around his commanding figure. At the
four corners OF the platform are foun-
tains, served by allegorical figures Of
American Indians. representing four
riyers--tbe Delaware. Hudson, Potomac.
and Mississippi. On the sides each OF
these mountains is guarded by typical
American apimals-eght in ALL At tho
front and back OF the pedestal are two
allegorical groups the former represent
ing America seated. holding In one hand
a cornucopia; In the other a trident. and
having at her feet chains just cast OFF.