The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-27

picking questions which arose in con-
nectiOn with the. new tomb the greatest
was that of obtaining suitable material
for the sarcOphagus. The proper quail
ity was found, after long search, in the
quarr1eS OF Monticello, Wisconsin. pOr-
phyry of fine texture. brilliantly red
dish in color. Cut from the solid rock,
| it is highly polished rejecting the near
by surfaces as it rests in the crypt The
great block is 10 feet inches long 3
feet 3 inches wide and feet inches
high. and weighs five tons. In this i'm
menSe block a space was followed out
into which the cOffined remains of Cen
eral Grant were lowered. Then the cap
stone was set, and the sarcOphagus
again became as a solid block. II is
plain, save for the simple engraved
inscription at the head of the capstOne,
Ulysses S. Grant"
The pedestal on which the sarcOpha-
gus rests. is a square of ten feet ten
inches. The lower course Of / foot
inches is made in sections, above
which is a five inch indented course.
Still above this are two heavy blocks of
marble which the sarcophagus di-
rectly sets. The total height of all is
seven and one half feet.
Some day the body of Mrs. Grant will
repOse beside that of her husband in a
duplicate of the sarcOphagus now in the
crypt of the tomb.
WHERE THE TOMB STANDS.
Riverside Park is, indeed, a fitting
place for the tomb of a hero Nestled
on the banks of the Hudson it seems to
CRIME of the scenes below to a purer at
mOsphere. Massive walls of gray gran
lite that from the river look like rows
Of parapets guard the park on the wa
ter front The steep incline is thiClIly
wooded and only here and there can
the gray rugged sides Of the hill be
seen from the river
From no other point in the city can
such a view be obtained as from RiV-
erside Park For 20 miles the placid
Hudson can be seen vending it's wind
ing to where the tall f. covered
Palisades blend with the western hori-
zon. On the Jersey side is old Fort
Lee, the ferry house and dainty villas
that dot the banks and look like Swiss
chalets nesting in the warmth of the
Alpine summer, with no grim snowy
peaks to cast a shadow on their rural
loneliness. On the bosom of the Hudson
palatial pleasure yachts ferry boats.
steamers and putting tugs make their
way by summer. while in winter sOlita-
ry craft plOUghs through ice and silent
grandeur reigns- Looking to the east
are the signs of a great city, the tall
smOke-stacks of factories the hum
from the busy streets, and the distant
Shrek of trains and ships. To the
south is the smoke of Jersey City with
its myriads of masts and outlines of
docks that gradually grow indistnct
until nothing is seen but the blue wa
ters 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 almost within mile of the
great tomb colossal structures have
been erected and today this part Of the
city is practically the scholastic centre
of the metropolis, although some of
these buildings are not yet entirely
completed. The new Columbia univer-
sity 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 elevation
of MOrningside Heights is the Teach
ers' College; St Luke's Hospital also
overlool1s these heights and at night it's
many lighted windows shine like some
heavenly constellation. Some 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 an
Gent cathedrals of Europe.
RIVERSIDE PARK
With such exceptional natural adj
vantages it is not surprising that Riv-
erside Park has become a favorfte sum
n1er resting place for the New Yorker
On warm day it's slopiug green sides
are crowded with children, while along
it's winding sheltered paths the invalid
in his carriage is frequently seen draw
ing new life from the refreshing breezes
that blow from the bay or down
through the leafy palisades. And when
the sun sets and the Hudson glimmers
with the reflected light of a thousand
quickly passing portfolios the benches
in the park are almost always filed
with those grateful people who love the
lence love.
Its average breadth is 800 feet but the
Drive as the park is more Familiarity
known, is much broader where the curves
on the coast or inland sides contribute
to its area Running north it presents a
series of elevations, each rise . little high
er than the last until at the summit of
the hill IS met an abrupt descent of $50
feet. The Drive" when originally laid
out provided for two carriage drives. a
bride path and promenade. Bicyclists
have found the park . delightfully."- wheel
ing ground and are always TO be seen in
great numbers on its pat
The history Of the park is as interest
ing as 1t is unknown. Before revolution
airy times the English aristocrats built
their summer houses there and around
many board in mansions long since gone
to decay glasses cltnked to the health and
long reign of George III. Modified by
modern architecture, with but few traces
left of what they were in earlier DAYS, a
few of these old landmarks still stand.
The many mounds along the surface Of
the hill tell with silent eloQuence the fate
of their former owners.
1t was not until 1872 however that the city
acquired the DFODerfV. although nGZOCiaa-