The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-04-22
GRANTS TIME-DEFYINGT TOMB.
Now Completed After Five Years in
Building

Now Completed After Five Years in
Building.
The work is now entirely completed.
The lower portion of the tomb is a
square structure of the Grecian Doric
order, measuring 80 feet on side. The
entrance is on the south side, and is
protected by portico formed of double
lines of columns, and approaced by
steps 70 feet wide. The square portion
is finished with cornice and a parapet,
at hight from grade Of u feet, and
above this is circular cupola 70 feet
in diameter, of the Ionic order, which
Is surmounted with a pyramidal top,
terminating at height of $50 feet above
grade, or $50 feet above mean high
water of the Hudson river. The inter
Tor is cruciform in plan, rs feet at the
greatest dimension, the four corners
being piers of masonry connected at the
top by coffered arches the crown of
which are SO feet from the floor level.
On these arches rests an open circular
gallery of 40 feet inner diameter, cul-
minating in paneled dome 105 feet
| above the level of the floor. The sur
faces between the planes of the faces
of the arches and the circular dome
form pendentives which are decorated
in high relief sculpture, the work of j.
Massey Rhind, and emblematic of the
birth, military and civic life and death
of Gen. Grant.
The sarcophagi will be placed in d
crypt directly beneath the center Of the
dome. The approach to the crypt
is by stairways which give access to a
passage encircling the space dedicated
to the sarcophagi, which space is sur
rounded by square columns supporting
paneled marble ceilings and entabla
ture. A circular opening in the main
floor gives an unobstructed view of the
sarcophagi from the floor and from the
gallery.
In the work Of construction the fact
was kept steadily in view that solidity
portance, and that they should not be
impaired by an effort unduly to hasten
and durability were of paramount i'm
the work. To get the large blocks of
stone new beds had to be opened at
great depths in the quarry, and the
dressing, carving and transporting of
the enormous amount of granite re-
quired for the construction was tedi-
Gus process. In the winter but little
work could be done at the quarres, and
no setting of stone was permitted for
fear Of damage from freezing weather.
When the heavy piers of masonry In
the interior were built, and large
masses of concrete used, a delay of
several months was insisted upon be-
fore continuing the construction, in
order to allow the work to set" and
| to avoid any possibility of shrinkage or
setting thereafter. Occasional delays
occurred from finding specks or flaws
| upon the surfaces of some of the large
stones after they had been dressed
down to completion; and as the associa-
ton reserved the right, under the terms
| of the contract, to reject such ma
| terial, new stones had to be prepared to
take the places of those which exhibited
| defects.
| The time from the laying of the cor
ner stone to the completion of the tomb
has been five years, shorter period
| than was consumed in the building of
| any conspicuous memorial in history.
The Bunker Hill monument which cost
! $780, 900, was not completed until II
| years after the cornerstone was laid,
| In the case of the Washington monu-
ment, which cost $1,1S7,710, the time
consumed was 81 years.-Gen Horace
Porter in the Century.