The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-30
NEEDS 4 NEW TOMB.
Abraham Lncon's Burial Place Is Fast Going to Decay

Flom the Chicago Inter Ocean.
LiEooln's fame is more enduring In
TIE hearts of his countrymen than the
granite pile reared to his memory at
Spi irgfield. ILL.,. which was intended as
: permanent memorial to the nlartyred
en7ancipator. While the deeds and
sAGGies of Abraham Lincoln are still
fresh in the minds of all peoples, the
massive monume Mt and crypt is crum-
b.ire to decay.
Not only is the memorial itself in bad
shape, but the vault which contains
the remains of Lincoln. his wife and
taree sons is in danger Of collapse, and
TIC relic chamber, in the base of the
monument, is also falling to pieces.
only thirty years have elapsed since
the structure was reared, but it's outer
walls are disintegrating. Tho seams in
its masonry are gaping. Rle frosts
and SHOWS and rains have eaten into
the joints of its granite veneer I'm
less steps are taken soon toward re-
setting the facing, the entire structure
VIII be soon in ruins. In some places.
especially the southeast and northwest
corners, the gaps between the granite
slabs are two inches wide The base
appears to have suffered most Many
granite blocks are dangerously out of
plumb, and the brick work of the base
is also demoralized.
The question of repairing the Lincoln
monument has been a matter of con-
troversy among state legislators for q
long time. An appropriation of $50, 900
was made for that purpose during the
administration of Gov Altgeld but the
sum was deemed insufficient and has
never been used. 1t is claimed that
anything less than tearing down the
whole granite facing and reSetting it
would be a waste of money. This job
would cost 100000. The monument as
it stands. was erected at an expense
of $270,000. Proposals for appropriat-
ing money to repair the monument are
always met by counter propositions to
tear down the present structure and
rebuild it on somewhat different lines.
No memorial was ever erected but that
many people thought it should have
been designed differently. This has
been the case with the massive Lincoln
memorial at Springfield, and it is over
this feature that a lively debate is ex-
pected
ERECTION OF THE MONUMENT.
The movement for the erection of a
national Lincoln monument was begun
Immediately after the assassination of
President Lincoln, but it was not until
Oct. 10, 1874. that the Springfield me-
mortal was dedicated, that city being
chosen because it was Lincoln's home
when he was elected to the presidency.
The monument stands in the center of
six acres of high ground in Oak Ridge
cemetery. 1t is of massive proportions.
of bronze and granite, and was design
ed by Larllin G. Mead Jr, an Amer
ican artist. Thirty-one artists of ma
tional reDute competed for the design.
among them being Leonard Volk, Har-
riet Hosmer and Winnie Ream. Some
of the designs submitted would have
cost $4,000 600, but all were adjudged
as being Of artistic merit, and it was
only after considerable difficulty in
making q choice that the design sub
nitted by Larlin G. Mead, of Brattle-
boro, VT, was accepted. Whatever
may be said in criticism, it cannot be
denied that the Lincoln monument is
an imposing structure. 1t consists of
It central granite shaft, or obelisk. ris-
ing from a massive square base to a
height of ninety-eight feet Allegorical
figures in bronze crown the four cor
ners of the pedestal. A bronze statue
of Lincoln standing in relief against
the shining granite forms the central
figure of the groups of statuary The
monument is located on probably the
highest ground in Springfield, overlook
ing the capital and wide stretches of
Illinois prairie. The statue of Lincoln
has been commended as one of the most