The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-06-07
The Corinthian Column.


ouence. Association is the inspiration
of all values. A large fiat stone of
irregular shape supported by others
that are upright, like the Cromlechs
found in England and Ireland, Algeria
and India, or, circle of stones like
that at Stonehenge, because thought,
a principle, a hope, a history was
associated with them, were, despite
grotesoueness, useful and even beauti-
fu1.
The original Doric column, so
it is said, was not solitary
stone-heap without an idea, without
association of any kind, but, as it stood
erect, solid and strong, and being six
times the length of it's diameter, as
sturdy, muscular, invincib1e man is
supposed to be six times the length of
his foot, it represented the well-ba1anced
perfectly developed genus homo. The
Ionic column, more slender than the
Doric, with it's base of twisted cord
like the cords of a sandal, and capital
ornamented with spiral scrolls which
appear like the crimpled hair hanging
on both sides of the female face repre-
sents a woman, cymetrical, harmo-
uious1y unfolded, of perfect physique.
The Corinthian column, more delicate
than Doric or Ionic, with futed sides
like the folds in a damsePs dress, is
supposed to suggest and symbolic
a young girl when her form is most
graceful and charming and is capable
of carrying those ornaments that en-
nance her 1ov1iness.
Thus all ideals in architecture stand
for something. Each differing feature
from sty1obate to entab1ature is import
ant and valuable because of its associa-
ton with living creature or nature, or
history, or faith, or philosophy.
One visits the Soldiers and Sailors
monument at Cleveland; he gazes on
the groups without and the tablets
within; but to aim mariners standing
by a mortar, soldiers sighting cannon,
guards rushing against guards, man
holding a flag, another offering gun
to negro, amount to nothing more
than p1ay-pictures in a primer, if con-
sidered independent of association and
the sublime history that constitutes the
background; but let him recognize
association, let him become acquainted
with the conflicting opinions that
swept to and fro in this country like
tidal waves during the administration
of President Buchanan and previous
1Y; let him know of the surrender of
Sumter and the pillows of intense feel
ing that arose and ragged in the breasts
Of men; let him comprehend the fear
full clash of arms that provoked doom
and death between 1861 and 1865, the
manumission of four million bondmen,
and the salvation of a great nation,
and sailor and soldier, color bearer and
Comrade, slave and emancipation, base,
shaft, and statuary become sublime
epic in bronze and marble. Each
picture and every minute part has a
meaning. Tolls and tears, sacrifices
and bereavements, love and honor,
history and principle are built into
every bit of marble and bronze, and,
panel and tablet, statue and statuette,
is eloquent of a truth that never has
been told in full. In that massive and
beautiful monument large part of the
world is epitomized.
Keuosha yesterday unveiled it's
Soldiers monument. That granite
octogons, towering sixty feet above
the ground and weighing $50 tons,
without association would be $50 tons
of stone and nothing more; but, in the
midst of =. memories that cluster
about it, it is not only MAJ lie column
with bases and dies, and capital of
canthus gracefu1ness, but it is
biography, it is tremu1ous with life,
it is the loudest voice that ever spoke
in Kenosha county, it is one of the
grandest chapters ever written by the
pen of historian, it is volume larger
than all the volumes that will crowd
the shelves of the Simmons Memorial
Public Library, it is a focus of light,
picture capable of infinite enlargement.
That Corintian column that occupies
a prominent position in the heart, and
in the center of the beauty, of Kenosha,
is something more than an attempt to
please the aesthetic taste, something
more than a splendid specimen of me-
chanica1 skill and engineering ingenu-
ity. It is eloquent of the generosity
of the magnanimous gentleman who
gave that magnificent monument as
well as the unique library building, a
poem IN white marble, to the residents
of Kenosha county. It is monumental
of the most StuDeudo11S s+ruop1e he