The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-17
A MEMORIAL FOR ALL TIME
The Washington Monument Stands
Like the Rock of Ages.
Space Within It's Walls for an Army
of Twelve Thousand Men-Erectcd
by Popular Subscription and Pub
lie Donation The Dimensions.

It almost seems improbable, but meas
urements and Investigations made by OF
fcials establish the fact that there J
enough room in the interior OF the WASH
ington Monument to house an army o
12,Oo0 men. II is estimated that the iduu
ings viii accommodate $50; the stairs
3Si5: the upper and lower Platforms f''
and the elevator, 50 men
On an average, 500 visitors daily ascen'
TO the top Of the Monument either by tn
staircase of 900 steps. or in the elevator
1t casts the Government about 10000 &
vsar to take the public up the 500 feet
and down again, after they have had &
view Of the surrounding country from
the top Of the Monument.
An immense iron frame structure sup
ports the machinery Of the elevator
which Is hoisted with steeiwire ropes
two inches thick At one side begin the
iron stairs. of which there are fifty
flights. each containing eighteen steps
Five hundred and twenty feet from the
entrance to the Monument at the base OF
the pyramidal top, there is a lookout plat
form containing an area of 1,lS1E square
feet and windows, IS by "A inches two
on each face.
The total height of the Monument above
ground is $40 feet. SIS inches; or 597 feet.
inches above mean low water in the
Potomac; or $50 feet. 9.9G inches above the
mean level of the Atlantic at Sandy
Hook, N y: or J92 feet from its founda-
ton bed. The entire height is slightly
greater than ten times the breadth of
base. The Monument is the highest per
manent structure in the world.
THE MATERIAL AND COST.
The estimated number OF granite blocks
in the shaft is 23ooO, and its total weight,
including foundation and earth upon it,
SLIGO tons. The mean pressure Of the
Monument is five tons per square foot
Inc total cost of the structure in round
figures amounted to about Sl,5G1,01l The
popular subscription reached the sum of
S50OOvo, and Congress appropriated the
balance necessary. The foundations of
the Monument, which bear a weight Of
A,lb tons, are constructed of solid blue
rock and are 1i6 feet inches square, and
&c feet inches deep. The base of the
shaft is 81 feet square, and the lower
walls are Is feet thick. At the 5D0 foot IL
ovation, where the pyramidal top begins,
the walls are only is inches thick. The
inside of the walls, far as they were
constructed before the work was under
taken by the Government in lSIS-l50 feet
from the base-is of blue granite. not laid
in courses. From this point to within a
short distance OF the beginning of the
regular courses of granite, corresponding
with the courses of marble on the out
side. For the top marble is used eXclu-
siNely. The marble blocks Were cut or
dressed in the most careful manner and
laid in courses OF set by experienced
and skllful workmen. There is no fill
ing or backing between the granite
and marble blocks. but they are all close
ly Joined, the work being declared the
best piece of masonry in the world" BY
a plumblne suspended from the top of
the Monument inside, not three-eighths
OF an inch detection has been noticed.
The Keystone, which binds the interior
ribs of stone that support the marble fac
ing of the pyramidal cap of the Monu-
ment, weighs nearly five tons.
ToPMosT STONE OF THE PYRAMID.
The topmost stone of the pyramidon was
placed in position December G. 1881. 1t
weighs 1900 pounds; its height from base
TO top is feet 2lA inches; it is feet 50
inches high on the outer face. with a =
inch shoulder to bind on each side, eX-
tending l0IR inches below; its base is
feet and a fraction square, and inches
in diameter at the top where the alumni
mum top fits in. This is 9 inches in height
and AZ inches at the base, and weighing
100 ounces terminates the top stone or
cap. This metal was selected because or
its lightness and freedom from oxidation,
and because ii will always remain bright
Altogether, there are inserted at-the va
rious landings of the monument lI5 me
mortal tablets, 90 of which were contrib
uted by States, by counties. 10 by for
eign countries, 20 by cities, 80 by societies.
lodges. associations, military, and other
wise by private individuals by an I'M
known party, as the inscription is illcgi-
BILE, being decayed. One of the stones con-
tributed was a block of African marble
from the Temple of Concord at Rome. and
was the gift of the Pope. 1t bore the sim
pie inscription. Rome TO America"
In March, 1854, during the Know-N0th-
ing excitement. the lapidarium, where the
memorial blocks were kept, was forcibly
entered, and this stone was taken, and,
it is supposed, was thrown into the Po-
tomac. A reward for its return was Of
fered, but the ozone up to this date has
not been recovered, and its hiding place
remains a mystery. The thirteenth plat
form is at a height Of l52 feet and ii is
here where the Government began its
work Of finishing the Monument. This
platform does not con in any memorial
tablets. The reason for this apparent
oversight cannot be ascertained. 1t may
have been the superstitious belief Of the
builders in the bad omen Of the fatefIl
number thirteen which caused them not
TO honor this platform with any of the
invaluable autographs.
With the aid Of a little imagery, one can
trace in the peculiar grain and appar-
entity accidental happy laying of the mar
BILE blocks on the exterior at height OF
about $50 feet on the east side of the
the outlines Of semblance of
an immense eagle with wings outstretch-
ed. as II protecting the landmark OF lib
erty against all danger and evil.
MASONRY THOROUGHLY CONSTRUCTED.
The masonry constructed by the Gov
eminent is the best known to the engi-
neering art, and the weight Is so distrib-
uted that, subjected to wind pressure Of
100 pounds per square foot on any face,
to a wind velocity Of li5
miles per hour the Monument would have
a large fatcor Of safety against overturn-
ing.
The marble Is of the same kind as that
I'm the monolithic columns Of the Capitol,
has fine grain, is close and compact in
texture, free from disintegrating impure
ties and, in this climate, will endure for
ages.
In the proportions Of this, ;he grandest
column ever erected in any
age Of the world the ratios Of the di-
mansions Of the several parts of the an
cieut Egyptian obesiik have been carefully
The cornerstone Of the Monument was
laid July 4, 1915. and on February q. 1855,
IN the presence Of the executive, legisla-
tive, and judicial officers of the Govern
the Marine Corps, and the Volunteers.
the Diplomatic Corps, eminent divines,
jurists, scientists and Journalists, ven
cradle citizens representing former gem
erations, the National Monument Society
and the Masonic fraternity, the Washing
ton Monument was dedicated.
TO HOLD THE NILE WATERS.