The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-23
TO WASH THE GODDESS
NERvY woRKMEN SCALE CAP ITQL DOME IN THE WORK.
Her First Bath in Ten Years-Sup- ported by a Frail Scaffold, Seven Men Remove Marks of Time
 from Statue of Liberty.
Washington Post.

rive hundred and fifty-seven feet in the air, seven human flies have for the past week each day taken their lives in their hands, and climbed the dizzy heights of the topmost point of the Capitol to wash the statue, Goddess of Liberty, with warm water and castillo soap. The work has cost Uncle Sam s400 but in payment the Goddess now shines, and when the heavy scaffolding erected around the statue, by which the workmen are able to perform their labors, has been removed, the re- suit of the cleansing process will be evil the streets below.
 The Goddess of Liberty was last washed ten years ago. Since then 1t has not had its face cleansed, and the rains and dust of decade have played havoc with both gown and features. The work of washing the statue Is under the direction of Super vising Architect Woods of. the Capitol. but Alberts Ports, an undersized man without fear. the official "rigger'' of the scrubbing gang. He is regarded as one of the most daring men in the employ of Uncle Sam.
 The Goddess of Liberty, or Statue of Freedom-referred to by visitors as the sTndian'-weighs 19.00o pounds. and It's surface is therefore considerable. It is much larger than it appears from the
 
 to be about three feet in height. The face and hands are made of polished bronze, while the cloak Is sand-finished, rough bronze.
 A Difficult Task.
 Several days ago, when the Capitol house cleaners came to the Goddess in their labors, a calculation of the amount of scaffolding needed was made, and the timbers were taken through the dome to the closest point of approach to the statue, This point is thirty feet below the base of the statue The workmen, headed by Ports, then climbed outside the upper most platform, erected a thirty foot lad der. and thus reached the pedestal of the bronze monument. The scaffolding tim bers were hauled up one at a time and a huge framework erected about the God dess.
 The work of cleaning the bronze then began. It was first decided to use pumice stone, but 1t was found that rubbing the bronze with this substance gave it too high a polish, and castillo soap was tried, with excellent results. From crown to feet the bronze was covered with big scales. These the soap removed, and a complete new spring dress was given the patron goddess of America. It was found that the famous statue, in the past ten years. has been the target of the light ming more than hundred times.
 Lightning Has Left Marks.
 Although they cannot be seen from the street, there are two lightning rods on the shoulders of the Goddess and five on the points of the crown surmounting her head. These are completely burnt off by the heat of repeated strokes, and the tips had been melted and fused, run ming down upon the bronze. The light ming points have been restored. They are expensive, and consist of bronze points four inches long tipped with one inch of platinum, gold-plated.
 In addition to cleaning the the Goddess Mir. Woods has been making the entire Capitol shine, so that members of Con- gress returning in the fall will scarcely know the place. The big dome has been painted. and the central portion of the building made of Virginia freestone. sus- ceptible to the action of the weather has been given a white coat. The coat oi painting the dome was 5000. To do fl twenty-four barrels of mixed white paint were consumed.
 For the first time since the origina work was done. the shield and arrow tip: in the figure representing Freedom" anC the Constitution" over the central east ern portico of the Capitol, have beer gilded. Heretofore the figures in the niche have been absolutely white. Now { considerable portion shines with gold This has caused considerable criticism.
 It is argued by many artists of the city that gold tips on the shield of Freedom and arrows of her culver cheapen the oth erwise dignified appearance of the group
 Architect Woods said yesterday wher this group was placed in position origi nally the crown and shield and arrow points were gilded. After the lapse oi years the gilt wore off. and was never re- placed until recently when 1t was de- ojded to put the gilt back in accordance with the original plan.