The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-06-30
To wash the Goddess,
n the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post
Five hundred and fifty-seven feet in
the air, seven human flies nave IoF
the past week each day taken their
lives in their hands, and climbed the
dizzy heights OF the topmost polnt or
the Capitol TO wash the statue, doo-
dess Of Liberty. with ~arm water ana
CASTLE soap The work has cost Uncie
sam $500, but in paymen the GoddesS
now shines. and when the heavy
scaffolding erected around the statue,
bv which the workmen are able to
perform their laborS. has been remov-
ed. the result Of the cleaning process
will be evident, even to the SpeckS OF
humanity on the streets below.
The Goddess of Liberty was last
washed ten Years ago. Since then IL
has not had its face cleaned, and the
rains and dust of a decade nave play
"a havoc with both gown and feat
uras The work of washing the statue
is under the direction OF supervising
Architect Woods. of the capitol. but
Alberts. Ports, an unueTslLeu IHak
Without fear. the official trigger OF
the Government. is in actual charge !
of the scrubbing gang. he Is regaror
ed as one of the most daring men m
the employ of Uncle Sam.
The Goddess of Liberty, or statue
| of Freedom-referred to by visitors
| as the ..Indian"-Teighs $4,000 POUNDS,
and its surface IS therefore couslueL
able. 1t is much larger than II ap-
pears from the plaza of the Capltd,
from where it seems to be about three
feet in height. The face and hands are
made of polished rough bronze.
Several days 60, when the Capltol
house-cleaners came to the Goddess an
4 rheir laboys, a calculation or the
5 amount of scaffotdIng needed vas
81 made, and the timber were taken
through the dome to the closest polnt
Of approach. to the statue. This point
/ is; thirty feet below the base OF the
Il statue. The work1nen, headed by
Ports. then climbed outside the upper
most platform, erected a thirty-foot
ladder. and thus reached the pedestal
of the bronze The scar-
folding timbers were hauled up one at
d a time. and a huge framework erected
about the Goddess.
The work of cleaning the bronze
then began. 1t was first decided to
use pumice stone but it was found that
rubbing the bronze with this substance
gave it too high a polish and caStlle
AI soap was tried with excellent results.
From crown to feet the bronze was
20 covered with big scales. These tre
SOAP. removed and a complete new
"a sprirgg dress was given the patron goo
dess of America. 1t was fourd tndt
the famous statue III the past Ieh
wears. has been the target Of ne
~ ngh1nlnS more lHdH a. lOIAdASo NAi-ANN'
G Although they cannot be seer from
aft the street there are two lightning roos
%; on the shoulders of the Goddess anc
five on the points of the crown sur
eu mounting her head. These were ON
pletely burnt Oft by the heat OF repeat
ed strokes and the tips mad been met
III ed and fused running down upon thu
eu bronze. The lightning points hav,
:, been restored. They are expensive
and consist of bronze points four inche
~ long, tipped with dne inch OF platinum
gOld-plated.
In addition to cleaning the Goddess
Mr.. Woods has besn making the en-
,uil. tire Capitol shine, so that members G
m congress- returning in the faH w!
scarcely. know the place. The pl
rml dome has been painted, and the cen
ks; trail portion Of the building, maoe {
rel Virginia. freeStOne, susceptible to lH
lis; action of the weather, has been give
.70;I dome was S., 900. TO do it twenty-fot
n barrels of mixed white paint were COZ
Sumed.
en- For the first time since the origin
,te:l work was DONE, tine shield and AFRO
go; tips in the figure representing Ere
M DOM and the CONSTITUTION" over Il
central eastern portico of the Capt.
have been gilded. Heretofore the II
ures in the niche have been absolute
white Now a considerable pOrti'
'och shines with gold. This has caused co
ant, siderable criticism
onal] 1t is. argued by many artlses OIL |
-, city that gold tips on the shield
the Freedom" and arrows of her quiV
thel cheapen the otherwise dignified appea
icu- ance of the group
Architect Woods said yesterday VIII
ap- this eroun was placed in position o
ginalIy the crown and shield and arr
,+io, points were giIded. After the lapse
years. the gilt wore off, and was ne'
replaced until recently, when It "
nent.l decided to put the gilt back in aeol
be- IS lo''14,oA'; dsalil9I 'h'' N
than saIle 80 tha @o;no1 nIon