The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-21
Houdon's Washing

Russin to- bring this war f' % . eto''o -
Jupun's own terms, 4! n y. ...s.,., n 4
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Houdon's Washington. 81
Delegate Charles j. Anderson q 'f ms ms
city, proposes that better provision sl' IA
he n,ndo FOR tho safekceping Of 1loadon1 $! 8
statue OF washington.
This statue now stands IN the fot''l'''a
Or quadrangle, rather. 9 the oap''o -
and IS regarded as the most precious
piece Of sculpture having washington 'll' Is'
for its subject. It Is Of marble aEa y
a fac. slmilcnf, the person OF the f '
of his Country. and Is fromatlic ha 1''
81 tfoudon, Tho French sculptor, VINO ,
was ,'tl,c greatest statuarS Of MS time.
If left whereEi 1t is now, TINS ll' s' '
might easily DO destroyed by fro fire OR
broken 81 defacnd whilst the work Oh
rcnniring ana romoleling the Capitol was
going on. Hence General Anderson urges g g
that 5000 be. set aside and u. commas 8
sion appointed for the purpose 81 nous
Ing and protecting ttcmporarllS' ~
least, II is Thought possible that = q
place Of sccurityslfor the statue may pc
fourd in the state library building
~ Tie. seventies fear was entertained tain
fiat the foundations of this statue were
unsafe. and It was, therefore. taken Tax OUT ~
of the Capitol until the foundations coui q
be repaired, when It was put back IN IN Us us
old position. "
In consideration Of one thousand
guinaes,. plus the expense Of his his UP ~
and also III the hope that he would pc %
commissioned BY Congress TO make the
en,,estran statue Of Washington then
contemplated NJ. E[oudon visited TINS
country in 1885, and stayed two weeks
with Washirg ton at Mount Vernon. Inc
yrginia commissioners had had e. ln ~
length portrait Of Washington made by
Pcale and had sent 1t to him in Parls
to guide him in his work, but Iioudon
was not satisfied; he preferred to see
General Washington in person ara make
q cast and measurements
Houdon. while at Mount Vernon, look
casts of the face, head and upper part
or the body Of washington, and MADE
minute measurements of other portions
OF his person. IIo went away with exact
data, with which to do his work, and ne
contracted to do 1t lelsurely SO that he
might do it we'll. 1t was agreed that
| he should have three years time IN
| which TO finish tho sta tue, and accord
lngly 1t was not ready for shipment tc
this country until 1888. At that date
| however. the Capntol building had not
beer finished and the Virginia commits
sIoners arranged that the statue should
DO detained in FRANCE until such time
as the Capitol building should be ready
| 10 receive it, 1t was not until May
100, that the statue was received. here
ana erected where 1t now stands.
It always has been q matter of appre,
! henson upon the part of the Legislature
! ard the people lest the statue might bt
! destroyed BY fire or otherwise. And SO
looking to It's preservation, or. rather
| looking to the preservation OF copy
| the Legislature, in 1853, permitted w. ]
1 HUBBARD of this city,sto take casts OF !
and make several copies in bronze. Al
Of these copies ares'in existence, we be
| lleve. II s5a
That the Legislature will see to !
| that tho statue Is taken care OF w
have no doubt. Tomorrow is Washing
TOMS birthday, ard the moment is oppor
4 tune for the consideration of subjects per
tanning to virginia's illustrlous SOM but
4 Independent Of any work that is 70 b.
done ~. tho Capitol. the statuegis worth,
oc more secure location; one where \
will be safer from fire, UEtl the Capi
tol be made reasonably fireproof tn
statue should be placed in the Librar
building, or in some fIreproof structul
erected for the purpose, or else boXo
up and stored In a secure place unit
40 have a Capitol in which will be SAT
as possible from all sorts of danger.
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