Evening journal., 1906-10-17

ing the period OF indifference through
which the figure has passed. Standing on
the ground, beside the walls Of old Fort
Wood, great yellow streaks OF rust stains
can be seen spreading over the delicate
tracery Of green which time has laid on
the bronze plates. These stains are par
ticularly noticeable just below the knot
where the robes Of the figure are gath
cred on the left breast and in the coil OF
hair which falls below the diadem on Miss
Liberty's head.
And this is not all Inside the statue
the salt air has been even more ravenous.
pittlng the structural steel which forms
The skeleton Of the figure and rendering
the cast iron stairway more or less uncer-
tain. That IL Is absolutely unsafe Cap
tain George c. Burnen of the United
states Signal Corps, who Is the command
ant OF the military post on the island, de-
nles emphaucally. Captain Burncu has
had charge of the statue ever since it was
turned over to the War Department for
safe keeping by the government, who re-
lieved the American Statue Committee Of
its labors in that respect. II is said the
men composing this committee did every
thing IN their power TO obtain enough
money to maintain the statue in the way
they conceived it should be, but were not
successful In their endeavors
The effect OF this lack of money Is plain
ly discernible everywhere about the statue
as soon as the visitor puts his foot on the
island The very spiri. Of ruin hangs over
where the boat lands. for that matter Il
is to be seen on the boat itself before you
, land; il is In the walks leading up 70 the
pedestal which are weather beaten ans
rotten planks that give as the foot or
hand touches them. The old cannon on
me facade OF the fort have not escaped,
bur are pock marked by the flying spray
and irfrusted salt OF the bay Even Tho
big concrete base OF the statue has come
in for its share Of the general dilapidauon
and is marked by great star shaped seams
and cracks showing vividly against the
white walls.
Most unseemly Of all Is the state. border
ing as il does on the dangerous, OF the
temporary stairway up which one must
climb to the main entrance OF the pedestal.
This Is OF wood, weather SCARED wood,
patched and shored IN innumerable places
by the signal corps people since trey came
into power. and Was originally put up Tor
the purpose OF Fastening the day when the
statue could be thrown open to the public.
1t was meant for a weeks or a montl's
use az the longest. but 81 has stood there
for the best part of tweniy years--the
statue was thrown open october zo. leo5-
growing more and more disnevelled, more
and more unsightiy and unsafe until to-
day.
Haadzls Aid the Rim.
Vandalism and caresessness have played
their part in the present woful state o.
the goddess and her temple. From head
TO foo, she is marked and marred. In the
tiny room in the crown OF her head there
are several hundred names Of various per-
sons who. from time 20 time, have been
smitten with desire for cheap Game, %
attain which they have scrawled their
names in struggling letters wherever there
was an inch of space. They have even
reached outside. Though the windows ir
the diadem, and done their worst In the
walls Of the pedestal. in the fort, wherever
they could, these persons have gone about
dlsdsurlng 70 the best OF their ability. The
pity OF IL all is taat this Is the place OF
all others where foreigners 90 on their
arrival In this country. All day long and
every day a stream OF visitors passes up
the narrow iron stairway OF pauses to gaze
reverenuelly at the statue itseif. b. ncn a
reporter for the HERALD paid visit to the
piace there were a party of Germans. a
couple Of Frenchnen and-wonder OF
Toniers-a Chinese. NOT one OF TIE man.
darins one hears so much about and whose
exclusion caused tie boycott. but just an
ordinary "wlshee washee" man. He was
enjoying himself. too, very much. trying