Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-01
EFFORTS
Continued on Seventh Page.)

tation on behalf of the city Of Washington
of a fine block of white marble which, after
an address by Gen. Waiter Jones was
hosted to it's place in the walls. Inc Duiio-
ing of the Monument went on from tnat
time with such progress as the money AVIAN,
able permitted and the methods employed
for arousing the interest of the people Oh
the country We're continued with such Varia-
lions as experience suggested
The society was incorporated by act OF
Congress the 22d of February. 1879. and II
was after that date that another pian oi
work was adopted. 1t was the securing OF
contributions from voters at all municipal
and general elections, and appropriations by
state legislatures, and the INVOKING by CIR
cular letter of aid from all political, corpor-
ate or voluntary bodies, the army anu navy
all associations, cnuiciles, oo|ie'i0' ~ 80
dividuals. 49,,
At a general election in this city. held
June G. 1859 contributions were received at
the polls toward the funds OF the society.
Prior to that time the practice had been
quite general for fire companies, secret Or
ganizations and other bodies In the country
to have a block of stone appropriately IN
scrfbed and send it to the society to De
niaced in the walls Of the Monument. One
such contribution was from the pope VINO
sent a block of marble from rome Inc
stone was, in March, 1894, stoien at night
from the shed at the base of the Monument
where similar gifts were stored. The act
was supposed to be the work of the know
nothing party. a political organization Inc
ctO not recovered, anu lue tLtOiy Hos
always been that it was dumped into the
Potomac.
New Board Chosen.
npba following year an election was held
about which the officers Of the society had
no knowledge and an entirely new board
was chosen and 1t proceeded to take pos
session of the property and the papers Of
the society This action was supposed to
he due to the know-nothing party. The
new officers remained in charge of the So
ciety for about three years, when the Mon
ument property was restored to the original
custodianS. ,
the practice Of placing boxes for receiving
contributions in post offices throughout the
country was begun and. in addition, the
solicitation of funds by agents was con-
tinued and also appeals sent out and ad-
dresses to the public In general to spe-
cific organization.
memorial had been addressed to Con-
gress asking the aid of that body by an ap-
nropration but just at that time came the
change in the control Of the society and so
nothing was done Another such appeal
was made in 1851, but no favorable action
was taken The funds of the society were,
now for number Of years but slightly
increased, owing mainly to the absorption
of the public mind In the war, then In
progress
Congress in the undertaking was resumed.
but for several years no result followed.
Memorial Before Congress.
The society appointed q committee OF Its
| members early In the fall Of 1875 to lay its
memorial before Congress asking a contri-
button on behalf of the nation toward COM
pieting the Monument and to urge In every
proper way the members Of that body to
make such an appropriation. the sum pro-
posed by the society being 100000: tho
amount Congress had once voted Tor Q