Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-01

toned on an expenditure of $4,000 an
nually. 1t was happily secured at that
time No other time was so opportune.
Congress strongly divided. the appropria-
ton came from it as the expression of the
entire people. The nation was celebrating
its one hundredth anniversary. The bill
was signed by a President who in war as
general of the armies Of the United States
had maintained the formation of the repub-
lie as established by the aid of the first
President, who, as commander-in- chief of
the armies of the revolution dispelled armed
opposition to the liberty and freedom of the
colonies.
By the terms of the act Of August 2,
1876 the construction of the monument
was ntrusted to a Joint commission, COM
posed of the President of the United States,
the supervising architect of the treasury,
the architect of the Capitol. the chief OF
engineers and the first vice president of
the monument society. AS thus constituted
the society was represented in three of its
members namely: The President of the
United States. the architect of the Capitol
and the first vice president of the society.
To Continue Its Organization.
1t was also provided by the law that
the society was to continue its organization
for the purpose of soliciting money and
material from the states. associations and
the people in aid of the completion of the
monument and that it should act In an
advisory and cooperative capacity with
the commissioners named to have charge
of the completion of the work. In the
final act of legislation on this phase OF
the subject. which became law October
2, 1888. this relation of the society to the
monument. or rather the legal custodian
of that work. was continued. and SO the
society today acts In that capacity toward
the Secretary of War to whose care the
monument was turned over after the COM
mission had completed Its labors
n offs rnrnvr mt
States the land which had been received
from Congress a site for the monument,
and so after the lapse of years the monu-
ment square. as it was termed. came back
to the national authorities.
The remaining funds in the possession
of the society were later used in the erec-
ton of the memorial building on the monu-
ment grounds. which is now available for
the use of visitors to the monument, and Is
also designed as the office of the custodian
and for the deposit of the archives of the
society.
Casey. U S. A., the foundations of the
monument were strengthened. and the con-
struction was continued under the direction
of that officer until it was completed. Capt
George W. Davis. U. S. A.. was detailed
as assistant engineer, and later on Mr.
Bernard r. Green also acted as assistant
to Col. Casey.
Resumption Of the Work.
On the morning Of the 7th OF August,
1885, after the two courses which had been
added to the shaft by the "know-nothing'
board had been removed because Of the de-
fective material used. the corner OF the
first course to mark the resumption of the
work was laid This interesting event was
witnessed by the President Of the United
states and Mrs Hayes and members of the
monument society. =
The height of the shaft when the work
was resumed was 152 feet, and the society
raised and expended as the individual free
will Offering of the people the sum OF $780,
600 in building the original foundations and
In carrying the shaft to that height or
within thirty-three feet Of one-third of the
total height Of the monument of 800 feet
inches. The total cost was 81 .1S7,110
The important work Of constructing the
mound and slopes about the base OF the
monumAnt, the beeutifying these grounds,