Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-06-19
.0BEL|SK FOR CAIRO \
American Makes Generous Offer
to Khedive of Egypt.
OFFERS TO PAY EXPENSES.

Ex-consuI Frederick c. Psnfield Will
ing to Bring Shaft Of Ramesss From
Upper Egypt to capital-savants
May Oppose, Though Acceptance 10
Deemed Probable. 5a"
| Frederick CORTLAND Penfield, for
merly United States consul general at
Cairo, who recently married Mrs. An
ME Weightman Walker, daughter and
heiress Of the late Mr.. Weightman,
the great manufacturing chemist Of
Philadelphia, has been spending the
winter in Egypt with his bride and
within the last few weeks has made a
generous offer to his highness the
khe1ive and the council Of ministers OF
the Egyptian government. Mr.. Pen
field proposes ito give proof of my in
terest in the capital Of his highness-
wherein I .dwelt several years and
where have many valued friends
by offering to defray the expense Of
transporting from upper Egypt and
re-erecting at Cairo an example of the
glory of ancient Egypt in the form Of
an obelisk." .,~e -.
The British capital, on it's Thames
embankment, has a splendid specimen
Of this expression Of Egyptian art, the
French capital has an obelisk standing
in its most important square, Rome
has four or FIVE, while the capital Of
the Ottoman empire is enriched by an
even greater number taken from the
land Of the Nile The last of these
monuments to leave the land of their
creation was presented to the city 81
New York by former khedive. IA
"For years 1t has seemed to me an
anomalous fact" continues Mr.. PEN
field In his letter to the khedive, that
the capital of the land of obelisks, the
metropolis Of the continent and the
unrivaled winter resort Of cultured
Europeans and Americans should ID
less favored than the capitals and
great cities herein named. To play
even small part In placing in Cairo
its logical home AN obelisk Of imp0r-
lance would afford me great happiness,
and therefore beg to make the offer
In brief terms to defray the total cost
Of transporting and re-erecting in q
conspicuous place in the capital the
obelisk Of Rameses the Great, now
standing, with pedestal and part Of til
shaft covered with soil, near the py-
Ions Of the temple of Luxor. @
Il am fully aware that the project
may arouse the opposition Of savants
and archaeologists In Europe and else
where and that their cry Of 'desecra-
tion' would find vociferous expression.
But / fail to comprehend how. con-
scientious objection can be made to
the obelisk's removal from upper
Egypt, where It can be viewed only
BY few hundred persons each winter,
to the nations capital, where the
masses, not only visitors from all
countries, but the enormous native
population as well, may see 1t daily n
their goings and comings IL this pro-
Eposal be favorably entertained shall
beg that the task Of removal may be
executed under the supervision Of such
engineer ohicers ana representa- ives
Of the Service des Antiquities as tho
Egyptian government may assign to
the work It would Be my wish to
hare the obelisk placed either in Alb
din square or upon the space in front
~ the Khediyial Opera House. But
the choice Of site should be willing
TO leeve wholly to the government ~
his highness. u, 81 sa 81 z3
II feel that / am well enough known
- Egypt through having for years
been the accredited diplomatic repre-
sentative Of the American government,
to have my bona ndes 1t this time
wen uhdefstood, ana ! beg TO- assure
your excel1enctss that IL this petitio1
he honored ~ the acceptance OF my
offer I VIII cause the Luxor obelisk
md it, pedestal to BE- removed u
Cairo ana rssefected without expense
HhateQexex. To tha N1Xpfden 1pYfrn-