Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-01-20
HUGE MEMORIAL
TO The indian
Erection Of Bronze Column on
Staten island Proposed.
COST ESTIMATED AT S65O,OOO

Combined Height of Shaft With CO.
IossaI Figure of Primitive Red Man
on Top of II Will Be $50 Feet-Dedi-
Gated to the School Children Of the
United States.
Plans are well under way for the
erection Of a bronze column on Staten
Island, New York, which will prob
ably be known as the peace memorial.
1t will be surmounted by the colossal
figure OF an Indian, and the combined
height Of column and figure will be
| $50 feet. Add to this the altitude OF
the position on which it will rest, and
the top of the figure viii be about $50
feet above sea level.
This will be the highest point on the
Atlantic coast between Maine and Mex
leo. In the base of the figure there
will be library for Indian records
and museum for Indian relics. In
the words OF those who have the mat
! ter in hand, the column will be erect
| ed in memory of the North American
Indian and dedicated to the school chill
! Carl T.. Tefft. who has volunteered
| TO undertake a campaign Of publicity
TO further the building of the memo
rial, said recently that, while the nee
essary commission had not been thor
oughly organized, Rear Admiral George
W. Melville, L. S. N, retired, would
probably be its chairman.
Three Years to Finish the Work.
THE idea Of this memorial was men
| toned publicly some time ago by Rod
man Wanamaker Of Philadelphia"
said Mr. Tefft. THE money for the
| column will be raised by popular sub
scriptiOn, and Mr.. Wanamaker will
give the bronze figure of the Indian.
Those who participate in the work will
donate their services. Admiral Mel
vile will serve with Andrew Carnegie
and other men Of wealth in the inter
| ests of the memorial.
Director III. &. Bumpus OF the Nat
| ural History museum and Director y.
L. Britton Of the botanical gardens in
| the Bronx have agreed to take charge
| OF the museum. w. c. Hunt of Staten
IL
while Robert II. Paine of Hoboken will
be the engineer in charge of the con-
struction OF the memorial. Borough
President Cromwell OF Richmond is
interested in the matter and it is ex-
pected that the city of New York will
give land for the site on Pavilion hill
near ST George. The unwilling cere-
monies will be celebrated simultane-
| ously all over the United States. 1t
will take about three years to COM
plete the work
Huge BuIiseyes to Serve as a Light.
Here is a partial description Of the
proposed memorial as furnished by Mr.
Tefft:
1t is practically one of the first individu-
al forms of architecture; IL is symbolical
OF dignity, rigidity and firmness, possess
ing in every way the qualifications so
marked In our bronzed aboriginal found
er. When his eagle eyes swept the sea in
periods long ago he sought the highest
point OF land Intuition would have taught
him 10 admire this single form of archi-
lecture unbroken in its line Of beauty,
for this meant height TO him. embodying
in its simplicity the same essential quality
OF greatness that he observed in his own
, character.
Here we have him on high in all his
solemn and maj estic grandeur, with arms
slightly lifted in recognition and welcome
to the inevitable certainty-the something
he perceives and sanctions far to the
east. The ponderous eagles at his feet,
with their huge bronze wings raised, seem
in the act OF striking at invasion. but in
the overpowering personality above one
notes in the masterful features the same
firm touch OF beauty observed In river
as IL sacrifices itself to the sea.
The face OF the two volutes of the Ionic
capital surmountng the shafts will be set
with glass, and these immense bulseyes
will serve as a light for New York harbor
and signal station for three great cities.
as they can easily be seen forty miles at
sea.
Higher Than Colossus Of Rhodes.
Between the volutes at the base OF the
capital. running horizontally around the
column. is TIE balustrade or viewing point
Of the monument, 43 feet above the
ground. This point can be reached by
circular stairway or by the more modern
elevator system. The sightseer will also
be able to ascend inside the bronze figure
to the head, resting places having been
provided in midsections of the figure, one
at the waist and the other at the Shout
ders.
TIE construction of this figure has been
| carefully t1OuBDt out ny eNptIts WIN uu-
derstand the problems OF weights and
displacement men who have had expert
ence in the building and anchoring OF
heroic statues and have successfully
solved the conditions where artistic poise
ceases to lend itself to the possibility of
engineering.
THE figure, according to present cal
culations. is four feet higher than the
statue Of Liberty says Mr.. Teft
THE column will be the highest ever
erected In the history Of the world,
and the entire monument will surpas
in height any existing figure monu-
ment. The figure will be 100 feet high
from the feet to the top Of the head,
twenty-four feet higher than the Colos-
sus Of Rhodes, and will be constructed
OF steel armatures covered with copper
plates properly REINFORCED"
The cost OF the work is expected to
approximate SEQ nO0