The Irish standard., 1912-06-29
FACTS ABOUT THE
COLUMBUS MONUMENT
Massive Blocks of Marble Weighing
Many Tons Trimmed to
Artistic Figures.
Each Representing Some Incident
Connected With the Dis
covery of America.
In Baltimore Stands a Monument
Erected to Memory of Column
bus Century Ago.
In Washington, d. c.

In Washington, d. G.
Authorized by Congress.
Only memorial to Columbus built by
Government, and placed on Govern
ment property.
Cost, 100000.
Took eight months to build.
Weighs nearly 1000 tons.
In design the Columbus Memorial is
said by artists and mechanics to be
the most attractive of any of the
larger statues in this country. 1t
was so studied out to be striking in
! its very simplicity; symbolic OF Chris
topher Columbus, whose plainness and
simplicity made him one of the most
| attractive of men.
The features of the Memorial are
the distinct outstanding figures, each
representing an incident in connection
with the discovery of America by the
great mariner. The most conspicu-
Gus, of course, is the likeness Of
Columbus. standing erect and facing
the South His position is supposed
to represent him standing in the prov
of the good ship Santa Maria.
The PROV of the vessel is in the
shape of a woman's head and bust. On
the top of the Memorial Group. is a
gigantic ball representing the world,
wcll-ordered states and scattered t~ib
with four American eagles gazing
South Westward, North Westward,
North Eastward, and South Eastward,
at it's base. -Four festoons separate
the eagles.
On the extreme east and west sides
OF the structure are two great lions
sitting on thei: launches. with their
front feet resting in front of them.
Indian Represented.
i Also in the sides of the Memorial
are two lateral figures, one repre-
senting the Caucasian and the other
the Indian. The Caucasian faces
eastward with Il look Of determination.
while the Indian faces westward,
symbolic of the race of people found
OH this continent when the discove:er
came.
All of the marble used in the con-
st-uction of the Memorial came from
the famous quarries of Ball Ground,
Ca, so named because in the early
days the Cherokee. Choctaws, and
there in Indian games of ball Some
Of the pieces of marble from the quar-
ries that go to make up part of the
Memorial weighed almost sixty tons
in the rough when shipped North for
trimming.
The ball representing the world
weighed twenty-six tons when shipped
in the rough. When trimmed 1t
weighed twcnty-thrce tons. The pieces
from which the lions were cut weighed
over twelve tons in the rough. The
lions trimmed weigh tons each. The
Prov of the ship "sSanta Maria
weighed about thirty tons when
shipped. The statue Of Columbus
weighed almost fifty tons in the rough
but in it's finished state weighs but
twenty-five tons. The four festoons
weighed ten tons when rough. and
seven and one-half tons when
trimmed.
Great Mass Of Marble.
There are $500 cubic feet OF
marble, weighing ITS pounds to the
foot. This represents a weight OF
1,4S7,5 pounds. There are $4,000
bricks in the inside of the structure
each weighing five pounds. This ag-
gregates $4,000 pounds. There are
500 cubic yards of concrete, weighing
500 pounds to the cubic yard, OF
1,25O,OOO pounds. There are ter
tons Of reinforced steel. The tota
. weight of the Memorial is $4,000
pounds.
, The Memorial rests on many strong
, piles, embedded thirty-eight feet ir
the earth. They are placed so deer
| as to get below the old street level be.
, fore the present station was erected
!, They are six feet below the old level
this being deemed best so that II
future years there can be no settling
ol the tremendous weight. On th&