Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1913-02-21
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work due to a long suspension of activities owing
to lack of funds The whole project of providing
what is accounted the nations monument to
Washington long-drawn-out undertaking.
but this seeming hardness of action has been
etoned for by the beauty of the structure, which
has few rivals in height, save some of the newer
skyscrapers in New York, and which is jeal
ously guarded By proud people that congress
not 30 very long ago felt compelled to refuse
the request Of the navy department that permis-
sion be granted to establish wireless telegraph
station at the top OF the monument has been
done the EiffeI Tower in Paris
The project to provide tribute to George
Washington at the scat OF government dates from
the year 17SS. when the Continental congress
voted to erect equestrian statue and oddly
enough selected for it's site the very location
that is now occupied by the national monument.
However. the project progressed further and
there further action until Washington
died at the end OF tho century. when congress-
passed another resolution for monument-this
bill providing for a testimonial In marble
granite beneath which should repose the remains
Of the nations greatest hero. Here, however. the
widow of General Washington interposed with
her very natural preference that the body should
rest at mount Vernon, and accordingly the whole
project again lapsed until 1928 when number
OF patriotic citizens OF Washington formed an
ganization known as the Washington Monument
association and undertook to revive interest in
the undertaking.
The scheme was to provide funds by popular
subscription for erecting monument and this
canvass pursued more less energetically,
but 1t was not until 1848. when total Of sS7 900
had been collected that the officials of the
ganization considered that the funds in hand
justified the commencement Of actual work. The
cornerstone laid with due ceremony and the
work went forward for some years, but additional
subscriptions did not come in at very lively
rate and finally work had to be suspended for
lack of funds, Thus the partially completed
obelsk-a Stump" of monument 1t termed
stood during all the years intervening between
1858 and 1880 until congress finally took up the
matter and appropriated funds to finish the
gigantic shaft.
However. 1t not merely q case of provid-
Ing money to carry out the work already started
The United States army engineers who put
in charge when the national legislature took
hand in the matter speedily discovered that the
original foundation provided for the monument
was hopelessy inadequate, considering the height
and weight of the mass which 1t was proposed
to place on 1t. Thereupon they set about
mighty ticklish engineering project-nothing
less than the provision of a new or rather an
enlarged foundation for the monument or
course the perplexins part of 1t was that the
foundation had to be slipped under tho
great of stone 1t stood, for naturally,
there were many objections to consuming time
and money in tearing down the monument and
re-erecting 1t.
The engineers dug out at the corners and
sides of the monument as much they dared
OF the old foundation. meanwhile supporting the
partially undermined structure by means of
beams and braces of various kinds All tho
stone thus removed was replaced with concrete
| and the concrete foundation also extended in
every direction beyond the base HINES of the