Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-02-01
PLANS APPROVED
FOR THE LINCOLN
MEMORIAL
Secretary of War Garrison TO
Sign Contracts as Recon-
mended by Commissions To
Break Ground February II,

Is on foot TO break ground In poto.
mac Park February - for the Lin
coin Memorial TO be erected there
That date viii be the l05th anniver-
sary Of the birth Of the great Ameri-
can whose memory the structure viii
perpetuate.
Following an opinion rendered 10y
the commission OF fine arts, which
declares that the artistic qualities Of
the Colorado Yule marble as com
pared with the others submitted, nj
it pre-eminently for structure Of the
character u the Lincoln memorial.
lindiey N Garrison the secretary OF
war; announces that he will sign the
contract for the construction of the
memorial with the George A. Fuller
company, which the Lincoln memo
rial commission recommended that he
execute as well as the contract for the
foundations with NJ r Conner & CO..
Toledo, o., also recommended by this
commission
This decision of the fine arts com
mission ana announcement Of the
secretary of war settles the oontro-
versy which has existed as to the ma
terial for construction Of the me-
mortal Colorado Yule will be the
marble used and James Baird. vice
president of the George A. Fuller
company. announces at the Washing
ton offices of the contractors that his
company and the quarryng company
will proceed Immediately to produce
the marble needed, ship 1t here and
store up q supply while the founda-
tons are being installed.
Tho contracts for the sunerstructure
and the foundations have been made
out and sent TO the secretary Of war
for signature, They have been pre-.
pared in the office Of Colonel Harris,
engineer officer IN charge OF public
buildings and grounds who is also
the executive officer OF the Lincoln
memorial commission. Secretary Car
rison said today that he considers
February ~ a suitable day 10 break
ground for the memorial, and a SINH
lar view was expressed by Champ
Clark. speaker Of the house OF repre-
sentatiyes, 2 member of the Lincoln
memorial commission.
senator Marin of Virginia, another
member Of the commission, also de-
clared that February IL will be most
suitable day TO break ground for the
memorial and that, in common with
other members OF the commission. he
hopes the formallties Of signing the
contracts and executing the bonds may
be carried ont in time. Therefore. ow-
ing to the illness and death Of former
Senator Shelby VI. Cullom, resident
commissioner Of the Lincoln memo
rial, who has been the executive of
the commission at Washington, he VIII
not be able 20 oversee the details OF
the "ground-brcaking in case 1t is
decided to carry out q ceremony in
honor of the occasion. II such plan
is pursued the out-of-town members
Of the commission, Of which former
President William II. Taft is chair
man, will undoubtedly come 10 wash
inston for the event.
Under the law. the foundations
must be completed within one year Of
the time the contract Is signed. and
the superstructure must be completed
within three years Of tho completion
of the foundations Builders in WASH
ington say that the foundation can be
constructed in less than a year, and
at the offices of the Fuller company
today It was stated the company
hopes 10 complete the superstrueture,
if nothing happens. in less than the
three years allowed.
The quarry IN Colorado from which
the Yulc marble decided on is TO ho
taken is the largest marble quarry
with the exception of the Vermont
quarries. in the United states. with
more than "a sufficient force Of men
10 turn out the marble as rapidly ms
needed. The contractors are planning
10 begin at once the shipment 10
Washington Of equipment and ma
chinery which will be used in the con
struction of the memorial.
The commission of fine arts on
whose opinion the secretary of war
has decided to execute the contracts
recommended by the lincoln memo
rial commission. wrote 10 the seere-
tary as follows:
Tho commission Of fine arts, at
their meeting held today. gave most
careful consideration 10 your letter OF
January II, 1914, requesting their adj
vice upon certain questions arising IN
connection with the selection of a
suitable marble for the construction
I of the Lincoln memorial. The COM
mission made q careful inspection OF
samples of marble submitted and
have the honor 10 transmit the fol-
+ lowing replies to your inquiries:
81. In tire opinion OF the commits.
sion not all OF The samples of mar
bic submitted with the bids. regarded
from an artistic standpoint, are APP
propriate for such a memorial.
%. In the opinion Of the commits.
sion there are more than one Of tht
marbles out cf which the memorial
might be constructed without serious
laacrifice Of as artistic quality. Th'
distinction between these marbles anf
those which are artisticaily unaccept.
able il matter Of degree, and il il
very difficult to draw an arbitrary
lime between the two classes. Because
of this and IN Wow Of the pre-emin'
Ient artistic fitness Of one Of the more
. acceptable marbles. the commission
feels that q is unwiso and unnecessary
arbitrarily to place all Of the mar
bles in separate lists. as acceptable ant
+, unacceptable.
"a The artistic qualities of thi
!, Colorado Yulo marble as compared
with the others submitted, in the opin
ion Of the commission Of fine arts, a