Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-01-19
ART DECORATION Of
PANAMA CANAL
CONSIDERED
Statues Of Ferdinand De Les
sopS and Late Senator john
Morgan Of Alabama May
Be Erected to Commemorate

fey MORNING JOURNAL Special LEASED wisFl
WASHINGTON. Jan. With the dig-
ging nearly done, and the tortilieationa
well under way, tho decoration Of the
Panama canal Is subjec Of renewed
attention. aroused particularly by the
suggestion from France that the carly
work of Ferdinand De Lesscps' the
French engineer be commemoratcd by
n statue % him at some conspicuous
point ON the canal This is but one of
many ideas however. and the whole
question of establishment of the Wa-
ter-way Is stil open.
Artists generally agree With engi-
necrs iiat the canal is monument
70 itself but at the same time there
has becn no lack Of suggestion for
Identifying the waterway. one prop
oaluon Fl for collosal pillars at the
outermost points of the Atlantic and
Pacific entrances surmounted by sta
tues of heroic proportions of COlum-
bus, Balboa and others whose names
have been indellbly connected with
the discovery OF America and the de-
velopment OF the canal Another pro-
posa has been for a statue to Sena-
tor John Morgan, Of Alabama, one Of
the pioneers in this country for 18TH
mian canal construction. De Lcsseps,
d, the way. has not altogether been
forgotten for The house which he once
occupied at Cristobal is still preserved.
IN front of Il stands small monument
to Christopher Columbus.
The government commission Of ane
arts, made UP Of many Of the leading
sculptors and architects OF the coun-
try, has already studied the problem
Of bosutifyng the canal. but It's re-
port which is awaiting action by con-
eress has only one specific proposal for
c0mmemura i've monument This Is
presented as follows.
Tho commission Of fine arts bee
licvcs hat q memorial record Of the
building II the canal should BE made
in the form Of an impressive inscrip-
uon upon great monument surface
I'D pome point of prominence. and Il
careful examination of tine whole
length pf The canal led 60 the choice
uf thr erf w1il at the point Of deep
est cut, ia2 feet. 80 3he continental
divide While tho size and design ol
this monument should bc the result
OF careful study we are Inclined "a
believe thnt 1T shouid be approximate.
ly 100 feet iu height ana somewhat
more in width that b should bc se-
verely simple in dcsisn thai the let
tcring should DE done in Roman "
shaped letters ana thal me material
should bo concrete applied ms "a mas
flvc facing TO Che irrcsularly frac.
twrod trap rock of the elfi W,
strongly recommend this end regard il
as one of the most important matters
10 be considered. we suggest ais,
the possibility of marking the high.
cst point OF canal excavation ON Gold
Hm immediately over the proposed
Inscription with some form ef monu.
ment This should ht considered cure-
lully hN the designer "f the principal
monument
This report. which e. huscd on per
sonal inspection or the eanal route bS
Daniel c. French. ihc sculptor and
+ Frederick Law Oimsieud, the land
Iscape gardner suggests that amy fur
+ ,hcr Ornamenlation of the waterway
should De undertaken only after Sc
rious consideration, bearing in mind
that The outstanding feature Of tht
canal is utility rather than udornment
"The cana" she report adds, Ills,
the pyramids or some imposing object
+ In natural scenery is impressive from
it's SCALE and simplicity and directness
une feels that anything done merell
/ for the purpose Of heautitying il would
not only fail To accomplish that pnr-
pose, but would be an impertinenee, lr
such a work the most that the artist'
could hope 10 do would bc 10 aid ir
selecting. as between alternative form'
of substantially equal value from th,
engineering point Of view. those whicl
are likely TO prove most agreeable
and appropriate la appearance.
If the foundation difficulties are mo-
too serious. the report suggests h
might be advisable TO erect "a mOnu
ment In the form of lighthouse spe.
clally designed for the purpose al
either side OF the canal at the Atlantic
entrance The report points out tha
the present aids TO navigation in the
canal. including lighthouses. siaal
range lights and tripods, all made o
reinforced concrete, "are nearly al
open Ia criticism as to details Of ap
pcarance" but since most Of then
are completed it is too late TO modify
the designs
While It would appear desirable e
mark me Pacific end Of the canal IL
d manner similar 10 that proposed foi
the Atlantic end Il is said that tbs
Pacific entrance is SO occupied bl
docks and cold storage facilities tina
amy oxtraneous structure would be il
Iconhiri Moreover. the report adds
there are points Of interest as on
approaches the canal from the Pa
cidc with which it would bc unWise Z,
attempt 10 compete by any structure
built for artistic reasons alone Thi
shore Itself with is rugged range o
mountains IS inspirine and The island
guarding the entrances are interesting
In the extreme"
5.1o0 Railroad NIen Strike To-day.
ilsuf4A lam aitfLfa q,