Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-05
WOULD REPRODUCE STATUE
ON WEST POINT GROUNDS
Superintendent OF Military Academy
Writes for Pictures of WASH
IS ington Monument.
WANTS EQUESTRIAN FlGURE
Famous Crawford Statue Ranks us
Finest Equestrian Memorial in
America, and Is Visited Annually
by Many Students of Art.

The equestrian statue of Washing
ton, which stands In the Capitol
Square. may he duplicated for the or
namentation OF tho grounds of the
United States Military, Academy. at
West Point. n. Y.
When II was decided recently to add
TO the statuary now adjoining the
grounds OF the national military acad-
envy statue of Washington the Sc
lection OF the monument in Richmond
as a model was suggested by tho SUI
perintendent OF the academy, Colonel
&C. J.. Townsley. Colonel Townslcy was
for some years tho commandment of the
Coast Artillery at Fort Monroe. It.
was during his term In that office that
he visited Richmond and saw the mon
ument. OF which he retains vivid rccol-
lection.
COLONEL TOwNSIEY WRITES
FOR PHOTOGRAPHS
From the West Point superintendent
Governor Stuart yesterday received the
following communication:
Headquarters L. S. Military Academy,
West Point. y. y.
December 2. 1914.
Hon. H. c. Stuart.
Governor state OF Virginia.
My Dear Govcrnor,-It is contem-
plated to place an equestrian statue
of General Washington on the grounds
OF the L. S. Military Academy. and be-
fore deciding fully upon the selection
OF such statue I should be very glad
II YOU could send mo photograph OF
the equestrian statue OF Washington
on the Capitol Grounds in Richmond.
II have but once seen this statue.
and from my recollection of it and
from what others have told me about
it. am fully impressed with the idea
that this is one OF the best statues In
the country, and, of course, we want
10 hive rs fine statue of General
Washington ut this place as we can
afford
Very sincerely yours.
iSicned) c. i. TOWNSLEY
Colonel Coast Artillery Corps
superintendent.
The Governor will comply immedi-
ately with the request for photographs.
MONUMENT RANKS AS
FINEST IN AMERICA
The Crawford Washington. standing
In the Capitol Square at Richmond. has
been ranked by competent art critics
as the finest equestrian statue in
America. and the second finest in the
world. 1t was erected partly by pub
lie subscription and more largely by
appropriation or the Safe of Virginia
at total cost of 100000. The COM
mission for the work was given to
Thomas Crawford in 1S49 for an eques-
TRAN figure of Washington surrounded
by heroic figures of Patrick EIeHry.
George Mason. Thomas jefferson. John
Marshall. Thomas Nelson ana"Audrew
Lewis. Crawford com ,lettd the statue
itself and the hSurcs of Henry and
jefferson before his death in 1857.
Randolph Rogers completed the work,
and the monument was unveiled Feb
ruary % 1858. before what is said to
have been the largest aascmblagc Of
people evers"secn in Richmond. The
total elevation of the monument, from
tho ground to tho top OF NasiMngton's
chapcau. is sixty feet three inches.
Tho height OF horse and rider is
twenty feet three inches.
Al the last session OF the General
Assembly permission was given for the
manufacture and sale OF replicns OF
the Houdon marble figure OF Washing
ton, since which act, small bronze
models OF that famous figure have been
distributed broadcast. but. so far rs
could be learned. no permission has
ever been given by the State for any
copy being made of the equestrian
figure.