The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-01-02
Altar is Erected to the Memory
of Man Who First Ex-
( pIored Grand Canyon.

pl0red Grand canyon.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Announce
ment is made today that the depart
ment Of interior has completed, or
the rim of the Grand canyon In Ari
coma, a memorial to Major John Wes
lay Powell. the intrepid pioneer ant
celebrated scientist who first explored
the Grand canyon. The memorial Ii
an altar decorated in Indian imagery
and supporting bronze tablet, rest
ing upon a pyramidal base of rough
hewn stone. Fifteen steps lead from
the west up to the altar floor, from
/. which one may gaze into the very
heart Of the glowing mile deep can.
yon. 1t is a structure worthy alike OF
the rugged, forceful personality OF the
man and of the titanic chasm which
It overlooks.
The spot chosen for the memorial Is
Sentinel point, promontory south Of
the railway station, which commands
a particularly fine view OF the Granite
gorge and Of the river, whose unknown
terrors Of whirlpool and cataract the
Powell party braved in small open
boats. The structure, which Is built
Of weathered limestone from the
neighborhood, has rectangular base
twenty-one by twenty-eight feet. The
altar carries on its east side medal
lion portrait of Major Powell in
bronze base-relief by Leila Usher and
the following inscription:
Erected by the Congress Of the
United States to Major John Wesley
Powell, first explorer OF the Grand
canyon, who descended the river with
his party in rowboats, traversing the
gorge beneath this point August II,
1869, and again September /, 1872"
The Dedication Ceremonies.
The general effect is unobtrusive,
natural and appropriate. A few small,
gnarled trees grow close by. but do
not obstruct the view. The structure
stands back from the edge sufficiently
to permit visitors In considerable num-
bers to group themselves in front.
The memorial which Secretary Lane
has now realized was planned at the
international Geological Congress OF
1904, in recognition of Major Powelrs
distinguished services as director OF
the United States Geological Survey.
In March, 1909, Congress appropri-
ated $4,000 for the purpose, "in recog-
milton of his distinguished public sery-
ices as soldier. explorer and admin
istrator Of government scienti1c
work" DIR. Holmes chose the site.
The original purpose was to make
the memorial q Roman chair facing
the canyon. Last spring Secretary
Lane substituted an altar for the chair
and Mark Daniels, then general super
intendent and landscape engineer
national parks, designed the structure
as 1t stands today.
It was then late in July and Walter
Ward. engineer of the reclamation
service had difficult task before him
to find and hew the rock and build the
structure within the slender approprl-
alton. The Riverside Portland Ce-
ment Company helped by donating
half the cement.
This memorial, so expressive OF the
spirit and character Of the man whose
life work 1t celebrates. and 80 admir-
ably located, will be formally dedicated
early next summer. Secretary Lanes
purpose is to. make the event one OF
Impressive importance. II, as Is eX-
pected, Congress meantime makes the
Grand canyon national park ut is a
national monument now, the two ded-
ications will take place together. max
! ing celebration altogether notable IN
the history of national parks.
8; Devotional Fires on the Altar.
z This memorial, embodying to a re-
: markable degree the essential spirit OF
the Grand canyon, Is planned to be-
come the scene of perhaps daily cere-
! nonials of most interesting charac-
: ter, reviving the spirit and to some ex-
: tent the practice OF the ancient re-
: ligious forms in vogue among the
! original Indian tribes of the neighbor-
, hood. Devotional fires will blaze upon
this altar.
John Wesley Powell was born al
Mount Morris, N. Y, March "a, 1894. OF
English parents. He taught school In
!. Illinois till the Civil war, which he
entered as private and came out OF
as lieutenant colonel. But he was al
ways called major
He lost his right arm at the battle
: of Shiloh.
At the close of the war Major Powell
Z became professor of geology in the
Illinois Normal University. An habit,
ual wanderer in wild places, he led a
: small party of students and naturalists
. In 1857 into the mountains Of Colo
: RADIO, His incidental exploration Of
two small canyons Of the Grand river
kindled the purpose which shaped his
after career, namely, to explore the
: canyons of the Grand and Green riy'
ers and of the then mysterious Colo
RADIO river which their union forms.
: The following summer he organized
his expedition, proceeded down the
: Grand river and across the mountains
Ito the White river. where from his
: winter camp he made extensive studies
of the rivers and their canyons, ant
perfected plans for his dangerous pas
sage of the unknown Colorado.
: His great adventure, the passage o.
!. the Grand canyon Of the Colorado, was
: made In the summer OF 1869. Unit
!. then 1t was unknown. "Yet enough
had been seen to foment rumor," hi
: wrote in his report to the Smithson
: Ian Institution, land many wonderful
T stories have been told in the hunters
: cabin and prospectors camp. Storie!
: were related Of parties entering thu
gorge In boats and being carried dowr