The sun., 1919-01-01
PLAN FOR MEMORIAL
ARCH Is IMPROVED
thomas Hastings Completes
Working Drawings for Mad
ison Square Structure.
SLIGHT CHANGES IN PARK
Temporary Monument Will Be
40 Feet Tall, Higher Than
Brooklyn Bridge.

The plan for the temporary memorial
Arch at Fifth avenue and Madison
square through which the returning SOL
oiers will march. was outlined yesterday
by Thomas Hastings, architect, tho vice.
president Of the oor,.nittee In charge m
the construction OF the arch.
Mr.. Hastthgs took tho occasion 70
again impress on the people of the CITY
that the arch 10 only a temporary struc-
ture and that the question OF a pe,,na,-
nent memorial, arch. fountain. statue. ~
whatever form II may take, will be set
tied later.
before any decision is made regard
ing the permanent memorial, either IA IN
sile OF as to character OF design, It has
oeen asrcea that free and general ex-
preston OF opinion should be made by
oil the art societies Of the city" no said
as well as by other societies interested
10 meinorfalise permanently 10 great an
event 80 serious matter, and almost ali
.hose VINO think upon such a subject will
nave dinerent IDEAS and suggestions. Al
later date II will be necessary TO con-
centrate upon The best idea for the per
manent memorial. but the purpose of the
present temporary arch Is what now in
terests u.s.
Working Drawing Compietes.
Mr.. Hastings has low completed a
working drawing from which tho
present arch vii be constructed and
which in ire development Of detail and
the general plan Is considerably different
from the first plan published.
Il think IL is much better and that
have Improved it, said Mr.. HastinE.-
AT least have been sitting up nights
with It,"
II provides for many opportunities of
fine sculpturing and the best sculptors
OF the city. and indeed, the country, are
working on the panels and circular bas
! reliefs that will commemorate the vari-
GUS aspects or the world struggle, and
the part the different nations, and even
the different branches OF the American
| service. played in II. Mr.. Hastings hopes
| the arch may be completed in about two
| months
incidentally. he looks upon tho arch as
an opportunity to study the effect on
New forks greatest avenue Of having
something to walk toward beside "the
open sky" AS he phrases It He believes
| 1t will prove an interesting experiment
in determining how artists may In the
| York, city OF the gridiron type. neither
the result OF gradual development nor Of
deliberate artistic planning.
In providing for the s. nth and the sur
| rounding plan there will be slight changes
made In the westerly side OF Madison
| Square. Tho Altar OF Liberty, also the
production Of Mr.. Hastings, will be
| moved to tho south. near the corner OF
Twenty-third street and Broadway. so
l hoe h.
1t will complete the scheme OF decora
ton at this point About thirty fest o.!
the park will be moved SO that road
way may curve about the eastern base
| of the arch. This will not necessitate
the cutting down OF n single tree. and II
II Is 80 decided the park may be re-
| stored TO its former condition With little
| expense.
Higher Than Brooklyn Bridge.
| The arch itself will be n colossal strue
| ture. about 40 feet high. or six feet
! higher than the middle span of III.
Brooklyn Bridge above the water. and
more than twice as big as the Washing
ton Arch. Despite its commanding pres
| ence. Mr.. Hastings does not believe that
| II will overwhelm the Worth monument,
but that the Worth monument will At
| naturally In the artistic whole As 10
| the site itself, Mr.. Hastings says:
This seems to be the only place on
, Fifth avenue where an arch bridging
the avenue Is possible, because here is
| the only place where there would be
room for the abutments of such an arch
| without encroaching upon private prop
| erty. Here also Il forms the entrance
| way TO what We believe architecturaily
| is the finest avenue in New York, In a
measure the very artery OF the centre of
| the city: also the place where the great
est number Of people, rich and poor
alike, will see this temporary arch.
| 1T has also been generally conceded
! that the temporary memorial should be
an archway large in scale and so placed
nat It could be seen by the greatest
! nun, Der of people and at a great dis
tauHe 1t will be an interesting cXpe-
| ricYc. 70 see what will happen to this
sri Iron plan OF New York city, X some
thing, even though temporary. Is con-
structed on this avenue, TO arrest the
vista and give an object to walk toward
| other than the open sky.
I'VE are all. sculptors and architects
alike. contributing our services, the ex-
pense OF charging and molding being
| paid for by the city. The response ~
the appeal OF the Sculpture Society has
| been splendid, and IL is only resrettab!e
! that we have not work enough for 10
| large n number as have offered to con-
| tribute. 1t will be interesting, however.
for the public TO know in a general way
| who are the sculptors contributing and
! what subjects have been selected.
BartIett Docs the QuadriGa.
| paul w. Bartlett. with the two Pic
GRILL Brothers. is doing the quaariga
on top of the arch. Raphael MencOni
Is modelling the general archit ctural
| features This will be chario, with
! six horses forming a great group, with
/ the crowning figure holding great flag
I to illustrate the triumph of democracy.
This group will be colossal in scale.
ION one side, supported by the main
columns, Herbert Adams will do two
large figures about IL feet high; on
| the other side Daniel c. French will do
| the corresponding two figures: these
four figures will represent Peace and
! Justice. Power and Wisdom.
1.-THE spandrels OF the two main
/ arches will have large allegorical fig
ures modelled by Andrew o'Connor and
Isidore Kontl. The minor spandrels on
! the side arches. also containing allie
gorical figures. will be modelled by c.
A. Heber. f. NJ. l.. Tone.t. Ulysses
! Ricc, and Philip Martlny.
Aside from all of this work are
numerous large panels. some or them
| approximately sixteen feet long and
| Saat biUb and others round mad