The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-26
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large painting of the TRANSPORTATION,
to be hung above the altar in the Pro-
testant Episcopal cathedral at Lara
mic, Wyo. This picture is similar to
the one Mr.. Stone painted as an altar
piece for the McCIintock chapel of
Grace cathedral in Topeka. Bishop
Thomas of Wyoming saw the paint
ing in McClintock chapel during a re-
cent visit to Topeka, and was so
pleased with it that he ordered the
artist to paint a picture for his church.
1t is said that MerreIl Gage, who
formerly live in Topeka and created
the statue of Lincoln which adorns
the state house grounds, will probably
be selected by the noted sculptor,
Gutzon Borglum, as one of his eight
carving a gigantic Confederate Civil
war memorial on the face of Stone
mountain near Atlanta, Ga. Gage
now lives in Kansas City.
This war memorial will be the
largest work of monumental art ever
attempted. The almost vertical face
of a solid mass of granite. 500 feet
high and a mile and a half long is
to be carved in high relief with the
representation of a marching army or
soldiers containing 500 figures, among
which will be portraits of most of the
prominent Confederate generals. The
scale is to be such that the portraits
will be easily recognizable at distance
of two miles. The carving will be
from six to eight feet deep Twenty
five carvers will be kept constantly at
work for a period of eight years. They
will be suspended from the top of the
cliff in steel cages and will work with
electric drills and stone cutting
tools. AS above stated, eight compe-
tent sculptors will assist Mr.. Borglum
in direct the WOrkmen.
The estimated cost is 100000.
This sum will be proportional among
the thirteen states of the Confederacy'
and will be raised largely thru private
| subscription. The idea is so popular
that the promoters feel that the money
is already as good as raised.
In the base of the mountain is TO
] be carved a temple having a great
door and twelve windows. One each
! of the thirteen openings will be as
I signed to one of the Confederate states
| and Confederate archives and war
relics are to be housed in the temple.
This great monument was inspired
by the Lion of Lucerne which party
| of southern ladies. most of them mem
bers of the Daughters of the Confed-
eracy, saw while touring Europe a
| few years before the World War. The
Daughters of the Confederacy are the
| largest supporters of the project
Among these ladies, the most active,
enthusiastic and untiring, is Mrs. G.
| Helen Plane of Atlanta. Mrs. Planes
husband. a surgeon in the army OF
| Gen. Robert z. Lee, was killed near
IAppomattoX a few days before Lees
| surrender. Accompanied only by her
old coIored nurse the young widow
iourneyed with horse and wagon
| from Atlanta to the scene of her nus
| bands death, a distance of several
/ hundred miles thru a country INFESTED
with camp followers. stragglers and
/ 90 nf the worst TYNE. secured
| the body, and took it home in the
same manner as she came.
| 1t was she who suggested to the
other ladies of the party upon behold
| ing the Lion of Lucerne. that NAM
moth statue of Gen. Lee be carved
on the face of Stone mountain. The
idea met with immediate favor. and
when the party returned to America,
| Gutzon Borglum was sent for and in
| terviewed. In the discussions that
followed, the present plan was de-
veloped. Work was begun in 1916 but
| was cut short by the war.
| Samuel Venable. who owned Stone
| mountain, fourteen miles from At
| lanta, donated it. and a large tract of
| surrounding country to the executive
committee in charge of the work.
Control of the surrounding territory
was given in order that factories and
| other smoke producing nuisances
1 might be kept at a sufficient distance
L
be obscured or defaced by smoke and
| fumes.
The regular monthly meeting of the
Topeka Art Guild will be held Tues
day evening. March 20, at the Hodge
Studio. ia Kansas avenue. Miss
Marian Peers will give talk on her
! work as teacher of art in the Topeka
High school. Plans for the coming
art exhibit will also be discussed at
this meeting.
The judging committees for the
Kansas artists section of the art ex-
hibitiOn to be held at Washburn college
for the two weeks beginning April II,
will consist of John R. Frasier, in
structor of art at Kansas university !;
George NJ. Stone and Mrs. L. D. Whit
temore, Topeka.
AS far as is known the contributors
to the Kansas section will be either
residents of Topeka or persons who
now live elsewhere and are claimed
as Topekans by the local art fraternity.
Among the last mentioned will be Mrs.
Fern 1. Coppedge, Philadelphia; r.
Merre1l Gage, Kansas City, Mo; May
nard Walker, Longs Peak, Colorado;
) Mr.. and Mrs. Hampton Shirer, Boston
Frank Peers, Boston: Kenneth Adams,
| Woodstock. New York, and Frances
Russell Lindsay, New York City.
; Topeka residents who are expected
to exhibit are George NJ. Stone, David
. Overmyer, Mrs. L. c. Hodge, Miss
| Marian Peers and L. A Gillette. The
list. however. is by no means complete
and there may be work by several
other talented persons who have not
Iyet fully made up their minds whether
to enter pictures or not.
David Overmyer has just completed
an artistic card to be hung in the Kan
sas health car, above a portrait of the
late Warren J. Crumbine for whom
the car is named. The inscription or
, the card is as follows:
This car. with it's message oil
health. strength and joy, is dedicate
to the memory of Warren J. Crumbine
son of DR.. S. J. Crumbine, secretary
of the state board of health. This
young man was cut off at the very be
ginning of a promising business career