Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-09-26
Stone Maintain

America has begun the creation of
permanent work. ''As temporary as
an American building" is a catch
phrase in various parts of the world.
We have been concerned with the
shaping of enduring thoughts, of
lasting ideals. Now we have entered
upon new era in art. Fc Ameri-
cans realize the bigness of art de-
velopment in this country during
the last twenty-five years.
There is monument now under
construction on Stone Mountain.
down in Georgia. which future races
thousands of years from now may
visit and study as does this present
civilization the Sphinx on the Nile.
Stone Mountain. bound about as It
is with Civil War traditions, seems
like a great rock placed in the be-
ginning of the world for the coming
of master artist who would see it's
use. Rising nine hundred feet from
comparatively level country, it has
front almost as smooth as the wall
of a house.
At this point Confederate history
was made. A few years ago the
Daughters of the Confederacy de-
cided to put small monument or
tablet of some sort on the mountain
to commemorate the valiant stand
maze 1Or the lOSC cause.
Gutzon Borglum, one of the worlds
great sculptorS, was asked to sug-
gest an appropriate tablet. Borg
lum spent days down in the fiat
fields facing the mountain, and then
he visioned It's possibilities.
A tablet on that vast smooth space
| would, he said. be like a postage
stamp on the side of a house. 1t
needed gigantic treatment. Lee and
his army should be carved in bold
! relief against that immense area OF
smooth. uncraclled granite.
Borglum said he wanted not only
the side of the mountain but the
top of it as well. No smoke stacks
or other works of man should break
the line between the marching army
and the far reaching heaven.
a practical objection of time ana
cost was raised. The great sculptor
said that he would willingly dedicate
the rest of his life to such a project.
and, when the work had once been
started. other artists would come
forward to complete it. This monu--
mcnt will take years of labor and
will cost five million dollars. When
it is finished, it will be one of the
worlds greatest works of art.
Borglum took a year to develop u
method bv which the monument
might be successfully produced.
With the use of q lantern slide four
bv five inches, on which Is outlined
the figure to be carved on the noun
tain. and with n f1ve-thousand-ca can
die power light behind 1t. the magni-
fed picture is thrown on tire Smooth
granite surface Men are dropped by
cables three hundred and fifty ieet
and they paint on the rocks the lines
OF the gigantic figures. Later stone
cutters are lowered to do their work
under the supervision of Borglum. j..
The group is two hundred feett
high: the horse on which Genefal
Lee rides is one hundred and thirty
seven feet from hOofs to top OF ms
hridle. The whole design is moving
end full of action. 1t contains all OF
thn branches of an American army:
The central figure is that splendid
Christian, Robert Z. Lee. who fought
yaliantlv for n cause in when ne be =
lived and surrendered without bit
| tcrness or hatred.
stone Mountain Is not merely
Southern monument: it is great ma :
tional treasure, which is being dis
! cussed in the art circles OF Europe.
even more than it is here me arlls'
who created it is essentially AMER
| can. born and educated here re
has done his great life-Work ho'
| only in America but around Amcrl-
can history and traditions
Dreams that live in the Souls vi
| sincere men come true.--F'rom inc
| DelincatOr.