Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-26


NN ton Monument. That great
shaft OF stone. the most IA
miliar memorial ever erected
In this country, has been planned ana
replanncd since the death OF Washing
ton. 1t has ever been the most popular
monument In America.
The coming March marks exactly
80 years since the day the corner stone
was laid IN lS48.
Present plans OF the National Com
mission OF Fine Arts are TO complete
the base" Congress Is about 70 author .n-
ize this action which will correct the
architectural defect that causes an
oloclisk to rise from a mound rather
than as IL should from plane. Win
great and smooth stone level provided.
the shaft will appear even taller than
1t does now.
This factor OF height has always been
the dominant one. It was emphasized
bv the first proposers OF memorial. In
the National Inteiligencer OF February
II. 1896. the editor gave much space TO
A description OF a plan for temple
like memorial. He concluded his plea
by saying that the design WOULD cost
i'm It's execution about million collars
and would be- the highest edificc IN the
world and the most stupendous and
MAGNIFICENT monument ever erected 10
any man" A..
kevnote from the first. IL In possible
that in the plans for the highest ana
most stupendous" there was 9erminat-
| ing the seed Of the skyscraper edince
Who can say?
| The newspapers OF an early day pub
iisi,ed many columns ON the stupendous
| height Of the Washington Monument
/ Ma
assigned by the editor 10 make trip
10 the tod OF the Monument while the
workmen were preparing for the placing
OF the 300-ton cap stone, So awed was
this writer by this trip skyward that
his account, M published In the paper.
showed that he had turned from re-
porting 10 prophesying. And 80 I'm"
pressed was the editor that two columns
OF fiye-potnt type gave To waiting
world the thrilling experience.
The reporter incidentally notes That
John A. Roebiing and son, botn OF
Trenton. N. j., were directing activitieh
and that the elevator which lifted the
stone To Its place was made expressly
for this purpose.
IAN the modern building appliances
are 10 be seen on the summit" he wrote
by their use one man can easily raise
and handle and put into place stones
weighing from 10 8 t0ns"
. The view from the top Is exquisite. q
he continued. Then sitting down on n
! block OF marble he opened his eyes a.
, seer aud swept his gaze across The
spot where once stood the Washington
/, that he knew The earth was covered
with magnificent dwellings. which
would have been the grandest palaces
/ n century before Glorious piles OF
! granite and marble reared their sym
: metriesi heads high into the clouds
. much higher than the Monument It.
3 | self"
This. II seems. was the work OF q
!. century. He continued In prophecy
= Around many of the buildings were
parks thick with llxuriant foliage
through which merry fountains could
be seen sending al0ft paraboias Of cfyk-
u tai spray As far as the eye could bee
= rose continuous piles of massive build
ings,"
This being placed In about The yesi
}, 1895, one Joannes johnson was Pres.
= ident vi the United States, while n
4 Europe thrones had been overturned
= snd republics established, Our owl
b President had undertaken many re-
| forms, He ordered the old buildings
- IN be torn down and destroyed H'
then began building where the Capito
stood, In i342 the present buildings