The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-06-20

CITY Is at last 10 De COul-
pleted. The Grant Monument associa-
ton is now engaged in raising by pop
ular subscription nearly half mil
lion dollars necessary for carrying
out the original plans for this his
torfc landmark. The terrace surround
ing the monument is to be planted
with shade trees; narrow walks bOr-
dered by low granite walls. banked
with ornamental shru6bery. will pro-
vide promenades for visitors; and a
portico with sculptured decorations is
to be placed over the main entrance,
with the apex of the portico directly
under the carved motto Let Us Have
Peace"
But most important of all the addi-
lions is to be the equestrian statue of
the general, wearing the familiar uni
form of Civil war days, which is to
stand on a raised pediment in the
plaza in front of the tomb. And
thereby hangs the tale of what prom
ises to be fascinating mystery: why
is it impossible for the sculptor, who
is to make the equestrian statue, to
find a photograph of Ulysses S. Grant
on horseback? Yet. such is the case,
according to Quincy G. Cue. a writer
for the New York Herald Tribune,
who in recent issue of that news
paper tells of the unexpected difficult
ties which have been encountered as
follows:
The search for a photograph Of Gen.
eral u. S. Grant on horseback to aid
the sculptor who is modelling an euues-
trian statue for the plaza in front of
Grants tomb, now has covered the COL
lections of the New York Historical
society the public library and numer-
Gus dealers in rare prints and other
pictures without discovering the much
wanted camera-made portrait While
nobody can be found who believes the
hero of the Civil war never faced the
camera when mounted during the four
years Of the great conflict, it is never
theless true that nobody can be found
who is sure he has ever seen such a
picture
The New York Herald Tribune's quest
included a visit to the studio of the
sculptor Daniel Chester French one of
whose many well known works is the
bronze statue of Grant on horseback
in Fairmont park, Philadelphia. Asked
whether he had an equestrian photo
graph to guide him when he made it
in 1898 the venerable artist, who was
eighty years old on April 20, promptly
replied; 49,
life and I had every photograph of
Grant could find"
Dr. Robert Underwood Johnson, who
as associate editor of the old Century
Magazine forty-five years ago. may be
said to have discovered Grant as an
author and induced him to write the
memoirs which rescued him and his
family from poverty in his last days,
was quite certain he had seen at least
one photograph from life of Grant in
the saddle. When asked why he did
not publish so rare a picture in the
Century war book Battles and Lead
ers of the Civil War;" the veteran edi-
tor revised his statement and finally
concluded on telephoning c. c. Buel,
his co-worker of 1887, that in the pho
tograph he had in mind the general
was not in the saddle but on the
ground, holding his horse by the Bride
In making inquiry at the Union
League club, where there is a notable
collection of wartime portraits, the
librarian suggested that General War
rem NJ. Healy be consulted. General
Healy is the Oldest living member of
the Grant Monument association, hav-
ing been one of its organizers with
General Horace Porter, soon after
Grant died in 1885. AS erect of car
rage and as clear of mind as he was
when he marched away with the Thir-
teenth massachusetts, in April, 1861, he
says when called upon to state his age:
I'm ninety -one now, with nine more
years to CO."
General Healy was one of those who
asked the army war college at Wash
ington to set its research section at
work to find a photograph of Grant on
horseback for use of the sculptor. He
has done some hunting himself, also,
but as yet without success.
There are something like 200 por-
traits of General Grant in the library
of the New York Historical society, and
among them are several of him in uni
form and in the saddle. These, how
ever, are all engravings, etchings or
Autographs, ranging from Currier &
1ves's cheapest commercial product to
the fine proof etching made by L. Mer-
cier noted French artist. The print
I room of the public librarf has another
equally large collection drawings,
but nothing in the nature of photo
graph from life or photo-engraving
of the man who often faced grape and
canister on horseback, yet who seems
to have always run away from the
camera.
At the offices of Brown Brothers, who
may be described as dealers lin back
number photographs, with about