Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-06-12

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Adolph II. Jouuenal. uhO chisled the in.
scription from the foot of the Washing
ton sarcophagus at Mount Uernon in
1873. as he appeared at the time
to the United States and settled in New York,
where he remained for two years when he
moved to Washington and commenced work
on the Ionic capitals of the columns of the
Capitol where he was employed for five years,
and also worked on the Cornthian capitals
in the extension OF the Capitol, 1856 to 1864,
and in carving an elaborate mantel in the
Senate wing.
The bust of Aaron Burr Vice President of
the United States 1901 to 1905, in the Capitol.
is the work of Jacques Jouvenal, as is the
memorial to Won Steuben, in front of the
German Orphan Asylum. Good Hope road,
but which originally was in the grounds of
Schuetzsn Park, which was located on George
avenue many years ago. and whs-e the corner
stone was laid May Is, 1870. He also cut the
Peter Force monument in Rock Creek Gene
terry and the Reed memorial in Congressional
Cemetery. erected to the Reed family, five of
whom lost heir lives in the burning of the
excursion steamer Wawaset on the Potomac
River August 8, 1873, and in which many other
Westinghouse persisted.
On his recent annual pilgrimage to Congress
siona Cemetery, on Memorial day, the writer
passed by the Reed family lot. where the
dead from that holocaust were buried SO years
ago. Many old Washngtonans recall this
avoidable and unfortunate accident. The pres
ent generation, however, attach little signif-
canoe to the cold marble stones which mark
the graves of this entire family-except the
father-the destruction of which occurred al
most in the tWinklinp of an eve
The most conspicuous piece OF local work
executed by Jacques Jouvenal is the Franklin
statue, at Tenth street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue., which cut in his place of business,
which stood fo- many years on the north side
OF D street northwest, near the corner of the
site now covered by the east end of the Hutch
ms Building and where still earlier the
residence and gardens Of Peter Force. Mayor
of Washington, 1886 to 1889. and a who
preserved much of the early history of the
American Republic
So the writer is informed. this statue. which
was designed by Ernest PlaSsman, was intended
to acorn the National Republican Building
which once stood on the southwest corner Of
Thirteenth and streets, where now stands
what formerly the Southern Railway Build
ing 1t seems that the gentlman ordering the
statue made through financial reverses or
other causes, was unable to pay for the work
when it was completed and that Stilson Hutch
ms purchased it and presented it to the Fed
eral Government.
1t is surely a fine piece OF work. and was
unveiled on January II, 1882 the 1884 ami
ve-sary of the birth of the great American
patriot. news item printed at the time tells
us that:
The l83d anniversary of the birth of Ben
jamin Franklin was observed on the 18th inst
at Washington D. c., by the unwilling of the
marble statue erected to his memory 1t was
unveiled precisely at 10 o'clock by Mrs M. w.
Emory, the widow of Gen. William H. Emory.
She is the great-granddaughte of Franklin
her maiden name being Bache-and is the
nearest descendant in direct line. She was
accompanied by her two daughters, the Misses
Emory, and by her nephew Gen. Duncan
Walker, the three being great great grand
children. Mrs. Emory pulled the cord in a
driving rain, but Immediately afterward the
clouds dispersed and the sun shone out brightly
She was presented with the flag by Mr.. Hutchins
a souvenir of the event.
THE statue is erected on enc of the spaces
formed by the intersection of side streets with
Pennsylvania avenue-and which was presented
to the National Capital by Mr.. Stilson Hutchins,
lately the proprietor of the Washington Post
and is the design of Ernst Plassman and the
work of Jacques Jouvenal. Mr.. Plassman de-
. signed also the statue of Franklin which stands
in Printing House Square in the City of New
York. The Washington Franklin Is of clear,
spotless Garrara marble and has been cut out
of a flawless block especially selected and inn
ported for the purpose. 1t is eight feet six
inches high (heroic size), and stands upon q
pedestal cut from Massachusetts, granite, IL
feet two inches above the surface of the street,