Year: 1873

The Lincoln Monument.


THE REPORTS REGARDING ITS DILAPIDATED con-


DITtoN DENIED-LETTER FROM A MEMBER OF
THE ASSOCIATION.


A letter from mein Der of the Lincoln
Monument Association, in answer to the re-
port, on the strength of statement of "a
recent visitor that the monument i 5 in
| deplorable condition, and in defence Of the
work, is published in the New York Times,
as follows -


Whether monument is in good taste or
not is question about which men may
differ. 1t is built after the design of Mr..
Mead, and it is well known that very


large majority ofthose who visit it think it


to be in very good taste. As to the taste of
| its design, no Just or far criticism can be


made in the present condition Of the mOnu-


ment. The design contemplates statue of


Mr.. Lincoln and four groups of statuary ;


and until the monument Is ornamented


with these, we think any criticism on the


taste of the design premature. The state


ment that ''the monument is in a most de-
plorable condition" is not true, and is de-


MED


The monument may be divided into three
parts. First, the shaft, the chief part of it;


sixteen feet at its base, its foundation
eighteen feet beneath the surface, and
| firmly built on concrete eight feet,
| thence of solid blocks of stone. No one
/ has ever questioned the proper construction
Of this shaft from foundation to apex. See
Ond, the four pedestals, one at each corner
of the shaft, and on which the four groups
Of statuary are to be placed. These pedes-
fa1 do aF
own and separate and apart from that of the
shaft The proper construction of these
pedestals, like that of the shaft, has never
been, and cannot with propriety be ques-
toned. Third, the terrace or elevated walk
fourteen feet above the surface of the ground,
and surrounding the pedestals and shafts,
and reached by steps at either end. This ter
race like the shaft and pedestals, stands upon
its own foundation and entirely distinctir0m
them. In fact, this terrace could be taken
down without injury to the shaft or pedes-
tails. and is covered by a floor of large dressed
stone. The monument Is still in the hands
of the contractor, who has discovered de-
fects in the construction of the terrace, and
especially in its floor and the steps leading
to it. The defect in the floor consists in IL
want of sufficient slope to carry of the
water falling upon it. The contractor has
been for some time, and Is now, busily en-
gagged in correcting these defects in the
terrace, under the superintendent Of
competent architect and builder, and soon
will be completed. - Visitor" has doubt
less seen the monument in this process Of
the reconstruction of the terrace, and made
his complaints without having the
candor to state that the defects of
construction were being remedied. The
association has not accepted the monument
from the contractor, and Will not do 80 un-
every part i made complete and in accord
ance with the design and specifications.
The association has retained from the pay
of the contractor a sufficient sum to cover
any expense in making the structure as
durable as can be made with granite, brick
and mortar.


The members Of the Lincoln Monument
Association have been earnestly engaged
since the death of Mr.. Lincoln in erecting a
monument which would do honor to his


memory. They hope and believe they have
succeeded, and for SO doing they expect no
personal advantage to themselyes-their
time being given freely and gratuitOusly.
They believe, and would express that be
lief with modesty, that when ornamented
with its proper sculpture, now being pro-
yided-one group furnished by friends of
Mr. Lincoln in the city Of New Nork-it
will equal. If not surpass, any monument
on this continent They would be glad to
see built to his memory a monument
more grand and beautiful, and when such
one i erected it, builders may fairly claim
the right to criticise the Springfield Lincoln
Monument