Evening Star Newspaper, February 21, 1885, Page 3

ll gee THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C., SATURDAY,#FEBRUARY 21; 1885 —DOUBLE SHEET 3 ILDING DOWNWARD. The piMieutt Engineering Problem Solved by Col. Casey. How A NEW FOUNDATIO NEATH THE SHAPT—TH ADOPTED—ALL WAS BUILT UNDER- 10US PLAN STABILITY inspiration of a rrying on the upon the Waskington n 1onument there qppeared, to the ordi- rver at least, nothing remaining to be he stone and continue build- point where the masons enty years before. Doubts, tion for e In the minds of engineers as ctu the structure, and provision to ascertain fent to sus- apleted structure. At nt commission, the Kurtz, tion was suff tion was Insuf inadvisable te proceed until it was prop f the work, jons nade by aid h wrecked. ding skyw apparent t the first step to be taken award. ineers Wus to build dev THE OLD FC Was 80 feet sjuare at its base or bed, which was J feet S inches below the gen vel of the ground about the structure. This foundation hesin thiekness und wa - nt offs upper course ttem to topin el; feet rise each, th m. inter- with of fat n the tempt allel beds > used. TI as possible with and t stones the shap. xe from the nrTy nd small be ed in indis- ‘A well-he et square passed h the center of this foundation, but when the work resumed, extend of the foundation, though it me pro been deeper. The surement ly tt was found by me M tons, the welght of the foundation ht of earth on the foun— making a total weight of ra foundation bed 6,100 pressure uponeach r the foundation of cou ATIONS. When Col rge of the work at the monument the plan which was eventually adopted had not been decided upon. It was then expected that the obelisk would be earried only to the height of 525 feet. In his first re- port to the Joint commission for the completion of the monument, he s: ‘Should the obeli: 5 ried to the height of et and the earth filled upon the founda- the level of the bottom of the sh: the n the bed of the foundation would 43,4121 tons. ustain, and it is not t could be carried to 2 foundation of no ‘THE PROBLEM GIV After the board of er report, Lieut. Col. Casey was on June 25, 1878, d to report to the joint commission, and Since that date has had charge of the work at nent, The task before Col. Casey was : ° appalled the stoutest a ra ‘ally a new founda- it under a huge stone struc- hand weighing 32.900 tons. i to be undermined and the upon which it rested replaced to a e ent with substantial masonry, Sens xe on publie build- d_doubts as to the his feat, and some d that the whole struc- Congress authorized upon the work of t, as that was the plan’ which some per- ‘ongress, contemplating < of horizontal arches, was to make careful ulations, so as to deter- Mjue what was needed. “He experimented to see how much more weight could safely be added to the structure us it then existed, and came to the conclusion, on account of the nature Of the foundation and the character of the soil, $hat not a stone mare could be imposed upon It The board of engineer officers who had previ- ously examined the monument concluded that the Structure had settled some. The first builders Of the monument had used a bench mark, which the engineers assumed to be the stone hear the monument, known as the Meridian stone, Measurements made from that showed that the structure had settled. Members of the Monument society, however, contended that that was not the right stone. As the old records Were lost, the point could not be definitely de- gided. When Col. Casey assumed charge of the Work all the plans forstrengthening the founda- tion were referred to him. The several methods Suggested for securing the foundation are com- Piised ander two general classes, one proposing hoop In the earth beneath the foundation, so Ss to prevent the laterial displacement under the additional load to be brought upon the bed ofthe foundation; the other to underpin and extend the surface of the base of the foundation $0 as to distribute the load over a greater area ‘within the limits of resistance of the soil to be pressed. ‘THE PLAN ADOPTED. Col. Casey after carefully examining all the plans proposed rejected all. He began work at ‘once upon a new plan, and In less than a month had worked out all the details, His plan fell in the second of the twoclasses named, contem- plating the extension of the foundation so as to Widen the area of pressure or the bearings of je structure. The work upon the foundation, commenced in 1878, was pushed toa success: ful completion in May, 1850, at a net cost of 99.973. Though Congress had at first author- the expenditue of 336,000 upon this work, i. Cagey’s plans, involving a larger expendi ture, were subsequently approved. HOW THE WORK WAS DONE. Brieffy, !t may be said, that the foundation was deepened 13 feet 6 inches, and extended in ail directions 23 feet 3 Inches. Seventy per centum of the earth under the old foundation was dug away and replaced with a mass ofcon- crete extending 18 feet within and 23 feet 3 in- ches without the line of the outer edges of the old foundation. This mass of concrete extended S feet under the outer face of the shaftat ite Jowest Joint, where it rests upon the foundation. ‘This gave a’ new foundation 126 feet 6 inches Square, and enlarged the area of the foundation from 6,400 square feet to 16,000 square feet. To distribute the pressure of the shaft over the new foundation, the old rubble-stone base was torn from under the walls of the shaft and replaced y # concrete underpinning extending out upon the new concrete slab. In doing this 51 per cent of the cubical contents of the old stone foundation was removed and 48 per cent of the area of the shaft undermined. The foundation us completed extends 36 feet 10 inches below the shaitand 6 inches below the permanent level of water at the site of the monument. The Weight of the completed structure Is as follows: Weight of foundation and earth upon ft Weight of 150 the shaft.. Weight of n Weight of pyramidion. ‘Weight of iron frame.. Total weight. It Is calculated that the pressure upon the bed of the foundation nowhere exceeds nine tons per square foot, and is less than three tons per Square foot near the outer edges of the founda- tion. The shaft, as proportioned, both in dt- mensions and weight, is entirely stable, as against winds that would exeft @ pressure of one hundred pounds or more per square foot Upon auy face of the structure. THE HOLE THROUGH THE MILLSTONE, The work accomplished {n securing the foun- ation seems entirely practicable now, but at the Ume it was commenced many people re- Garded it as@ foolhardy undertaking. Noone @oubted but that if such a foundation as was Proposed could be sunk under the shaft that the structure would be rendered stable, The roblem was how to get it under the shaft. Fie pian adopted by Col. Casey, and success- fully carried out, was to introduce the masonry ree vertical layers about four feet in width, Wing first tunneled under the structure with Grifts of the sume width and of the required height a senate Sane Byer were — Rected sack other by dowel stones sot in with pressions in the alternate layers, into ‘hich the intermediate layers en ene 36,912 tons. material used in these layers @as cement concrete, exeept for @ short Sones ot under “ old foundati here Under the stones of the old tne, ‘tan Bels described were excavated in pairs on sides of the monument, in such a way that strain was equalized. the course of Work the monument sunk a little, but ow- to the precautions taken, it practically set- tion. These | tled squarely or evenly all around, so as not to displace the axis or disturb the equilibrium of the structure. Each of these pairs of tunnels: was filled with cement before the next pair was excavated, and thus the work wag continued until all the earth within the dimensions given. had been tunneled out and replaced with con- crete. To lock the old foundation in with the new, and distribute the pressure more uni- formly over the new mass, three large buttressss on each side of the structure—twelve in all— were carried from the upper surface of the new foundation up to and under the outer portions of the shaft; while to sustain the central por- tion of the old foundation a leg of concrete was projected under the middle of it, the well in the center being used asa means of access to the portion to be exeavated and Billed. ALL DOUBTS REMOVED, When the work was nearly completed in April, 1880, a committee of the National Mon- ument Association in a memorial to Congress upon the subject, enclosing a succinct state- ment by Col, Casey of the condition of the tement warrants the assertion that sonable doubts as to the ion have now been re- and there is abundant testimony from cientific sou: a most in- skillful proc ch has been authority , the base of nt has been rendered’ capable of ning as great a weight as it has ever been to place upon it, and that the shaft, tied up to its ‘contemplated height, © withstand the foree of a wind of city Of any which could reason- «be the subject of exleulation or conject- On the 29th of May following the en- larged foundation was pronounced to be fin- i ‘The entire work had been accomplished without causing the slightest crack or the least opening in any Jointof the structure. The joint commission ina communication to Con- gress formally complimented Col. Capt. Davis, his assistant, and sai ner in which the work has been conducted gives evidence of their high scientific knowl- edge and faithiul performance of dut THE SETTLEMENT OF THE SHAFT. During the progress of the work of introdue- | ing the new foundation the several corners of the shaft settled as follows: Southwest, 2 's; Southeast, 2.34 inches; northeast, 2.23 s; northwest, 1.90 inches. The total set- tlement of each corner since the work was re- sumed to the present date is for the southwest, Ae mutheast, 4.76 Inches; northeast, 26 inches, and northwest, 3.98 inches. The greatest difference, ncar.y half an inch, oc eurred during the ‘Introdiiction of the founda- tion, When Col. Casey made his first measurements before bexinning work it was found that the shaft was slightly “out of plumb.” Its axis leaned 1% inches to the horthward. The difference noted in the settle- ment of the four corners aided materially in correcting this slight deviation of the shaft from the perpendicular. ‘The top of the uncom- pleted shaft, when the work of laying stone was begun, was found to be not exactly square, there being a difference of nearly two inches between the length of the south side and that of the north side. After the work was com- menced this difference was gradually corrected from course to course until within the first fifty feet of new work it had entirely disap- peired. This makes a slight departure from Straight lines in the form of the shaft, which, It is claimed, can be detected by the eye when the atmosphere is very clear, THE MONUMENT AND THE LAKE. In his recent report to the monument com- mission, Col. Casey says: “It has been observed during the construction of this work that when any motion took place in the structure due to addition of weight, the two north corners of the monument were the first to settle. This is be- lieved to be due to the falling away of the earth on the north side of the structure, thus reducing the conjugate pressures on that side,and to the proximity of the pond Just north of the terrace, n the south margin of which are numerous springs. As the bottom of the foundation of ument is only some two feet above mean high water in the Potomue, and the bed upon which the foundation rests is below the level of water in the ground at the site, there may be some connection betwi and those of the pond and In the interest of increased ument, and for the terrace slopes and grad that the pond just north to the level of its banks, pose aboul 83,000 rds of arth, vies. @ BUILDING SKYWARD. How the Huge Stones were Set in the Shaft—The Ingenious Method of Con- structing the Marble Roof—Someof the Details of the Work. quiring for the pur- The shaft of the monument Is 500 fect 5% inches high,slightly over nine times the base, which is 55 feet 1g inches square. The top is 34 feet 54 inches square, being 5 of the width ofthe base. The shaft, if continued in this pro- portion, would come to a point at 2% times its present height, The construction of this im- mense shaft was naturally slow, as the greatest care and precision were necessary in the cutting and setting of the stones. The shaft, after the resuinption of the work in 1880. gréw at the rate of twenty fect at a jump. ‘That is, the iron framework for the building was built twenty feet above the completed portion of the shait and around this the stones were set untill they reached its top. Work was then suspended until the framework could be erected again above the completed portion, and the same ope- ration was repeated. This change called a shift, and each course of stones, which was two feet high, could be set ina day if everythin, was favorable. Procuring the material in suM= cient quantities and cutting it properly after Its receipt formed the great part of the work. The setting of the stones could be accompilshed tapidly when everything = was in readiness, The thickness of the walls at the bottom fs fifteen fect, and at the top only eighteen inches. The facing of the walls Is pure white marble, while the interior backing, up to a height of 150 fect, the old portion, is Fubble masonry. Abbve that point, toa height of 452 feet, it is of dressed granite from New England quarries, and from there to the top the walls consist of white marble entirely, the interior backing pong dispensed with. The blocks are two feet high, and the headers and stretchers alternate. The interior well of the shait is 25 feet square at the bottom, but enlarges 31 feet 6 inches square at the top. In the walls of the lower part of this well are many of the memo- ria! stones which were inserted in the earlier days of the work. The memorial stones which are on hand will be properly cut down in very thin slabs and also inserted in or attached to these walls, Around this well runs a strong fron stairway, and in the center runs a power- ful steam elevator of ten tons capacity, sup- ported by a construction of eight vertical iron columns. At a height of 470 feet the twelve marble ribs which form the support of the roof spring from the walls of the well. They are carried upward until those nearest the angles of the shaft meet In the hips of the pyramidion, while those in the center of each face are cont nected still higher, forming two arches, inter- secting each other’ at right angles. The key- stone of the center ribs is at a_height of 529 feet. The pyramidian or roof which is thus firmly supported is composed of marble slabs only seven inches in thickness, resting upon Spurs or projections upon the marble ribs, The vertical height of the roof is55 feet, making the height of the monument 555 feet 5% inches, and the welght of the roof is 300 tons, “The cap- Stone in which it terminates weighs 3,300 pounds, and is crowned bya tip or pyramid of pure aluminium. The character of this roof and the method of constructing it exhibit much Ingenuity. There is nothing similar in any buildiug everconstructed. A roof of some otler material than marble could have been built with much less designing, labor and ex- pense, but {t was particularly desirable to have the face of the monument of the same material from bottom to top. In this way any change of the weather will have the samie effect on all parts of it, The eight windows which look ont upon the surroun ing country just above the 500-foot level can be closed when not in use by very thin marble shutters, which fit with won- deriul exactness, and when closed make the tire face of the monument one unbroken harmony of white marble. To prevent the outer face of these white shutters from being sofled when they are swung back, a very. clever de- vice in the shape of a guiding arm’ causes each one to revolve asit swings back so that when notin place on the monument the outer face lies against a rib, and can never be soiled by the vandal visitor who delights in writing his name in public places! ————+ee___ THE DANGER FROM THE LAKE. Why Col. Casey Wants the Carp Pond Filled U THE SLIGHT MOVEMENTS OF THE STRUCTURE ALWAYS NOTICEABLE ON THE NORTH SIDE— ‘THE ENGINEER'S VIEWS AS TO THE IMPROVE- MENT OF THE BASE, 40, “Is it necessary to fill up Babcock lake tmme- diately to insure the stability of the Washing- ton monument?” asked a STAR reporter of Col. Casey the other day. “I disposed of that subject In my last report,” said the colonel, with a weary air, as if he had said and heard enough about the monument. ede want to tell ihe Teaders of THE STAR a le more about ” ie rej Se of them are interested in both whe Welke <td the monument,” “Well,” said the colonel, inion’ the lake should 'be filled as’a precau- Uonary measure, but it makes no difference to me whether it ‘is filled or not. My work 1s xpressed my opinion. If not a thing would be the monument’s ‘protection. Providence to pfotect {¢ else could topple t the existence lett J ‘Then we could trust in undone sow, at DANGER FROM THE LANE, ‘ow, I'll tell you,” continued the colonel “why I think the existence of the lake aoe endanger the stability of the monument, ll along during the construction of was observed that when any momen tet tt the two north were the first ‘should they settle first variab! and then the Libis Tat May /anua nn SSOP My oct iara: SECTIONAL DIAGRAM OF THE INA = > = 3 = i 3 = 3 | 3 S beuk eect MONUMENT, SHOWING METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE NEW FOUNDATION. congregate pressures on that side were reduced by the falling away ofthe earth. The founda- tion of the monument has been strengthened and well strengthened, and fs now able to su port the weight of the monument, and that is all. ‘The foundation is built right in a marsh, ‘The water stands several inches above the bot- tom of that foundation, and the earth upon which {t stands is the finest sand imaginable— as fine as any ever used on writing paper. Im- agine the pressure upon the stratum of earth on which the foundation rests with the same di- mensions as that foundation, It is something enormous. Now, what prevents that section or stratum from spreading out under this weight and allowing the structure to settle? Simply the weight of the earth which is contained above aline drawn from that stratum to the surface at the angle at which the earth naturally falls, the angel depending upon the character of the arth. Tit were rock tt would, stand per- ndicular. You can catch the idea by recalling je formation of arailroad cut. ‘The earth on the sides of the cut will roll down until it reaches the natural angle. Very well, then. If the weight of this earth is unequal the stratum is Hable to be squashed out, as it were, in the direction of the least weight. That is exactly the case if the lake Is allowed to remain. It has the effect of lessening the pressure on that side, The angle which [referred to would bring the the taker Br wing an manequality. oj a the ‘lake, show! re, because the earth would be removed to form that part of the lake, Besides, I have always noticed ‘drawn off that there are a Mamiber of springs bubbiing fort the monument side. What is prevent these pings, which have thelr origin th the vicinity of the monument, fon dually drawing away, as they find an outlet in the lake, the Sng sand from beneath the monument and al- wing structure to settle. These two ailied feasous lod ime to recommend’ that tho YEARS IM TOPPLING OVER. ‘There will have to be some gradual undermin- ing, similar to the possibilities I Sergei If bilities are with there is these posstbil re done away t “How much has the monument settted?” Lec sereaprtne yhoo about four inches,” was the reply, meee small. The standard 1s one-thousandth of a foot—less than the width of a horse hair. By this measurement we have watched the move- ment of the monument. The standard is incon- ceivably small and the movement imperceptl- ble. The greatest settlement recorded is about seven-thousandths of a foot, in 1879. It sounds much larger than it 1s. Of late years the settle- ment has been much less, For the past sixteen or seventeen days the monument has not moved, although we have watched it to the thousandth part of afoot, The weight is over 80,000 tons, and the structure contains enough stones tocover the whole of the White lot, if spread upon the ground. Itstands firm, and all that I care about 1s tosee everything ‘possible done to keep it firm. ‘THE BASE OF THE SHAFT, “How about the improvement of the base?” asked tho reporter. “I don't know anything about it,” was the reply. “The whole matter is in the hands of Congress. The construction of the monument much was {t considered outside the depart ments that it was with the greatest dimiculty that I secured a penalty clause on the office en- Velopes. ‘The Post Omics department would not ut {t on, and the only way ere was to put it on'myself without authority. Ihave told ngress that it will cost about $612,000 to im- prove the base witha marble wall; while the cost for an h terrace will only be about $167,000. In my opinion, the latter is the more desirable in every t. A pretty irreg- ular slope, leading grad up tothe mont ment, would be much more effective “But then my work is done” said the col back in his office chair, “and I ofit, No one knows how anxious I complete the structure in time for this month, And yet oes # 3 FEE a i i as I help it. IfI puton strike might follow. Ion, snd boas eusy and It would have been wise, All serious gers. season, Hut its all ovee” ike “If that monument, though, Ca property I'd have Babcock lake Hl THE BEGINNING AND THE END. ‘Two Notable Days in the History of the Monument. HOW THE CORNER-STONE WAS LAID—AN IMPOS- ING DISPLAY IN 1848—THE SETTING OF THE TIP-TOP STONE LAST DECEMBER, ‘When the Monument society had raised funds enough to warrant them in beginning work on the monumeht they concluded that it was ap- Propriate to have the corner-stone of the monu- Tepublic was laid. Consequently, on the 4th of July, 1848, the first stone of the monument was laid with imposing ceremonies and a great dis- Play. “Since the inauguration and the funeral of Harrison,” said a local chronicler of that day, “ourstreets and public avenues have never been so thronged with people, and never was the day signalized in this capital of the nation as it has been on this occasion.” It is estimated that 20,000 people attended the ceremoiies. Among the guests on the stand were Mrs, Alexander Hamilton, then ninety-one years old; Georze Washington Park Custis, Mrs. Dolly Paine Madi- son, Mrs. John Quincy Adams, Chief Justice Taney, Lewis Cass, Mr. Van Buren, and Millard. Fillmore. Not the least prominent in the as- sembly was a live eagle, twenty-five years old, which twenty-four years before had ap} in the pageant to celebrate the arrival of ette. The address was delivered by Sp Winthrop. B. B. French, then the grand master gt Masons, in laying the eorner-stone, used the Masonic gavel of Washington, THE SCENE ON THE MALL. A writer in the National Intellegencer thus de- scribed the scene preceding the ceremony at the foundation of the monument: “The finest por- tion of the show, however, was yet In reserve. It wason the mall, which presented one of the most beautiful subjects for the pencil which the painter could desire. The surface of the mall is undulating, and the whole of it covered with FrGER sod, How fresh from the recent rains, The eights were occupied by groups of carringes of every description, by booths with refreshments and by the various erections constructed for the display of freworks. As the space was ample, the crowds that had been confined to the streets here burst abroad, and themselves in all ‘dirce Space arms wel spread and scattered ions. From ‘space to > stacked—guarded—while all along the grassy slopes ladies and gentlemen, citizens and soldiers, on foot, on horsebitck, singly and in little squads, strayed about in the cool breeze and bright sun, sceming to enjoy. their existence. Further down was the seat of action, Here, in a hollow, spread with boards and surrounded with seats, a crowd began to gather to witness the ceremonies of laying the gorner-stone and to listen to the addresses with which it was accompanied. Around two sid » high and solidly constructed Tanges of seats, hired out to spectators, covered with awnings, and affordinga favorable pc for seeing and hearing. A temporary a) erected, covered with colored cotton and suil bly embellished. But its most interesting an éractive ornament was a llving American eagle, with its dark plumage, piercing eye and snowy head and tail, who seemed to look With anxious eye on the unwonted spect below. This we understand is the same ¢. which in Alexandria surmounted the are! welcome then erected to Lafayette; and to com- plete its honors and its public character it has since been entrusted to M. Vattemare, sented to the n a Pa tion of arrangements and the orators of the day; on the other a smaller one, and more ornamented, for the Masonic oftic who s to preside in the ceremony of laying the st Here the crowds gathered. The vast sloping amphithe- ater of seats pi ited an unbroken sheet of hu- man countena: In a conspi seats were pro’ fi Hamilton, to w most touchingly and eloquently allud over the whole the banner of the Union, spread and displayed by the willing bre seemed proudly to extend its ornament and protection.” THE PROCESSION. The procession, Which was considered the fin- est ever seen in this city, and was over a mile in length, was marshaled by Joseph H, Brad- ley, whose special aids were Major P.G. Howle, Major S. Lewis, Capt. J. E. Stewart, of Balti- more, .P. Key. The military was under the command of Major Gen. John Quitman, with Lieutenants R. P. Hammond and G. W: Derby as aids. Col. Chas. May with Lieut. D. Tree as adjutant commanding the calvary, and Gey. Cadwallader, with Lieutenants Keger, of the Voltegeurs, and Henry, of the N. Y. vol: unteers, on his staff, The line was formed in front of the City Hall, and on the right of the line was the Maryland Light Horse, of Laurel, commanded by Col. Horace Capron, followed by the Prince ¢ dragoons (Capt. Tuck’s company) of 3 boro, commanded Lieut, Hillary, Mounted Carbi- niers of Baltimore, Capt. Murdock, and Ring- old cavalry of Alexandria, commanded by deut Corse. = The Eagle Artillerist: f Baltimore, com- manded by Col. George P;Kane, and the Rough and Ready Artillery, Capt. Robinson, a com- pany of youths, with two stnall field pieces rawn by band, formed the artillery in the line. The infantry portion of the procession was formed of two com} ies ‘of U.S. marines (Col. Walker commanding the battalion end Lieuts. Queen and Hays the companies); the Independ- ent Blues, Capt. A. P.Shutt, and Independent Gray both of Baltimore, Capt. Hall, of the latter, commanding the battalion; Baltimore City Guards, Lieut. McDonald; Fredericksburg, Va., Guards, Capt. Jackson; Washington Light Infantry, Capt. Ni Capt. P.’F. Baco: ‘vlan more, Capt. Harris; Light Guards, of Boston, Capt. Clark; Mt. Vernon Guards, of Alexandria (Capt. ‘Lammond’s company),’ Lieut. “Price im ependent Grays, of Georgetown, ae Wright; Baltimore Sharpshooters, Capt. Lilly: and Columbian Riflemen, of Baltimore, Capt. McAllister. The civic divisions were in charge of Major A, A. Nicholson, Major. R. Hobbie and J. A. lake. ‘The firemen’s division was composed of the Vigilant fire company, of Baltimore; Washing- ton Hose company, of Baltimore; Howard fire company, of Baltimore; the Anacostia, Colum- bia, Franklin and Perseverance companies,and a delegation from the Northern Liberties com- peny Of this city. The District lodges of Odd Fellows were next inorder. The Red Men foil: The Young Men’s delegation of Baltimore; delegations from. the various states. Then the temperance divi- sions, the Washington Benevolent associa- tion, the German Benevolent association, the ‘corporate authorities of Washington and other cities. Then came a carriage containing: the venerable Mrs. Hamilton, her daughter, Mrs. Holly, G. W. P. Custis, esq., and General Walter Jones. Carriages containing the com- inittees, Hon, Robert C. W'nthrop, orator of the day; Rev. 3. 3, MeSiiton, of Baltimore, chap- lain; President Polk, Secretary of State ‘Buch- anan, Col. J. Knox Walker, private secretary; Hon.’R. J. Walker, Secretary of Treasury, an 3,X; Mason, Seerétary Navy; Cove Jotinson Postmaster General; W. L. Marcy, Secretary of War, and Isaac Toucy, Secretary of Navy. The Masonic lodges, marshaled by J. B. ‘Thomas, closed the procession. THE CORNER-STONE. The copper plate covering the deposit recesa in the‘torner-stone bore the following inscrip- tion: 1776. lence of the United States of America, 4th July, 1848. This Corner-Stone Laid of a Monument, By the People of the United States, to the Memory of George Washington, 5 James K. Polk, Presidentof the United States and Ex-Officio President of the rd of Managers, William Brent, 1st Vice President. ‘Willam W. Seaton, Mayor of Washington, 24 Vice President, Gen’'l A. Henderson, 3d Vice President, J.B. H. Smith, Treasurer. George Watterston, Secretary. ‘Then followed the namesof the board of man- rs, the building committee, the committee of arrangements and the architect, A long list of documents in print and manu- script were placed in the recess of the stone, be- sides Seventy-one newspapers and copies of Magazines of the day and other periodicals, copies of the National Tnieligencer tie tiny, copies of the Un the Nationat dra and. the Saturday Evening Weuws, all Journals which have passed out of ex- istence. Among the documents placed in the stone was a “Description of the Magnetic Tele- graph,” by A. Vail; a description of the daguer- Totypé process, by John 8. Grubb, of Alexan- dria, Va. togetlier with daguerroty be likenesses of Gen. and ‘ashington, and a de- sign of the montiment, small plate produced by & process called electrotype, which Was in those days considered a marvel SETTING THE CAPSTONE. The actual completion of the shaft, which ‘was dedicated to-day, was celebrated with due solemnity, but no pomp or parade, on the 6th Tua nacel ie ee shige, towing about id e about from d. The only oe Teseesmtiog to is ot Page ergo FA ig og bin ‘the! oe Dennis mason; James Hogan, the elevator con- ‘the colored man asthe man used in setting the stones of the monument since the work was re- On the ioe eps twenty feet below, were assem! 'W. McKee Horatio King, Dr. J. M. Toner and Dr. Daniel B. Clarke, ee omy cea ise alocment oa mission, the draughtamen and clerks the Monument. ice and several Each of the persons the u} ment laid on Independence Day, the anniver- | sary of the day when the cornerstone of the | Col. Casey being the last to handle the trowel. The stone, which was swung from | 8 derrick, was then lowered into its place. This Was the ‘capstone, but the aluminium point, which forms the of the monument, was still to be adjusted. In the cement spread in the bed prepared for this tip of metal, each of those present on the upper platform deposited @ coin, When Superintendent MeLaughin Placed the tip on the stone and Col. Casey had secured {t, a shout went up; the stars and stripes Were unfurled and a salute wus fired by a can- non in the White Lot, limmediately atter- wards the members of the Monument society present assembled on the elevator platform 500 teet from the ground, and heid a brief ser- mon, at which a resolution was adopted, set- ting forth: “That we are thankful to have the opportunity of this occasion and, at this eleva- tion, to cohgratulate the American people on | the completion of this enduring monument of our nation’s gratitude for the Father of His Country.” The tiag displayed after the capstone was set, floated trém a flag-statf, the top of which was 600 fect from the ground. The capstone Is a cruciform keystone, 4 feet 5% inches in height on the outer faces, with a shoulder on side of7 inches to tie the ashlar face of the pyra- midal cap; below this shoulder the stone is 104. inches, making the toial length from top to feet 2g inches. The stone at the base is the sto: 3 inches square, and at the top, where the aluminium up was placed, ty | inches square, : THE ALUMINIUM TIP is the largest block of that metal ever cast in any country, The base is 5% inches square and its height 91, Inches. Its weight is 100 ounces. This metal was selected for its wonderful dur- ability and its freedom from wear or corrosion by atmospheric influences. The surface is whiter than silver, and so highly polished that {t reflects as a plate-glass_ mirror. tip is connected by wires With the fron work Of the elevator posts, which, aveaground connection, so that it plays the part of the tip ofalightning rod. On the tour s of the metal point the following inscriptions are Chiet and An nel Corps of en; Davis, 14th Unite ¥; Bernard’ R. aster Mechanic, P. If stone laid on bed Of ‘fi ion July 4, 181s. First stone, at height of 152 feet, laid At ISSO. Capstone set December 6, 1884. commission at setting of capstone Arthur, W.-W. Corcoran chairm Beli, Edward Clark, John Newton, 1876,” and upon the last one “ ————-se+ THE POPE'S STONE. A Sensational Incident in the History of the Monument—The Rape of the Stone Attributed to Know-Nothings— A Mystery Which Has Never Been Entirely Cleared Up. The Pope of Rome sent a contribution to the Monument in the shape of aslab of rich marble, variegated with veins of pink. This slab, which Was about three feet long, eighteen Inches wide and six inches deep, was placed, with other like gifts, in a shed or lupidarium south of the structure, in which most of these stones re- ceived frem foreign lands were stored. The winter of 1853 was quite a severe one and work had not been resumed in March following. The day watchman in the grounds was Mr. George Hilton, and he lived in the house since occupied as the house. He had a good watch “nothing par 2 and there were large lodges in the w ofthe city, One of the lieved account of the large number of peopl ing into the stable at the corner of t pla When on the it d that the Pope's stone had disappeared it, was thought that the work was planned in that council or lodge, and persons reputed to belong to that council were looked upon as the perpetrator The report that the stoi had been away d much excitement, ande Was made to get aclue as to the perpetrators, When inquiry was made it was found that the Watch dog had been poisoned aud the night watchman reh fifth MADE A PRISONER In his box’by a long line of rope b around ftand securely fastened. H. this dilemma in the early morning by the watchman, The all-important question was where had the stone been carried, and what had beeome of it. It was natural that the know-nothings should be suspected, and also to suppose that the council or lodge meeting at 134) and E streets should have done the job. Indeed, when in a few weeks the followin words were sung on the street, to the tune “Jordan ath a Hard Road to travel,” the sus- picions ‘against the know-nothings were strengthened: “Oh, the Pope of Rome, He sent a stone, din the monument arcordin’, nothings thought it best Not to levit rest, But pitch it on the otherside of Jordan.” Rewards were offered and the police worked up every clue without si nigh at one time they were confident ax to one or two. per- sons having had a hand in the act, but could get no tangible evidence against them, — Not- withstanding the efforts made from time to time there never has been any reliable obtain The seeret both as to the p ticipants in the affair and the disposition of the stone has been well kept. It bi on stated variously that the act was commit moreans, that it was the work of people and that the men were selected from several parts of the city,but the statement most generally received was the following: HOW THE STONE WAS STOLEN, Less than a dozen persons, some of them re- puted members of the know-nothings com- posed the party, and they were bound by pledges not to betray one another. They started out simply for the purpose of doing something big, and after midnight they went tothe monument grounds, poisoned the dog, tied the watchman in his box, broke open the shed, placed the stone on. a hand track, ran it down a ravine, southwest of the structure, to the river shore, where it was placed on a sand boat. Large spalls of it naving been knocked off the boat was poled out to the channel, when the stone was heaved overboard. When the marauders returned to the shore some of the party rolled the truck back and they then sep- arated, Although many attributed the act to the know-nothing party many persons reputed tobe members of the party ‘disapproved of it always claimed that it was simply an sponsible parties ‘to do some. thing that would make a noise in the world. If those who had the gredit of this dei really the guilty parties there is good reason to believe that this theory is correct. Some of those thought to have been in the Job soon af terwards turned out badly. Five of them were arrested for a crime which sentall but one, who Jumped his bail, to the penitentiary. The re- puted leader was said to have gone to Texas and to have assumed another name, under which he served as a fleld officer in one of Sher- man’s regiments during the war, Another died in prison, and it is how thought that but one survivor of the depredating party who sur- vives lives in the District. —_——_+e+_____ A SLANDER ON THE MONUMENT. The Stability of the Structure Ques- tioned Thirty-five Years Ago. Ing passed ‘Though the strength of the foundation was not questioned, in the early days of the monument the statement was made that the marble form- ing the facing wanted strength and durability, and would be crushed by its own weight. ‘These reports, it was thought, did injury to the cause of the Monument society. Tests were made, and the results were announced in an address issued from the Washington National Monument office November 9, 1850, by George Watterston, the secretary, in which he said: “A statement made by Prof. Johnson, in a leo ture delivered by him some twelve or fourteen months ago, that the marble forming the ex- terior facing of the great National Monument, now buildi in the city of Washington, in honor of the illustrious Father of his Country, wanted strength and durability, and would be erushed by its own superincumbent weight, in- duced the building committee, in order to cor- rect the error into which he had fallen, and in Justice to the board of managers, as well as to ‘arrest the mischief it was calculated to produce, to cause the strength of this marbie to be accu- eg tested by a powerful hydrostatic press at the Washington navy ee A series of experi- ments were accordingly made under the direc- tion ofthe superintendent of machinery at that ard, and the architect of the monument, and they’ ‘reported, as the result of these tests, that the marble was in strength to the granites, and that a base of 144 inches, or one ‘would bear a pressure of 360,000 pounds it could be crushed, or four times en ndicu- lar weight of a column of marble 500 feet high, and that the atmospheric action on this ma- part of one grain, or crystal marble of fore johnson.” Appended to this isa detailed statement Wm. W. on a itendent of ihe monument, of tests made together Rnd Gale. ie. Sougherty desinred that instead Sie te alia carried 5000 feet high with also the monument it, be the ‘This metal | found in | THIRTY-SEVEN TEARS Ago, How the City of Washington Looked When the Corner Stone of the Mori ment was Laid—The Northwest a Tramping Ground for Gunners—Vene- tan Scenes Along the Old Canal, &e. Washington at the time of laying of the cor Bertone of the monument was Indeed a “city of magnificent distances.” The city did not then number 40,000 inhabitants, So plain and Unpretentious were most of the residences, and so little had been done towards the permanent improvement of the streets that those who then knew the city canscarcely realize that it is now the same place. Some of our streets and avenues were covered With a coat of gravel dug from banks found in various localities, and mang of the avenues now with concreted carriageways bad then the orig-" inal soil between the carb lines, which were imaginary lines, and in some ¥ s were so Uttle used that there was ffot the sem- Diance ofa road. Wh of the streets and avenues down town had been improved with graveled carriageways and brick footwalks many instead of brick for side’ had what were called gravel walks, made of coarse red Sand, one load dumped after another, which in time made a passable walk, The Capitol then comprised only what ts now known as the old butiding, and the new dome had not been thouzhtor. Ttwas crowned with a dome squ: ¢ ared with the present dimenstons of the building, rising toa height of but 1 * later the extension Was Years afterwards he he as not till 7 the present dome, double 1d one, a. Then I c ed even with cobBle stones, but ‘The only railroad station was tof the Baltimore and t the corner of 1 street and the Avenue, a wretched, dit le brick building, the Tiber ing d by a wooden & The fare from 1 i: th in wk ate imore was prinetpal b an Q rer of 14 t; Baker's, at Sth ai on Capitol HL Ont zon’ market were two long rows of sheds known as point 1 Tue at the THE “MARSH WARKI the Perseverance engine-house and the police Station being located between them, ‘The addi- | tionaP wings of the Treasury had not been con- structed, The State, War and Navy depart ments were housed in plain structures contain ing 12 rooms on each of the two floors. The riment just north of the Treas- the War and Navy departments west statues men how adorning ths public grounds erected then, nouzh's statue of Washington at the ¢ Then the | triangular spaces on the av not en- | closed. One at 14th strect and P yivania the Franklin en- notherat 20th street and Penne vania avenue by the West market and ch-house. ‘The port part it building tre hen been e vd, a Patent Office buildin: this square the Mary! the crack 1 Of the Post Office de- ating on E street bad the old portion of the had been completed. In nd Cadets, Capt. Harris, military organization of this section, encamped for several days on. the oc ot the monument ceremonies. Up toa year be- fore this time the tract known as the mall, ex- tending from street to the river, se ‘ated | from the main portion of the city bythe Wash- | ington cliy canal, had been a waste, broken only: 41, 7th, 12th, and 14th streets, at’ which wooden bridges spanned the stream of filth that Tan through the mail BOATS IN THE NEAR? OF THE CITY, Along the banks of the old canal down to 34 Street were long plies of wood bronght up by : ot flat-bottomed bots ables and fruits. ‘The an Institution, the aid May Ist, 1847, The Armory and Agri- nt buildings by: a » streets south of th 1 no way them nm and but te the rive 5 a the , Was the principal thor and south, and Mary the other principal streets Phe fare by Pi heaper th in i nizations, including me by tillerists with thelr guns, ald steamer Columbia, Capt. Kane, ards prov nt as colle port of B: and marshal of poll ¢ity and subsequently sherlit of Bi ded the Freder- ne up on southern vy of Aquia and the old st inson, Phice x Salem brought up the Ale A few of the streets in. the neightbe City Hall and east of the Treasury of the Avenue as H street, were n and had brick sidewalk ‘strects ad, rians, ‘hood of the , as far north scadaraized So had some of the Avenue in the western | parfot the city, Northward, however,mostof the | Streets Were unopened, and it was not uzeom- mon lo see j Cows AND HOGS disputing the right to use a foot path throngh | the grass and weeds, Although at that period | the digniflea W. W. Seaton was mayor, having | suceeded Peter Force, there were at times what | appears some ridiculous issues in local polities, | The citizens were alllowed to keep cows, espe- clally in those sections sparsely built upon, and the city councils annually appropriated $15 for the hire of a bull in ward deemed ssary. In one of the ward campaigns the uestion was whether the candidates the bull or opposed him, THE NORTHWEST, What is now considered the finest portion of Washington—the northwest—was then not tm- proved atall. In fact, the whole northern, as well as northeast and eastern sections, had no public improvements. North of M street there were some graveyards, gardens and slaughter- houses. There was a dense growth of bushesin that section dd the « name of it was .” Here there was good gunning for small game, The police force at that time was com} of thirty men, known as the Auxillary Guard, then under the command of Capt. John HL Goddard, Potomae water had not been Introduced, and the reliance of the public was mostly on ptimps, a The Capitol was [ pring water from a spring known st ol Howard University; the use and executive departments ¢ in Franklin Square, wooden pipes being used. THE VOLUNTEER FIREMEN. Then the old volunteer fire department was in existence, the companies being the Anacos ila, at the navy yard; Columbia, on Capitol Hill; Perseverance, at the Center Market; Frank- lin, at 14th and Pennsylvania avenue, the Union, in the first ward, and Northern Liber- ties, at Sth and K streets northwest. There was much rivalry among these companies as to which would make the best show. With the vise iting companies the firemen’s display on the oo casion of the laying of the cornerstone was about the finest ever seen here. h company bad in the line a piece of apparatus decorat flowers and flags, some of them with boys at- tired as firemen at the brakes, and others hav- ing young ladies representing Liberty and the original thirteen states enthroned upon them, The fire companies here, as_in other commun!- ties, were not al friendly terms with each other, and the hangers on often brought about bloody riots. Sometimes there was more effort made to throw water on a rival company than to put out a fire. Some {dea may be obtained as to the growth gf the city by comparing the appropriation of $21,383 made for the four years ending 1848 for the public schools with ‘the appropriations made in the few years, ‘There were then less than 20 public schools in the city,and they ‘were arranged in four divisions. The Northera Liberties section and English Hill were just then becoming known. Other localities were known “Twenty Buildings,” “Old Sugar House,” Bottom,” “Frogtown,” “Mt, : M Town,” “4 Gun Battery,” and by jcal namés which have gone out of favore: SAVING THE CORNER-STONE. The Patriotic Services Rendered by the Navy Yard Workmen—An Odd Pro- cession. On the 6th of June 1848, as the large block of marble which was set as the cornerstone of the Washington monument was being hauled to the foundation, the truck bearing the stone broke through the 14th-street bridge over the canal. This fact becoming known atthe navy yard, at the noon hour the workmen offered their services to get the stone out. This move- ment was seconded by the officers of the yard, and Gen. Henderson, of the Marine corps, detatl- ing field music, marshaled the line upPenn- sylvania avenue to 14th street, where the truck lay in the mud. In the line were the following, who are still living: Wm. Bland, James Wilson, James Marceron, Richard Warner, Robert Pad- Jeremiah Cross, John Moss, Thomas Mitch- eu, W. ._ Chas. Brigesa a Burress) Theodore Salien, Cal-