Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, February 12, 1913, Page 8

THE. DEVELOPED MALI, SHOV ETMORIAL, IN FORE GROUND (ro LEF OF THE, MonuMENT (RCHITECT MORIAL, OF THE LINCOLN Speclal Correspondence WASHINGTON, D. C. NHONORED by any adequate memorial of bronze or stone for half a century, Abraham Lincoln, the preserver of the Union, is at last to be given such recognition through the erection of the greatest monument that the nation nas ever built to any man. A magnificent marble structure, glisten- ing in snow white brilliance against the green batksround of surrounding forests and hills, and throwing down the gaunt- let fo any edifice heretofore built by: the hand of man, is to be put up at the -point .where the Mall, the nation’s his- toric. parkway, reachesthe water front of the no less historic Potomac river. When: this ‘memortal s buflt it will grace one end of the Mall, at the other #nd of which stands the National Capitol. At the feet of that Capitol will stand the monument to Ulysses S. Grant, the greatest of structures of another variety. Washington’s monument—that -ionolith, the magnificent simplicity of which has become most intimately associated in the public. mind ‘with the National Capital— will be reflected in a placid lagoon a auarter of a mile long that will occupy )he space between it and the Lincoln Me- morial. g Directly across the Potomac stands the old Lee mansion, the one-time home of the leader of the Confederacy. It forms 4he executive mansion of Arlington ceme- tery, the nation’s burying place for its distingnished dead. Linking these two, as Lineoln and Lee might have In spirit 'vlasped hands across the Potomac, and typifying the friendship that has been restored between the north and the south, is contemplated the erection of a great memorial bridge. Greatest of Parkways. This final link in the three-mile chain will give to America a parkway of his- toric_importance and artistic beauty such as has never been laid down since the world began. Beside it|the classic Ap- pian Way of Rome, bordered by statues of unparalleled beauty, will sink into in- significance. - The Capitol of the United States has stood for more than a cen- tury as a model building in all Amefican architecture. The Lee mansion, three miles away but clearly to be seen on the virginia hills, is an excellent type of Astinctive colonial architecture. The Washington Monument needs no com- ment The Grant Monument and the Lin- coin Memorial are on their way, with practically unlimited money bac of them and their careers guarded by a fine arts tommission that is insisting upon the best that the world has developed. Bordering the great higaway that is to bisect the Mall is to stand a series of government buildings in harmony with their surroundings. All these lic In a gov- ernmental parkway three miles long, that 15 ‘destined to become America’s greatest ghow place and to give the nation dis. tinction in the artistic world. History of the Memorial. Of these the Lincoln memorial just now occuples the center of attention. The final consummation of the memorial plan is the result of many years of agitation. As far back as 1869 Congress Incorporated the “Lincoln Monument Association,” and funds were then collected toward age. quately honoring the man who had saved the Union. Those fursis Were insuffictent, but are still in the United States Treas. ury. In 1902 Copgress again acted upon the idea of a Lincoln memorial, and created & _commission to secure plans and designs. This commission never came to any definite conclusion. Many bills providing for an adequate memorial in Washington have been introduced into Congress. No dcfinite action was secured until, ‘two vears ago, a bill was finally passed authorizing the expenditure of $2,000,000 for this purpose.” - At that time there was created a most distinguished commission, which was ask- ed to settle upon a location and desien for such a memorial. President Taft was * chairman of that commission. Its mem- bers were Senator Shelby M. Cullom, who represents Lincoln’s home district in Con- gress; Joseph G. Cannon, then Speaker of the House of Representatives; Champ Clark, then leader of the minority and now Speaker; Senator Thomas S. Martin, democratic leader in the upper house; Senator George Peabody Wetmore and Representative Samuel Walker McCall. The federal government has, during the past decade, finally come to an apprecia- tion of the artistic monstrosities that are sure to result from the erection of monu- ments, memorials or public buildings | Gilbert through, the method of direct legisiation, benefit of the advice of a fine arts com mission, composed of the nation’s great: ), this case as in others of recent|puts at the dis date, the Lincoln memorial commission, | ernment the best like other such bodles, was siven the|knowledge of art, ;ARL.ACLD LaGgooN Wirt, EXTEND FrROM THE, MORmGzToAMMm GTON MONUMENT est_authorities upon these matters. The chairman of the fine arts commis- sion was Daniel H. Burnham of Chicago, the man who designed ‘the great white city” for the Chicago world’s fair. The vice chairman was Francis D. Millet, the distinguished artist who went down with the Titanic. Other members of the com- mission _are Frederic Law Olmsted, Thomas Hastings, Daniel C. French, Cass and Charles Moore, all men of in- reputation. This commission posal of the federal gov. that the nation has in architecture and city ternational building. It is this commission that has persuaded Broke the Deadlock. Hampton Moors, representing a &ls- triet in the city of Philadelphia, tells the following story from the Baltimore convention: “If it had not been for a Pennsyl- vanla delegate named Joe Schrae- der, Wilson might ot have been nom- inated. At any rate, Pennsylvania would not have gone for him, and there is no ° telling what would have happened. . Joe was days late, and the balloting had been going on unceasingly, with men fretting their hearts out in the /struggle between Clark and Wilson. Just as_it came to a crisis, with Pennsylvania hold- ing the crucial position, the Keystone state delegation was evenly divided. ‘At that moment into the great conven- tion hall rushed Joe with his grip. He cast his yote for Wilson, and from that moment the tide swung to the Governor of New Jersey.” An Apostle of Authenticity. William Burns. the detective, was once in the city of Pittsburgh, one of his close friends at the Capitol relates, on the trafl of some big crooks who were giving the gov- ernment all kinds of trouble. He had disguised himself very satisfactorily, he thought, and was In mortal ter- ror lest some news- paper should dis- cover his presence, since a statement to that effect in print would put an end to his usefulness on the case. One persistent reporter got an Inkling of what was going on, and after following the disguised Burns for about three days, at last cor- nered him in his 16dging house, which was in an obscure corner of the city. “I want you to tell me why you are here,” sald the reporter. ‘But I am not Burns.” *“Oh, yes, you are!” insisted the report- er. And then, in a blaze of confidence, he added: “You see, 1 know all about why You are here.” “Then why do you need any explana- tion.”” - “Why, I thought you might give me some facts 50 that the story would be trua'” = One story that Presi@ent Taft de- lights to tell when he is introduced to an audience in a particularly flow- ery mannmer con- cerns a ; tenderfoot who witnessed an old time poker game in a Nevada mining town. “This tenderfoot stood behind the dealer,” sald the President, ‘‘and saw the latter deal himself four aces from the bottom of the pack. He turned-to the native beside him, who had apparently watched the deal closely, but the native's face was expressionless. After a moment the tenderfoot edged closer to his neighbor and whispered. “‘Did you see that? “‘See what? inquired the native. ‘Why, that man dealt himself four aces from the bottom.’ - “‘Well, it's his deal, ain’t it?" the native in surprise.” ? queried Temptation. Representative Sol- omon Francis Prou- ty of the seventh district of Illinois is the only man in the House of Represen- tatives who chews gum, and he chews it with a remark- able avidity. He took the gum habit after a conference of Iowa physicians had warned him that he must either Stop smoking or fill a grave. They sug- gested chewing gum as a substitute for my Lady Nicotine, The only time he bas smoked in years was on a hot day last summer while out campalgning. e stopped 'to tafk with an old farmer who was puffing at a corncob pipe. The smoke got into Representative Prouty’s nose, and as soon #s be reached town he rushed into his ten office, grabbed his secretary by the arm and almost shouted: “For goodness sake dig out that pipe of yours and give me a puff! Lock the doors, and kee _every man out who looks like a doctor. I've got to smoke or bust!” A Peculiar Gift. John Barrett, dl- rector of the Pan- American Unlon, = a very close friend of Andrew Burnett bama, man who has ever succeeded In break- ing down the an- clent “calendar Wednes- day” in the House, is the shortest man in the Once, fight to oust for- mer Speaker Can- gift of Andrew Carnegle, and the inspira- tion belonged to John Barrett as he stood Jooking out of the breakfast room at Skibo, Scotland. Not “Full” Enough. Repre sentative of Ala- the only of custom legislature. during the Carnegle, and oc- non, Mr. Burnett casionally spends arose and shouted, a vacation with the “Mr. Speaker “laird of Skibo” Uncle Joe looked at the man for a at his Scotch coun- try place, which is about as big as an ordinary coun ty. At one of these visits, before the present fine mar- ble building of the Pan-American Union in Washington had been completed, Mr. Barrett was with Mr. Carnegie in the breakfast roc - at Skibo: “John,” said his host, “‘what does that Pan-American Union of yours need more than anything else?” Mr. Barrett started to think. second and then said: “It is customary for gentlemen to rise when addressing the chair.” “I am standing to my full height,” roar- ed Burnett. But the House laughed so loud that an- other representative was recognized be- fore could compose himself. “the gentleman from Alabama’ A Foxy Deal. Once upon a time when William Can- non Houston, rep- resentative from “Now, don’t think about it,” sald Mr. > Tennessee, Wwas a S]s:;x:;efx:u Wjuz:” blurt it out. The one farmer, he took S some eggs to town Still Mr. Barrett continued to think. S sen toile hatal There were hundreds of things that he had planned for his pet project, and all of them came crowding to his mind at once. “Don’t stop to think, I tell you If there is any one big thing it needs you will’know it at once. I'm going to give you anything you want, but you've got to tell it to me on the dot. If you stop to think, then I'll know it is not needed badly.’ John Barrett walked to the window. His eye gaught the vast expanse of lawn and trees. The scene was very -beautiful, and he remembered the bare space of clay and mud’ surrounding tlie marble puflding of his Pan-American Union back in Washington: “Well, Mr. Carnegie,” he sald, “I think we need some grass more than anything else”? And now the visitor In Washinston who walks down 1Tth -street and stops in front of the Pan-American Union building cannot help being impressed by the won- derful soft lawn and the smartly ar- ranged shrubbery, Ii all came aa ghe|s man. good measure, where I make my profit. pretty close. for a drink.” keeper. “How much a dozen?” asked the proprietor. “Thirty cents,” sald the young Houston. “Pretty, high, ain’t they?” 0, cgEs dre scarce.” “Well, give me elght dozen.” Houston counted out his eggs and found he had just one more than eight dozen, 80 he slipped the ninety-seventh egg in his pocket. “That's a mean trick,” said the hotel You ought to give me that egg as sald Houston. “That's I have figured give vou that esg “Can’t do it,” But I'll and the two The bargain was made, went into the hotel bar. “What'll you have hotel " asked the keeper, as he took the extra egg. ‘Oh, give me a little egg and sherry,” ald Houston. . pro; the federal government to return to the vision as seen by Washington and Jeffer- son_and L'Enfant and to the plan of making the Mall the place of historical magnificence that they intended it to be. When Congress determined upon the building of a memorial to Lincoln the cost of which was to amount to the unprece- dented flgure of $2,000,000 there were a great many influences which sought to locate that memorial at ons place or an- other. The fine arts commission was asked to consider all these plans and eyentually decided that from the standpoint of city development, artistic setting and general fitness the position at the other end of the Mall from the Capitol and on the brink of the Potomac was the most de- sirable. This commission also selected the architect and the design for the me- morial. Its report was unanimous. After much discussion the Lincoln memorial commis- sion unanimously adopted its recommend- ations. The Senate of the United States has unanimously expressel its approval The committee on library of the House of Representatives has unanimously reported in favor of the bill. But one thing re- mains undone before the actual erection of the memorial may begin. The House of Representatives has yet to approve the plan, Selecting the Architect. Henry Bacon is the architect selected by the fine arts commission to design this, the most important combination of art and architectural work that the federal government has ever undertaken. Bacon is not & man who would have been se- lected by any other sort of board than the fine arts commission. There are scores of architects in the United States much better known then is he. Yet this commission of the architects regarded Bacon as the man specially fitted for this particular plece of work. He is known as an architect's architect. The great builders of the nation bave formed a habit of calling in Bacon whenever they have in hand a work of particular delicacy. Likewise has he long been a favorite with sculptors. Bacon worked with Burnham in the building of the Chicago exposition, a work from which dates the architectural renaissance in America. He it was who designed many of the pedestals for the unsurpassed monuments of Saint-Gau- dens. He is one of the board of archi- tects for the San Francisco exposition. The appropriation of $2,000,000 allowed Henry Bacon in building the Lincoln memorial will produce & structure of magnificent proportions. _Washington's mighty monument, rising 555 feet above the ground, cost only a million and a half. No other monument in America has ever approached this expenditure. The great monument to Grant mow in course of construction will cost §250,000. In Italy a monument has been bullt to Victor Emmanuel which cost practically $2,000,000. It will be the nearest approach in' the world to the Lincoln memorial, and the fine arts commission holds that with the advantages of time and place the present memorial should far surpass that in Rome. Unique Situation. Topographically the location of this memorial will be pecullar. It is to be bullt on the lowest spot in Washington, despite the ordinary impression that a monument should be placed upon an emi- nence. The ground upon which it will stand 1s made land, formerly being a por- tion of the broad Potomac. During the last decade Potomac Park, & playground of Washington, has been built up largely of this made land. This park Tests in the bottom of @& great saucer. Across the Potomac the Virginia hills rise ke tiers of seats above an arena. In all directions on the Wash- ington_side of the river there likewlso rigse hills. All these look down into the bottom of this great saucer as the seats about an arena look down into its pit. ‘As the arrangement at the arena has en that an event placed in the pit may be betfer seen than if it were placed on an elevation, so it is maintained that the memorial placed on these lowlands may be better viewed than if the old idea of slevation were adhered te. The e e hills about Washington furnish the pointy of vantage for looking into the pit. The magnificent proportions of this me< morial are hard to appreciats. The firet step in its building will be the construe. tlon of/a series of terraces. Thess wil elevate the base of the memorial fteell to a ‘height' of forty-five feet abave tha present grade. The first terrace will ba 1,000 feet’in' diameter. In the center of this plateau, surrounded by e wide road- way and:walks,” will Tise an eminenca supporting - a rectangular stone wai} which“bounds ' the second terrace, Uporn this second.terrace rise ‘hree huge mars ble terraces‘like a.glant’s stairway. The memorialiitself: caps this pyramid of ters races. Tis actual structure, eomposed of classic pillars and lofty halls, will be more, than two hundred feet long and a hundred feet tall. It will be larger than one wing of the Capitol buflding, A concrete idea of its size may be had by estimating it as belng as large as a six story building occupying the face of an entire block. Bacon’s. Conception, The architect himself, in describing the prominent features and the purposes of the memorial, said: “The memorial itself should be fres from the near approach of vehicles and trafic. Reverence and honor should suf~ fer no distraction through lack of silence or repose in the presence of & structure reared to noble aims and great deeds. “I propose that the memorial to Line coln take the form of a monument sym- bolizing the Union of the United States 2t America, Inclosing in the walls of itg sanctuary three memorials to the man himself, one & statue of heroic size, ex- presfing his humana personality, the others memorials of his two great speeches; one of the Gettysburg speech, the other of the second inaugural ad- dress, each with attendant sculpture and painting telliag in allegory of his splen~ did qualities, evident in those speeches, “The statue will occupy the place of honor, a position facing the entrance which opens toward the Capitol. This position is in a central hall, separated by screens of columns from the spaces at each side, in each of which will ba one of the other memorlals. Kach of these three memorials will thus be se- cluded and_isolated _and will exert its greatest influence. I cannot imagine & memorial to Lincoln so powerful in ity meaning 2nd so appropriata to his life as an imposing emblem of the Union in- closing memorials of his qualities and achievements. Such a memoriel placed on a site of such significance and pos- sibility of broad treatment as the sits in Potomac Park will convey its lesson with the greatest force. “The site presents no difficulty in tha way of making an imposing and appro= priate setting for the memorial, which, by means of an elevation of the ground, will rise many feet above the tops of the pro- posed surroundings trees, even when full grown. It will be conspicuous from many oints of view, and by means of opems ngs tn the encircling follage will be sesn in its entirety from six different monu- ment epproaches. Its whole eastern angl westéM facades will be exposed to view, the fclmer toward the Washington Monu- merit @nd the latter toward the Potomaq river Gmi hills of Arlington. Symbolizes Nation’s Growths “On a granite rectangular base is placefl & eerles of plinths or steps, thirtcen 4 number, typifying the thirteen original states. The top step supports on 1its outer edge & Greek doric colonnade of thirty-six columns, symbolizing the Unlon of 1865, each column representing & stats existing at the time of Lincoln's death. This colonnade of the Union surrounds the wall of the memorial hall, which rises through and above it, and at the top of the wall is a decoration, supported at intervals by eagles, of forty-eight me+ morial festoons, one for each state in the Union-today. The above three features of the exterior design represent the Union as originally formed, as it was &t the triumph of Lincoln's life, end as 1§ im when we plan to erect @ monumeny fa his memory. | “These cumulative symbols %ouss e their . kernel the memorials of Lincoln’s great_qualities, which must be &0 por- traye@ to manikind ‘that devotion, Integ- rity, charity, tience, intelligence and humaneness will find incentive to growth, and by contemplation of a monument to his memory and to the Union the just ride that citizens of the United States ve in their country will be supple- mented by increasing gratitude to Abra- ham Lincoln for saving it to them and te their children. “The memorial hall is sixty feet wide and 185 feet long, and its walls and floor will be of colored marble. The celling, which is sixty feet high, will be sup- ported by massive bronze beams, elided, colored and lacquered, and light may be introduced through . the - celling . whers found by experiment to ba of the best advantage. The ocolumns of the in- terior are of the Greek Ionia order and are fifty feet in height. ““The statue of Lincoln {s of white stat. uary marble, and the tentative height of the figure on the sketch of the ine terlor is twelve feet. The fi 1f stand. ing, would be about sixteen feet high, ‘The memorials to the two speeches wiil be incorporated in the end walls of the memorial hall. Large tablets bearing the full text of Lincoln's two sreat speeches, combined ~with adjacent ale legorical figures, will form fmposing me« morials. At each end of the outside ves- tibule are two spaces, one of which can be for the use of an attendant and the other two for a staircase giving care- takers access to the roof and the bases ment. “The large doorway, elghteen feet wids and thirty-six feet high, 18 equipped with heavy doors_of bronze grilles filled with plafn glass. In mild weather these doors cen be left open during the 8ay, and in the cold winter months @& temporary bronze and glass vestibule can be pros vided -in the lower portion of the largd grilles: which are subdivided &8 the bots tom for this purpose. “To:the east of the momoria), Extendy ing toward the Washington Zonument, 1§ proposed a large lagoon, which wiil ine troduce into the landscape an element of repose and beauty, and in its waters the reflection of the memorlal will add to its tranquillity and retirement. A weodland soene should. oocupy, the parke way round about.” . PN