History of the Washington National Monument and of the Washington National Monument Society Part 8

Receipts this year from collections, chiefly at the Monument, and accrued interest, were $1,008.

Following the act of New York, the Legislature of Minnesota appropriated, February 27, 1872, the sum of $1,000 towards the completion of the Monument.

Also, by act of February 28, 1872, upon the like conditions, the Legislature of the State of New Jersey appropriated the sum of $3,000 towards the work, which was followed on July 30, 1872, by an act of the State of Connecticut appropriating on the same terms the sum of $2,000.

But these examples of duty discharged, not less than of patriotism, were not imitated by any other of the State governments.

In February, 1872, a bill was introduced in the House providing that the affairs of the Society should be vested in a board of directors, to consist of five members of the Society and President and Secretary _ex officio_. Any person on payment of $5.00 to be a member, with all the rights and privileges of incorporators, to vote and hold office, except that of President of the a.s.sociation. The bill was referred.

The Society once more addressed a memorial to Congress praying a _direct_ appropriation might be made towards the completion of the Monument, or that "such action might be had as to the a.s.sembled patriotism of the Nation might seem meet."

The memorial was referred in the House of Representatives to the Committee on the District of Columbia, which subsequently reported the subject back, April 19, 1872, recommending that "it be referred to the Committee on Appropriations," and it was so ordered, but no action was taken on the report at this session.

January 27, 1873, a select committee of thirteen was appointed by the House under a resolution adopted to confer with the Society as to the practicability of completing the Monument by the "approaching Centennial."

February 22, 1873, the committee submitted its report, which recommended that $200,000 be appropriated to aid the Society in its work. The report recited in part--

"The committee have become fully impressed with the belief that the present time is not only opportune for Congressional action in the matter, but that the _honor_ of the Nation demands it. * * * "Some question has been made as to the security of the foundations, and the committee caused an examination to be made upon this point. The Chief of Engineers was called upon to detail an officer to make an examination and report. His report is appended hereto, and shows that no perceptible change has taken place since the Monument was raised to its present height. * * *

* * * "An opinion has also obtained some credence that the funds of the Society, though considerably increased from year to year, are absorbed in the payment of sinecures. The committee have had before them _the accounts of the Society from its organization to the present time_. * * * It will there be found that the Society _has no salaried officers connected with it_. Their services have been gratuitous, and they are much to be commended for their faithfulness and their patriotic zeal in this great work. There are less than fourteen thousand dollars, funds of the Society, in the hands of the Treasurer, most of which are invested in interest-bearing securities."

It was estimated that $700,000 would be required to finish the shaft, constructing also a suitable base, and that the work might be completed by the 4th of July, 1876.

The report concluded:

"In considering the question as to what action Congress shall take in this matter, three views are presented: First, Shall the responsibility for the completion of the Monument rest wholly upon the efforts of the Monument Society? Second, Shall Congress a.s.sume the entire responsibility, and to that end repeal the charter of the Society? Third, Shall Congress aid the Society by an appropriation, leaving it to continue its efforts to raise funds for the completion of the Monument?

"As to the first, the committee find that the Society has made _every reasonable effort_ to revive public interest and to secure subscriptions, but its efforts have failed and will _continue_ to fail without _some expression of confidence on the part of Congress_ in the form of material aid.

"As to the second view, the committee are unwilling to recommend the disbandment of an a.s.sociation which has already done so much, and is still willing to continue its patriotic efforts to redeem the plighted faith of the Nation.

"The committee have taken the third view--that of recommending an appropriation by Congress and of the continuation of the Society for the purpose of soliciting further subscriptions under the original idea upon which it started." * * *

The present consideration of the report, however, was postponed until the following "Wednesday, at two o'clock," and made a special order. But on the appointed day the committee failed to secure recognition, and not obtaining the floor at any time during the remainder of the session, addressed a letter to the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate asking an amendment to the sundry civil appropriation act of $200,000, to be expended as provided in the bill it had reported to the House. But Congress adjourned without action on the report.

At the next session the select committee of the last Congress was reappointed, and on May 1, 1874, submitted a report comprehending its former one, and to which was appended a transcript of the complete accounts of the Society. The report concurred with prior ones in Congress, commending the Society's past management and efforts to erect the Monument.

A report by Lieut. W. L. Marshall, Corps of Engineers, bearing on the sufficiency of the foundations to support the Monument at a height of 600 feet was also submitted as a part of the committee's report, Lieutenant Marshall making his report as a result of a request preferred by the chairman of the select committee to the Chief of Engineers, U.S.A. It was stated by Lieutenant Marshall:

"It seems inadvisable to complete the Was.h.i.+ngton Monument to the full height of 600 feet. The area covered by its foundations is too small for a structure of the proposed dimensions and weight, causing an excessive pressure upon a soil not wholly incompressible."

And he recommended the height be less than 500 feet.

The committee's report recommended the pa.s.sage of a joint resolution "that it is the duty of Congress to provide by a sufficient appropriation for the completion of the unfinished Was.h.i.+ngton Monument, at Was.h.i.+ngton City, by the 4th of July, 1876, the one hundredth anniversary of American Independence."

The report was ordered printed, and recommitted to the select committee on the Was.h.i.+ngton Monument. No further action was had on the report before the adjournment of Congress.

Abandoning hope that Congress would aid in the resumption of work on the Monument that it might be under way by the "Centennial year," the Society proceeded to appeal to the country. Mr. Frederick L. Harvey, Sr., was appointed its General Agent, and charged with the execution of a plan he had proposed and which the Society had adopted. This plan was to appeal to all organized bodies and a.s.sociations in the country to make a "contingent" contribution of funds towards building the Monument, one-half to be payable to the Treasurer of the Society on official advice that the total sum estimated to be required, $500,000, had been subscribed, the balance to become payable in equal installments from six to twelve months later. The interest of the country was to be aroused by frequent articles in the daily press and by lectures. Contributions to be sought also from churches and schools and by placing contribution boxes in the exhibition buildings on the Centennial Exposition grounds, in the City of Philadelphia, when opened.

Mr. Harvey proceeded most actively and energetically to execute the plan. The press of Was.h.i.+ngton and elsewhere earnestly commended the work and urged contributions.

Rev. Dr. Otis Tiffany, an eloquent pulpit orator, was commissioned to visit the larger cities of the country and deliver an address on the life and character of Was.h.i.+ngton, and this gentleman spoke in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, and other cities, thus helping to awaken public attention to the Monument.

President Grant and his Cabinet attended the lecture in Baltimore, going from Was.h.i.+ngton.

Between July and September, 1874, over two hundred pledges were received by the Society from organizations in every part of the country, chiefly, however, from the Masonic Order, Odd-Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Red Men, Temperance, and other fraternal bodies.

Subscriptions ranged from five to fifty dollars each. Circular letters were prepared and sent directly to the executive officers of all organizations. Interest seemed once more aroused in the completion of the Monument, the contingent subscriptions continuing to be made.

February 22, 1875, the Society adopted an address to the country, which, referring to the plan of contingent contributions payable direct to its Treasurer, continued:

"The result of their first appeal in this direction has been such as to strengthen their faith. * * * The organizations which have been thus far reached have responded with subscriptions which, if generally and promptly emulated in amount by kindred inst.i.tutions throughout the land, would secure the completion of the structure during the Jubilee Year. Had their recent appeal fallen dead upon the country and yielded no fruits, they would have been inclined to despair of ever reaching success in the great undertaking so long entrusted to their care."

A special letter to the railway and banking corporations embodying the "contingent" plan produced many substantial subscriptions.

In June, 1876, the Society published a further appeal, signed by its officers, U. S. Grant, _ex officio_ President; W. W. Corcoran, First Vice-President; Robert C. Winthrop, Second Vice-President; J. B. H.

Smith, Treasurer, and John B. Blake, Secretary, requesting collections in churches and Sunday schools throughout the country on the 2d of July following. This appeal was endorsed and signed by the pastors of the different religious denominations in the City of Was.h.i.+ngton. Application to the management of the Centennial Exposition to place contribution boxes for the Monument in the Exposition buildings was denied; but permission having been granted by proper authority, boxes were placed in the State buildings on the Exposition grounds in June, 1876. By the prosecution of this plan some $90,000 had been contingently subscribed when the inflow of subscriptions was arrested by unexpected action by Congress in the matter. The "contingent" plan had been one of the most successful the Society had ever pursued, and had given every a.s.surance of final success.

Deferring to the opinion of Lieutenant Marshall the height of the Monument was reduced to 485 feet.

While pursuing its "contingent" plan of contributions, February 3, 1876, the Society appointed a special committee, composed of Rear Admiral Levin M. Powell (chairman), Hon. Walter S. c.o.x, Dr. John B. Blake, Dr.

Charles F. Stansbury, and Fred D. Stuart, to prepare and present to Congress a memorial praying an appropriation in aid of its efforts as a contribution toward completing the Monument.

February 6, 1876, Hon. George F. Edmunds offered in the Senate the following resolution, which was considered by unanimous consent, agreed to, and referred to the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds:

"_Resolved_, That the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds be, and it is hereby, instructed to inquire into the expediency of making an adequate provision for the speedy completion of the Was.h.i.+ngton Monument in the City of Was.h.i.+ngton, and that it have leave to report by bill or otherwise."

February 10, 1876, Mr. Edmunds laid before the Senate a memorial of the Society, presented by its committee, which was read and referred to the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds.

It being understood that plans were suggested in some quarters looking to a demolition of the uncompleted Monument, and the, use of the materials of it in the construction of a different style of monument to Was.h.i.+ngton, at a meeting of the Society on March 30, 1876, among other things, it was resolved "that all idea of surrendering the character of the Monument or allowing the structure, as far as completed, to be taken down, should be positively and emphatically disavowed."

In view of the resolution of the Senate of February 6th, the chairman of its Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds received plans for changing the Monument to a Lombard Tower, and for erecting an arch of its materials. Bat the committee made no report.

ACT OF AUGUST 2, 1876.

On the 5th of July, 1876, Hon. John Sherman, of Ohio, offered in the Senate a joint resolution declaring, after an appropriate preamble, that the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress a.s.sembled, "in the name of the people of the United States, at the beginning of the second century of the national existence, do a.s.sume and direct the completion of the Was.h.i.+ngton Monument, in the City of Was.h.i.+ngton." This resolution was unanimously adopted in both Houses of Congress.

On July 22d, the Senate pa.s.sed a bill appropriating $100,000, "to continue the construction of the Was.h.i.+ngton Monument in the City of Was.h.i.+ngton."

In the debate in the Senate there was some criticism of the design of the Monument as an obelisk, and preference was expressed for some other form of Monument.

It was said by Senator Bayard:

"I do not believe that the impression we desire to produce upon them (the people) will in any degree be a.s.sisted by the continuance of such a blot upon architecture, as I must consider this obelisk which stands here half-shorn of its height."

It was remarked by Mr. Sherman:

"I think it is the misfortune now of this Was.h.i.+ngton Monument that it has been talked of in Congress for one hundred years. We have made promise after promise, and the very moment we come to do anything like the execution of the promise we are met by these delays."

The question of the sufficiency of the foundation of the Monument was also raised, resulting in adding a section to the bill providing for an examination of the foundation before commencing work on the Monument, and if the same should be found insufficient no work to be done until the matter was reported to Congress.