Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1885 — The Statue’s History. [ARTICLE]

T he Statue’s History.

Tte history of the great undertaking which trill give New York Harbor the largest- statue in the world begins ntarly ten years ago, when the first steps were taken in the matter by a body of distinguished Frenchmen, enthusiastic lovers of liberty, whom its originator and creator then interested in his noble conception. These gentlemen for’ned themselves into a society called the Union Franco-Americaine de France, and held a banquet Nov. 6, 1875, to inaugurate the project. M. Bartholdi's design was enthusiastically approved, and a subscription for the erection of the statue begun. The city of Paris subscribed 12,000, and in five ye-irs France had subscribed, cliieiiy in small sums, the $250,000 necessary for this puri ose. Another banquet was then held in the French capital, at which an address to the people of thi United States was adopted, recalling the alliance ot' France with this nation in the cause of liberty during the Revolutionary War,and embodying sentiments expressive of their hearty accord in the maintenance of democratic principles of government. Work on the colossal statue was promptly begun under the superintendence of its designer, who has witnessed its completion.