Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1895 — A Monolith for Washington's Birthplace. [ARTICLE]

A Monolith for Washington's Birthplace.

Colonel Wilson, of the corps Oi engineers, who has special charge of the work of marking the birthplace of Washington, at Wakefield, Westmoreland County, Va., has received a letter from Mr. William Crawford, of Buffalo, N. Y., who was awarded the contract for the erection of a monument, in accordance with the design approved by the Secretary of State, stating that he expects to complete the work before the close of the present calendar year. His plan is to transport the monolith and the other stones farming the monument from Buffalo to Wakefield, on the Potomac, entirely by water, in time for delivery about the Ist of September. The route will be through the Welland canal, down the St. Lawrence river, by sea to Chesapeake bay, thence up the Potomac river to Pope’s creek, where the stone will be disembarked, and carted to the spot selected as the site for the monument. This method of transportation is chosen because of the greater difficulty of overland transportation of the monolith, which is a solid stone, weighing thirty-five tons. Colonel Wilson says that while the contract does not require the completion of the monument until July 1, 1896, he is confident, barring accidents, that the entire work will be finished before the Ist of January next.