RATUKDAV, ,;im,l
THE EVENING HERALD. Kl.AMATH PALIS, OREGON
PAGE TWO
hi H . -
EH 51 .E
EB83
. " ...
PLENDID in its magnificence, challenging the sculp
tural efforts of all ages by its very vastness of
conception and execution, another section of the
Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial will be un
veiled in mid-June. At that
sary of the birth of Jefferson
federate States of America,
ana stonewall Jackson will be
From the modest ambition of the Daughters of the
Confederacy to pay tribute to Confederacy's military leader,
Lee, to a panorama of military splendor carved in full relief,
i.asu teet long and containing about 700 figures, would
appear a tedious evolution. But in reality it represents a
single bold leap of the imagination of the sculptor, Gutzon
Borglum. ;
Ills every creative Instinct fired
lo the highest degree by the pos
sibilities of the vast granite (ace
ot Stope Mountain, Borglum grasp
ed a vision ot sculptural magnitude
which (or a time all but staggered
artist and layman alike. But in
the unveiling ot the bead ot Lee.
on January 19, laat, and the heads
of Davis and Jackson In June, It Is
being given the world to really ap
preciate and grasp the gift of the
South and of Borglum to memorial
art of all. time. '
.". Mountain of Solid Stone
' ' During all the agea since "the
laboring earth disgorged It bare to
sun and storm.1' time has produced
no appreciable change In the face
of Stone Mountain, Situated six
teen miles east of Atlanta, in De
KiHb County, Georgia, it Is aa Its
name implies, literally a mountain
of stone. The largest solid body of
granite in the world. It is 6,000 feet
long, seven miles around the base,
and a' mile to the summit up Its
sloping side. Its foundations un
derlie, almost halt the state ot
Georgia, and its substrata have
been encountered 2S0 miles distant
It is across this mammoth page ot
granite that Borglum la engraving
a. perpetual and Indestructible trii
ute to the men and women who
fought and suffered tor the ideal
tor which the Confederacy strove.
: When in 1315 Borglum was In
vited by the United Daughters ot
the ' Confederacy to visit Stone
Mountain and pass upon the sugges
tion that a colossal statue ot Gen
eral Lee he carved, on the preci
pice, the real Idea was given birth.
Gazing upon the mighty back
ground, looming a thousand feet
above him, the sculptor received
(he Instant Impression that a sin
gle figure on such a vast expanse
would be entirely too small.
t With characteristic . frankness
Borglum gave the opinion which
might nave sounded the death
knell of some vast business
scheme. But he was dealing with
a group who were urged on by a
mighty ambition which would not
be downed. They challenged him
to produce a plan by which' the
face of the mountain could be
mads to tell ot the grandeur and
valor of the Confederate armies.
Panorama Recommended
- Accepting the challenge, Borg
. lam gave to the mountain a study
which took into account every foot
of Its great contours. This study
produced his startling recommen
dation for an herolo panorama In
which would be portrayed a verita
ble cross section el the entire mili
tary, organization ot the Confed
eracy. ' ' '(-.:
It was something more than a
daring' aenlptural Inspiration it'
was an enormous engineering feat
as well. 'And it is these same en
gineering phases, bringing Into
play the resources and ingenuity
ot cam hut little associated with
the soar arts, that have centered
open atone Mountain the attention
and interest of a vast army ot peo
ple to whom the purely sculptural
aspects would have appealed but
lightly. ..........
; Without the panorama ot which
it will be a part, the central group
alas would outrival all other mon
uments ot history. General Lee's
figure, of which the head only has
been completed, will be nearly 200
feet high from the crown ot his hat
to the hoofs of his hone. This la
taller than a seventeen story office
ba&dlne. . The head of lee carers
an area 30 feet square. The cen
tral group . alone, composed ot
seven figures representing the Con
federate high command, will cover
aa area of one and one-bait acres,
r M,0M square feet.
Ingenuity ef Borglum
The . question that arises here
Is how an such vast figures' being
"roughed In," or laid oat, on the
perpendicular face ot a granite
mountain, hundreds of feet above
ground. In solving that very prob
lem Borzhnn proved his ability and
ingenuity In fields not usually as
sociated with art or sculpture. . It
was obvious that the outlines of
the vast group and, panccama could
fee nropaaly proportioned PT
i sjuspsiuisel Croat the e ""wJt
eg the saountaia. 'Neither would It
time, shortly after the anniver
Davis, president of the Con
the completed heads of Davis
revealed.
have been satisfactory, or alto
gether practical, to construct plat
forms sufficiently high and long to
elevate the workmen to their task.
Standing
from
deriug
another
a small
23.
o. o.
Putting the finishing touches on the
nose ef General Robert E. Lee
from a photograph of a studio clay
model, he would project the Im
ages of the various groups and sec
tions ot the panorama to the side
ot the mountain I
In a scheme beset with so many
seemingly insurmountable difficul
ties, It appeared that one ot the
very greatest had been dissipated
But there were to be problems
within problems. How, questioned
the sculptor, was he to secure a
white light of sufficiently high in
tensity to carry an image from a
little slide, smaller than the palm
ot a man s hand, to the face ot the
great precipice, a thousand feet
away how, indeed, was he to be
sore of inrowing upon we moun
tain an Image of such heroic pro
portions which would at the same
time be sufficiently clear for work- -men,
let down from the top at
night, to paint in the outlines? .
Carbon 8olves Problem
Borglum found his answer in
carbon. Be found that this sub
stance, which forms the heart of
every moving picture projector and
every powerful searchlight, pos
sessed the qualities so essential In
carrying out his Idea. He found
that illuminating carbons provide
the highest possible candle, power
light from the smallest center. In
suring projection ot a ma-rlmnm of
9 International
The almost perpendicular cliff looking from the top and showing hew
the workmen are suspended high above the plain.
light rays through the slide, and
thenco to the face of the precipice.
Illuminating carbons of sufficient
size and power to meet these ex
acting requirements, produced by
the . National Carbon Company,
were Installed in a machine' spe
cially designed and presented to
the Memorial by Edwin Porter of
the Precision Machine Company.
One dark night the power was
turned on, the carbon points glow
ed white-hot, and in the distance
there sprang Into being the dream
lot down the mountain lu slings.
In the morning the outlines of the
group appeared in white, and the
work ot engraving the Images was
begun.
The lantern projection method
will be employed In outlining every '
siep in the gigantic panorama.
Wltb the completion of the heads
1
L i"
1 J i
it
Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor, In the harness which sus
. pends him over cliff while at work..
entire central group by the spring
of 1926. . '
Hall and Amphitheatre
But the panorama Is not all of
the memorial plan. Two other fea
tures, either one ot which wouli In
Itself constitute an unusual and
tremendous monument, are Me
morial Hall, to be quarried out ot
the solid granite of Stone Moun
tain, and the Amphitheatre, a
structure rivaling the Coliseum ot
ancient Roma. The Amphitheatre
Is to be built of the granite re
moved from the mountain In ex
cavating for Memorlitl Hull.
History records' no umlilLlon of
art or sculpture appioachliiK in
boldness of conception or execu
tion the Stone Mountain Memorial.
Beginning on the right of the pruel
plce nenr the summit and aweuplng
downward and across It, (lie pano
i . V
11
t. 5- V-ta i
Hi. Pi
U4
0
OF
L-tetf-J.'sW
"dor Oj1
- ?
4 o
VTT
1W
4
P7
V
4
1 f jf.
International
..
rama will represent the Confed
erate armies mobilizing around
their leaders. At the top will be
the cavalry, appearing as If coming
from beyond -and dropping down
over and to the left across the
precipice 3 vivid procession of
men. horses and guns.
Moving downward across the
face of the mountain will next
come cavalry in strikingly realis
tic motion, and In the center,
where the precipice bulges forward,
Is being carved the central colossal
group. Swinging away to the left
ot the central group will be column
upon column ot gray-clad Infantry,
truly symbolized in the gray gran
ite of Stone Mountain.
To Portray Generals '
In addition to the seven liguros
ot the Confederate high command,
there are to be sixty-five more In
dividual likenesses In the pano
rama. These will portray sixty
five Confederate generals, selected
by the thirteen states which com
posed the Confederacy, each state
naming Its five most distinguished
generals..'
It Is Mr, Borglum's plan to dls
tribute these sixty-five leaders
wherever they naturally belong In
the gray-clad ranks.
Depth of the figures will vary
according to size. For Instance,
the figure of Qeneral Lee, -it Its
shallowest point. In the bat, Is
carved to a depth of four feet,
while at the chest of the horso the
depth will bo twenty feet. The
doptb of the smallcut figure In the
entire punorurua will nut he loss
than four feet.
The fops of (he figures In the
central group will nppaar 300 feet
below (ho summit of tlin mountain
while the hoofs of tlio lioises will
be 300 feet above (he plain.
Van Difficulties
Probably nevor before has sculp
f'e been attempted under such
V
Si
Vf
k
if
tilA "7VA '
mm
fit 11
vCr -
unusual conditions. Removal ot
the granite around the figures
painted upon the face of the moun
tain Is a straight quarrying Job,
but one of unpuralleled difficulties.
The quarrymen must take their
stone out ot the perpendicular
precipice while suspended In slings
from the summit No explosives
can be used, for foar of mutilating
portions of the figures. The work
must be done with the utmost pre
cision, for once damaged, the ma
terial out of which the figures ars
being carved could never be re
placed. ' .
Since Memorial Hall Is to be im
mediately below the central group,
It -will not be possible to begin Its
excavation until the seven mem
bers ot the high command have
been completed. At the present
time there Is a continual cascade
of granite down the face of the
mountain across the very frontage
where the Incisions for Memorial
Hall are to be made.
Chamber In Solid Rook
Thirteen Incisions will be made
for removing the granite In the
creation of Memorial Hall, and
when finished these incisions will
form the windows and central en
trance, each opening being dedi
cated to a Confederate State. Run
ning for a distance of 820 feet par
allel to the face of the precipice,
the hall will be 60 feet deep, and
40 feet In height from floor to cell
ing. No building material ot any
description will be Introduced ex
cept Immense bronze frames and
stained glass In the windows. A
broad granite osplanade will sweep
across the front, being formed by
cutting a shelf Into the mountain
the length of the hall. Ascending
to the eutrance from the plain will
ho a majestic granite stairway.
to the right of Memorial Hall
and at the base of the mountain,
whore a recess In the face ol tho
proclplee forms u natural sounding
board of tremendous power, will bo
built the Amphitheatre. Buuk of
a xittnndc stage, In an Incision In
(ho natural recoss, will ba con
structed the greatest pipe organ In
tho world.
gated roIIVlMlltllHI "I ll
stall's Unit etiliipoi'i'd tho I'tmlitl
crncy. At tills contorciii'o (ho sup
purt of llio eiiiiri) South was
thuslustlrully pledged, and uu
Douncenien( lltut iln- ori;unliitloii
as ready U begin (he rsil-InK of
(uutls brought suln'.untliil i-mimlm-
.llm'ii iliul nine
ill
mm
m
m
nc
as
teen years ef age, who contribute
one dollar.
The third method Is the sale of
the Stone Mountain Momorlnl half
dollar, authorized by Congress, tho
coins to be sold as souvonlrs for
one dollar each.
Memorial Tsblats
A "Founders' Roll" subscription
carries with It a bronze tablet to
be permanently boiled to the wall
Inside of Memorial Hall. On Ibis
tablet the subscriber has the privi
lege of Inscribing the name und
war record of any Confederate sol
dier or military unit. There Is wall
space for 2,400 such tablets, making
a possible Income from this source
Thnnn inhiai. ...
being taken at the rate of from
fifteen to twenty por month with
out a paid agont in tho field. The
shining band of tablets, ench sepa
rately cast, will encircle Memorial
Hall wltb a war. record that will
endure as long as Stono Mountain
shall stand.
A qreat "Hook of Memory," mudo
or the moBt enduring uurchmnt
uH? Con Unv1"0- wl rry the
Children's Founders' Roll" down
thr-ugh the ages. This Immense
book will be bound In bronze, and
mounted In a receptacle construct-
Of 12.400.000.
il fur the purpose. h.'fsesotfcejg
M. innrlul Hull. 0pcan1athjuna
of each child will be-reoordad Bsa
mimn ot any Cxmfdsrataossftd
or KiiiMiiuti ins own usaayiauajfc.
Raalfl EAmlfithM
Ton
thousand enfldnss)
parts of the United Btatss)
toreliin countries havw enroltlseUnvi
the lHt sixty days, aad tho roll st-4
piliiing momentum In an aataaanwl
ins manner. A tiuntnaraa C Mtii
million will be enrolled, rs t&sU
iiti.iK ui ainnipry, ana n wanna)-
Hi hih 'i enrollment each ohll4 isini J
rrt-nive a Utile bronia medal eaws
hkiii'U uy Ut Uon Jiorgtum aad an
ct'i'lillr.itn showing the page
line inimbur ot the entry ot hta-af
hi-r .luiua. . . '
Authority has been granted sr1
ummlmoti vale ot the House ant
Huiiite, mid the bill approved by
I'ri'Hiiletu ('itollilxe, for the laso
uni'M of live million Htone Moun
tain Memorial half dollars. Borg
Its sta Is nuw making (he design,
whli'h will be sppropiiale to the
Kiilijei't, and the coins will be oat
of the mini In a short thwe.
Tliruiiiih tint federal Reserve Raiek
nf Atlanta (he Memorial Aasoela
Hon will take fbum from the mint
anil pay i-skIi (or them. They wilt
then be sold for one dollar each,
iii'lug ri'lmtaeil simultaneously In
Hit priiielpnl cities and towns ot
the I'nlled Himes. The coins will
bring Into the treasury ot the As
ni ln( Ion t-.aOO.OuO, less whatever
nominal oximnae may be Incurred
In t':elr distribution.
Herculean Engineering Task -
Aetiiiit work on the vaitt memo
rial '.!- ..urt. d June IS, 192,
Uttl-j huk tu i'll said hure about
(he hct - liven cnelnoerliiK feature
of the creation ot the memorial,
for this Is a long story In lUelf, It
Is conceivable and possible that
the work could bare keen done by
aiitiiwmllnif men from tho ummlt
ot tlio mountain by stent fables,
but such a method would have pro
louttoil the work beyond the sculp
tor's lifitlmo. Therefore, bolatlng
machinery of unique construction
ami Rlxanlic dimensions was de
signed to expedite the work and
make foaalulo Its completion In all
to anvou years. This ntaehlnery
wua di-iilKlli'd by a group of dlalln
gulahail eii'tlneei'S whose Interest
In the Memorial was eullaied by
I.i "l"r I' Harlow, h brilliant young
etiKliie'-r and Inventor, of Clove
land, who has been - a personal
ieud nf Uomlnni for muny years.
Flvu thousand hole wore drilled
Into the face ol the mountain In
th llrst lo weeks of work, to ro
miivn an immense quantity of Kruu
He, block hy block, above the fig
ure of Cuuiiral Leo, giving the nee
oscitry depth for rarvlng tho bs
relief. For every llgure In
the vual panorama It will he
Ueceaaary to perform this
prodigious labor of cutting back
the precipice.
Tho preliminary louith outtlns Is
dune hy ordinary laborers under
tho close siipervlKlnn of Cnptnln J.
G. Tueltnr,. Mr. Ilornltnn's superin
tendent op Hie Job. As considerable
portions of Ilia duulun are rotwhod
In, Mr. llorglum will hi'liig n corps
of trained wotlterii down from Ills
hi ml lo tit SUimfonl, Conn., and un
der bin illrocllon Hie iicliuil work
of curving anil llulnhiu the design
will be done.
ThuB doth tho South Immortalize
Its Ideals and Its heroic dead:'
III