Henry Honeychruch Gorringe

THE MASONIC CEREMONIES

Most Worshipful Jesse B. Anthony, Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York, accepted the invitation to lay the corner-stone with Masonic ceremonies, and after consultation with the Commissioners of Public Parks, fixed October 9th as the date. The following order had been issued.

Office Of The Grand Master Of Masons In The State Of New York,

TROY, N. Y., September 16, 1880.

To the Masters, Wardens, and Brethren of the several Lodges in New York, Brooklyn, and vicinity, Greeting:

Having accepted an invitation to lay the corner-stone of the Egyptian obelisk about to be placed in Central Park, New York City, the ceremonies of which will take place in the afternoon of Saturday, October 2d, it is desirable that the fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons should generally unite in recognition of the compliment paid our Society in thus becoming connected with the noble enterprise of placing this historical monument of Egypt in the metropolitan city. You are therefore most earnestly requested to support the officers of the Grand Lodge on this occasion, and make it a memorable event in the annals of the craft in the Empire State.

I have appointed Right Worshipful E. M. L. Ehlers as Grand Marshal of the Day, who will issue the necessary orders incident to the parade, and due publicity will be given to the same. All lodges proposing to parade will please report promptly to the Grand Marshal at Masonic Temple, New York.

Fraternally, JESSE B. ANTHONY, Grand Master.

In accordance therewith special meetings of the different lodges and commanderies in New York and vicinity were held and arrangements effected, resulting in the promulgation of a programme by the Grand Marshall.

The number of Freemasons that paraded for the ceremony was nearly nine thousand. It is estimated that from Fifteenth Street to the Eighty-second Street entrance of the park not less than thirty thousand people were on the sidewalks. The disciplined and orderly appearance of the paraders drew out much favorable comment. Each commandery and division was headed by a band, so that there was music at several points in the procession all the time. As the entrance to the park was approached the crowd grew denser, and in the park itself it was so great that the policemen were practically useless in keeping the spectators out of the spaces reserved for the ceremonies. The column having marched to the base of the obelisk, opened ranks three deep, and faced in. The line then extended to Sixtieth Street, where the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge officers left the carriages, and, preceded by Apollo Commandery and Anglo-Saxon Lodge, marched through the line to the platform on the Graywacke Knoll, from which the ceremonies were conducted. The Masters and Wardens of the lodges followed then, and the Marshals took charge. The ranks were closed, and the commanderies were massed on the west side and the lodges on the north and east sides, while the south side was crowded with spectators, some occupying as a vantage-ground the 43-ton pedestal of the obelisk at the foot of the knoll. When order had been obtained the Grand Master addressed the brethren as follows.

"Brethren: We have assembled to-day for the purpose of laying the corner-stone of the foundation which is to again support the ancient monument known as Cleopatra's Needle. The occasion is one of which, as a fraternity, we may well be proud, and while it is but true we engage in a labor which has been the custom of our fraternity from time immemorial when such service has been requested, yet as a matter of history connecting our Society with the national character of this work, we may regard it as the event of a lifetime and its record of great importance to our history as a craft. Coming thus publicly before the world as members of an organization which commends itself to the favorable consideration of all candid and unprejudiced minds, it is creditable to you that as individual members, as lodges, and as commanderies you have responded so nobly to the call and by your presence given your assistance to the work. The work is before us, and in accordance with our earliest Masonic lesson we will, before entering upon this undertaking, unite with Rev. and R. W. Bro. C. H. Hall, Grand Chaplain, in an invocation to the Deity."



The usual ceremonies having been concluded, the Grand Master delivered the following address: "BRETHREN: Standing as we do upon ground which is ever to be memorable from the associations connected with the historical monument about to be replaced upon its original foundation, of which we have to-day laid the corner-stone in accordance with our forms and ceremonies, you will pardon me if in my remarks I depart somewhat from the usual course on such occasions. The importance of this labor to our history as a craft; the honor conferred upon our fraternity by thus being linked with the national importance of this successful achievement of the removal, transportation, and yet to be accomplished fact of again placing the obelisk on the foundation-stone; the universal interest in this addition to the monuments which adorn and beautify this city; the fact that this monolith represents to us the work of the operative workmen of centuries ago, and recalls to our minds most prominently the history of the past, demand that we turn our thoughts beyond the events and occurrences of the present moment to the ages that are gone, of which this obelisk is a venerable relic. This monument in its associations brings forcibly before us that period of which at present, we know so little and of which the researches of the scholar, the calculation of the astronomer, the study of the rocks by the geologist, and the skill of the engineer, are each year adding to our information and startling us with wonderful results. This trophy comes from that land, the history of which, was long lost in the mist and obscurities of ancient fable and tradition,—a land of wonderful creations of human power and genius, that has been, and long will continue to be, a place of interest and curiosity to the learned. Egypt itself is a book of history,—one of God's great monumental records, on the face of which He has written with His own hand many of the strange events of the past. It was the birthplace of literature, the cradle of science and art, the garden and garner of the world. The people of those days excelled in many respects the advanced growth of the present century. Could we but know that which time will yet unveil, we should be astonished at the revelation and ashamed of our littleness. The Supreme Master, the great Architect, in the design upon the eternal trestleboard, traced each cycle of the progress of the universe, inspired the people with the idea to be worked out, and in His wisdom, even though ages have intervened, the prophecy or design has been or will be fulfilled. 'The ways of the Almighty are indeed wonderful.' Let us for a moment consider some points in the history of Egypt which are intimately associated with the principles of our fraternity as a society of workmen, or as conservators of the liberal arts and sciences. In the branches of decorative art and the science of architecture they were undoubtedly far in advance of us at the present day, and could we bring to light that which is buried from our sight by the devastations of war, the sacking of the old cities, could we open the grave made by the growth of years we should be struck with awe and astonishment at the wondrous magnificence of ancient times. The character of Egyptian architecture is that of massive grandeur and severe simplicity, as exhibited in the sculptors' well-defined outlines and in the colossal dimensions of their temples and the enormous blocks of material employed in their construction. The great object of the builders seems to have been that the strength and durability portrayed in the prodigious magnitude of their structures should seem to typify their greatness. The architectural types of all other structures of antiquity sink into insignificance when compared with those of Egypt. The Egyptians were the first to observe the course of the planets, and their observations led them to regulate the year from the course of the sun. Among the immense structures erected by the Egyptian workmen, the pyramids were the first that claimed the attention of the outside world, and while it is conceded that they were generally constructed to serve as tombs for some monarch, yet it is also thought that they were designed for astronomical purposes. For while we cannot suppose that they were intended as places of observation, there are many things in connection with them—their position, the exact angle at which they were built, varying in accordance with their situation as regards the longitudinal lines, together with the peculiar position of the opening or entrance into them—which induce us to believe that the shadows cast into the interior were made the basis of useful calculations. Let us consider them a moment, and while we have reference particularly to the pyramids—and in the illustration that which is termed the great pyramid,—yet the application is pertinent to other monuments erected by this ancient people. They are so intimately linked together that it is impossible to completely separate them. The pyramids were built for a purpose and built in all respects with some peculiar and symbolic reference. Every stone and every line had some allusion or reference to something which should yet be accomplished. The exactness with which these calculations have been verified proves that they were no accidental allusion, and while it seems incredible to us that prophecies can be foretold in the block, lines, and exact situation of the pile of stone, yet we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that they have been proven to be true after the closest scrutiny and investigation of the leading minds of the world. The labors of the ancients in the science of astronomy cannot be despised. If the ancient philosophers groped where modern minds have seen more clearly, the events of time have proven that they appreciated the fact that the sun, planets, and stars were governed by fixed, immovable laws, and that there could be no variation from the great plan designed by the Almighty. The Egyptian priesthood 2,500 years before Christ had their calendar and periods proportioned to the processional cycle of the equinoxes. Tables have accumulated for over 3,000 years which now enable astronomers to predict with certainty the exact position each star in the solar system will occupy at a given moment. There may be a slight deviation of dates, but not sufficient to invalidate the fact that they had a correct knowledge of the laws governing the operation of the solar system.



"The great pyramid is more than science. It is the embodiment of a great revelation. 'The measurements, joint lines, and minute but exact markings, calculated at the rate of one pyramid unit or inch a year, agree with the past events of history, which must have been a prophetic revelation when built into its chronological passages.' If they have been correct in the past the inference is that they will be in the future. The investigations of astronomers have demonstrated the fact that the great pyramid was designed as an astronomical stone clock or ancient observatory, erected by inspiration of the Most High; for it cannot be attributed to accident that at exact periods of time of long intervals between—a thousand years and over—a certain star, the time-keeper of the ancients, is in such a position as to shine down the entrance passage of the great pyramid. This event is calculated by astronomers to occur during the coming year at a time which corresponds with the record engraved by the mystical lines on the stone. Jeremiah proclaimed: 'The great, the mighty God; great in counsel and mighty in works, which has set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,' standing even unto this day. As we march along the cycle of time each one has added some discovery, or brought before us the fact that in many respects we have not yet equalled the position then occupied by the arts and sciences. In the former ages of the world, not having the art of printing—the power of the press at the present day—they wrought their lessons in the shape of the monuments of stone, and we cannot ignore the fact that the peculiarities of those ancient monuments, in the shape of the stone, numbers composing the same, the peculiar position, or the mystical inscriptions to be found thereon, were for a wise purpose. They were intended to tell their story at a future day and draw the veil from the past for the information and wonder of the present. Such a fact demonstrates that the lessons of the stone monuments erected in the land of Egypt, by inspiration undoubtedly from the Supreme Ruler, cannot be ignored, but demand of us the closest investigation. What we are in search of is truth. It is the mystical reward ever before the Masonic student, and every thing which in any way aids us in our progress in that direction should be carefully weighed and considered in all its aspects before we accept or reject the evidence thus brought before us. We should not, because of any previously conceived opinion, discard them hastily; neither, on the other hand, should we allow imagination to warp our judgment. The ancients were proficient in the science of mechanics, and as far advanced, if not farther, than we are at the present day in the knowledge of the use of the forces of water as an adjunct to the labors of man. They were fully acquainted with the laws of hydraulics, and must have utilized that branch of science in their work. It is impossible for us on an occasion like this to examine in particular the various departments of art and science of which Egypt was the home. They were a wonderful race, combining within themselves all the branches which adorn, beautify, and add to the reputation of a people when directed in the right channel. Their works, whether the obelisks, pyramids, temples, palaces, tombs, or other structures, were all on a colossal scale. It has been a wonder to many how the ancients could have moved the immense blocks of stone used in the monuments of ancient times, but it can be no longer, for while they did not have all the appliances of mechanical skill extant to-day, yet they were thoroughly acquainted with the laws and forces of nature, adapted them to their wants, and rendered them serviceable in their vast undertakings. The advance which has been made in science by the present generation is in the utilization of electricity, and more especially in the line of chemistry, the combination of different elements to create a new source of power. The steam-engine is simply the application of chemistry in utilizing the elements of water in the form of units of steam, in conjunction with mechanical appliances.

"Egypt abounded in obelisks, or monoliths, as they are termed, and they were erected to commemorate some particular event, perpetuate the reputation, or hand down to posterity the glory, of some great monarch. They were erected in great numbers, and many of them have been removed to Europe to add to the trophies of some city. That of which we have to-day laid the foundation-stone was one of two originally located at Heliopolis some 3,400 years ago, and afterward, 23 years B. C, removed to Alexandria, where they received the name of Cleopatra's Needles. One of these now adorns the city of London, and the other will add to the attractiveness of this place and recall to our minds, by its allusions, the important lessons of past centuries. You will pardon me if I have devoted too much time to this part of my address; but in considering the work of to-day, the foundation of the result yet to be attained, my thoughts have turned instinctively to the past, of which this obelisk is to me a reminder. We cannot gaze upon it without desiring to know of the land whence it came, the status of the people, and especially of the evidences of skill of the operative workmen of those times. This is especially true when we consider that our Society was originally of the operative character, and that as the reward of the labor of one of our brethren of the present, discoveries have been made in the removal of the obelisk from its Eastern home which, in the judgment of many, seem to have an allusion to the fraternity of which we are members. Masonry may be divided into two periods: the operative and speculative. It was originally a school of architecture and a promoter of the sciences. In its operative character Masonry applied the unlimited resources of architectural skill to develop Divine ideas through symbolized stone. It awakened the emotional element of the people in the exquisite temples of worship, and it elevated their aspirations in art productions of wondrous beauty and uniformity. These guilds travelled from place to place engaging in the work, and in all sections is to be found that uniformity of detail which demonstrates that they were combined into societies to carry out a well-defined and arranged system. There have been operative societies in all ages of the world. They flourished in Egypt and we see their handiwork in the monuments, temples, and pyramids of that day. We find traces of them among the Greeks, in the introduction of peculiar characteristics of architecture into Rome. We find at one time that the home of the arts and sciences was located in the Orient, especially at Byzantium. We find it perpetuated in the Roman colleges instituted by Numa Pompilius. We find it carried into Britain with the Roman conquerors. It is generally conceded that Masonry as an operative science came from the East, was incorporated with the guilds of the Middle Ages, and subsequently constituted an essential part of Masonry of the present day. We cannot be expected to enter into minute detail, and we sketch the outline only for the purpose of presenting the proposition, that we can justly claim that the foundation of our speculative organization rests upon and is the natural outgrowth of the ancient operative corporations of the Middle Ages, and they in turn derived their origin from the still older societies banded together for the same purpose. I do not claim that all societies of the past engaged as operative bands were Masonic in their nature, for we know that they combined religious forms and ceremonies in many of the most remote, which are entirely foreign and antagonistic to Masonry of the present; but I think that we can fairly claim that the various points which these societies present in common, and which in some respects are to be found in our Society as at present organized, cannot have been the result of accident or the work of chance. Our Society is the natural outgrowth of these societies, and while we build for a nobler purpose and a higher ideal, yet the object which each endeavors to perpetuate and promote is in spirit harmonious. In its early history the operative workmen by all the resources of their art outlined and perfected Divine truths in the sculptured stone. They wrought out in granite blocks the thoughts and aspirations of their day. They worked for a wise purpose, and were actuated by a combined policy. Every object was designed to develop some great idea or to perpetuate some event of importance. They left the traces of their work behind them, and in the temples, pyramids, monuments, and other results of their labor do we find the distinctive marks of the craft. The marks of the workmen upon their work trace their progress, and the similitude to be found in the mystical marks proves that, in some respects at least, they must have possessed a common knowledge and been actuated by the same purposes. This is one of the essential points which have been demonstrated to us by the discoveries made at the exhumation of the foundation of this obelisk. We find delineated there certain emblems which are to be found in common use among the operative craftsmen of the Middle Ages, and it is an evidence that these marks are definitive mementoes of a systematic labor. They are suggestive of a connection which may have existed by regular sequence between the Eastern and Western builders. I do not, however, consider that we should regard these marks as being symbolic, for while such an inference may be drawn, yet the geometrical outlines should not be accepted without qualification. We find that they labored with the same tools that are preserved in our Society and regarded by us in a symbolic sense as teaching moral lessons. Now, brethren, let us consider for a few moments these discoveries with reference to Masonic history.

"I touch upon the point because it has been so prominently brought before the public in connection with this obelisk, and especially because in the judgment of many they seem to have a direct allusion to our fraternity. In considering these discoveries from a Masonic standpoint we must eliminate from our minds the Masonry of to-day as now organized. 'History,' says Cicero, 'is the light of truth. It differs from symbolism in that we expect and demand that it should be conclusive, that each link should follow the other in regular order, and when thus presented we should accept it as true.' It is a common remark that all history is uncertain, and if this be true in its full extent there would be little use in attempting to show the value of that which cannot be known with certainty. But although many events, or rather the minute circumstances of such events, are uncertain, the most valuable part of history rests upon visible monuments, such as pillars, edifices, heaps of stones, etc., erected upon the occasion of remarkable events. These monuments attracting the attention of the rising generation would naturally cause such inquiries concerning their origin and use as would long preserve the knowledge of the transactions to which they refer. It is questionable to my mind whether we are to confine ourselves to the historical rule—that is, to limit our views to that which can only be proven by indisputable facts and consecutive links to be true. Should we not take a broader ground and look to the principles which antedate the time assumed for the origin of Masonry as at present constituted? There can be no question but that in the secret societies of Egypt are to be found some elements now embraced in the principles or symbolism of Masonry of the present, and yet, notwithstanding this, I am not prepared to state that we should consider that Freemasonry existed in those days. We cannot honestly claim, because of such traces, that those societies or institutions were Masonic in their nature. In the annals of our craft there have been handed down to us much that is mythical and traditionary in its nature, and many of the old writers on Masonic history have in the support of their theories given us much that is visionary. We all know that when we enter the field of speculation there is really no limit to the extent it may be carried. Cast your eyes upon the fleeting clouds of the firmament as they pass along, give the imagination full play, and you create many fantastic and strange pictures; curb the imagination, look again, they are after all only clouds. Do not understand me as detracting in the least degree from the importance of these discoveries. They may have within them elements which may prove much, but I do not think we should hastily decide that they are conclusive.

"The antiquity of Masonry in its principles we must with one voice concede; for the spirit of our institution includes all that is good and elevating to the human race, and, as a system of morals, ranks with religion, leaving each one in that respect to be governed by the dictates of his own conscience and in accordance with his peculiar belief. I should be glad if from the discoveries which have been, or may yet be made, we might be able to successfully trace the history of our institution back through the past, for we all have a particular veneration for age. It is a principle which is imbued into our feelings at early childhood and grows with our years. In the proper regard which we have for antiquity do not let us rest upon and be content with that; the present is given for our field. We are to improve our opportunities, labor in the carrying out of the vital principles of our organization, and by so doing make a record which shall endure through the ages to come, so that when the monuments and temples have crumbled to dust, the good deeds of Masonry shall stand out on its escutcheon brighter and brighter with the passing years. The effect of these discoveries will be productive of one result at least. It will awaken new zeal in the student, and it is possible that some things which may now seem to be curious may lead to further discoveries which will demonstrate a connection between the ancient and modern that we are not yet prepared to admit. You will understand that I am expressing individual views. When I first heard of these discoveries I gave them no consideration whatever, and while I have had no opportunity to thoroughly examine them, yet there are some peculiarities which seem to me worthy of the careful consideration of the Masonic student. Let them be tested by the crucible of time, which may yet eliminate the dross and present the truth in its purity. The world we live in is made up of the occurrences of the past, and it is the work of the investigator, the geologist, the astronomer, the philosopher, and the student in any specialty, to examine, to dig out, to look into, to consider, and to analyze that which has been covered up by the operations of nature or the lapse of time. Every year presents new facts, develops new truths, which enlighten and render intelligible many things which have for ages been shrouded in darkness, or subject to the claim of speculation. Our world, which seems complete in itself and is remarkable for its achievements, appliances, and results, has passed through wonderful changes; and while we boast of the intelligence of the nineteenth century, yet when we uncover and bring to light the buried treasures of the past, we find that even with our boasted superiority we do not equal the skill of the ancients. The monuments of the past are to be considered by us as representatives of some grand historical event in the history of those nations, or as memorials of their knowledge perpetuated in the form of stone. The history of the world has not yet been written, neither has the history of Masonry, and even though 'the mills of God grind slowly,' yet all incongruities will finally be reduced to an even and consistent nature, and the almighty power of truth shall prevail. In conclusion, brethren, there is nothing done in Masonry that is not for a purpose and is not designed to impress its lessons upon us. What is the design upon the trestle-board to-day? What has been brought prominently before you on this occasion? What thought is uppermost in your minds? Is it not that a man's work in this world lives long after he has laid down the implements of labor, and that his influence does not entirely cease with the termination of life's powers? This obelisk erected thousands of years ago is not without its lesson to us of to-day. The ancient workman did not build for an age, but for eternity. So with us, brethren; we may not consider that our efforts amount to much of themselves, but nevertheless every one has his influence, and in a greater or lesser degree we contribute to the aggregate whole. Let it be our endeavor therefore to lay the foundation of character on a broad, sure, and deep foundation; let it be such as will bear the application of the plumb, square, and level; let us continue to build upon that foundation a character which is above reproach in the sight of Him Who ruleth all things. And, when finally we have completed our task, erected a monument of moral grandeur and symmetry, achieved something which is for the welfare and advancement of the human race, then in after years the coming generations will treasure our memory, imitate our example, point to our deeds, and draw inspiration from our age as worthy of their veneration. Such a monument will be more enduring than even that of stone; and the chiselled record, long after the tracings upon the stone shall have become obliterated, will stand out in its original sharpness, telling of grand enterprises and noble works, which are the real monuments of a successful life. Let us therefore labor faithfully in the present, looking forward to the reward promised to him who performs his whole duty, and the past, present, and future of each and every one will entitle him to the salutation: 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'"

The benediction was then pronounced by R. W. and Rev. Brother J. Bradford Cleaver, Grand Chaplain, and the ceremonies were concluded.

The only thing remaining to complete the structure on which the obelisk was to stand was to move the pedestal from its temporary resting-place near by on the west side of the foundation to its proper position. This was accomplished on October 11th. Building the masonry piers for the turning structure] (Plates xxvii and xxviii, G) was pushed forward rapidly. By November 30th the turning structure was erected on them ready for the obelisk.

DISEMBARKING THE OBELISK

Almost the first thing that occupied my attention on arriving in New York on July 20th was the arrangement for disembarking the obelisk. It was very soon discovered that there was only one dry dock at or near the city in which it could be disembarked by reversing the plan of embarking it. The owners of this dock had also discovered this fact. On opening negotiations with their representative it was evident that they were prepared to dictate their own terms for the use of the dock without regard to the customary charges. They had the right to fix on whatever price they pleased and make their own conditions for the use of their property. They fixed on a price in excess of that charged for other steamers, and made the condition that I must give security for any injury that might result to their property from disembarking the obelisk. These terms contrast strangely with the arrangements made by the Egyptian government, which gave me the free use of the dock in Alexandria for an indefinite period, without conditions as to injury, and charged only for the actual expenditure of fuel and labor in raising and lowering the steamer. I offered the dock owners the same rates as were paid by other steamers, and proposed the appointment of a commission of experts to watch the operation of disembarking the obelisk and decide what amount of damages, if any, should be paid them resulting therefrom. The answer to this was to the effect that unless I accepted their terms and conditions at once they would not agree to take the "Dessoug" on the dock at any fixed date, according to turn, but would leave the disembarkation of the obelisk to some time when there was no immediate demand for the dock. Without replying, I left the office, determined to devise some other plan for disembarking it.

At first I thought of taking the '* Dessoug" to Philadelphia or Baltimore, disembarking the obelisk in the spacious dry dock in either of these cities, and bringing it to New York on floats by canal. Negotiations with the dock owners or their representatives developed the same feeling as that existing in New York as to extra charges. Besides this there would have been no end of obstacles to be overcome in connection with the Customs authorities and navigation laws. The "Dessoug" had neither register nor nationality, and could not leave the port of New York. The next plan that suggested itself to my mind was the construction of a marine railway at the foot of Ninety-sixth Street, North River, where the obelisk was to be landed on Manhattan Island, on which to haul the "Dessoug's" bow out of water, and then haul the obelisk out of her hold on to the shore. This was found to be impracticable on account of the Hudson River Railway, which skirts the shore, and the abrupt increase of depth close to the river bank. Besides these objections were the cost, and the condition exacted by the Dock Department, that the structure should be entirely removed and the piles pulled out after the disembarkation of the obelisk. Removal would have cost almost as much as construction.

Disembarking the obelisk while the "Dessoug" was on a marine railway was entirely practicable and as easily accomplished as if the steamer were in a dock. But getting the obelisk afloat with moderate expense after it had been disembarked, so as to remove it to the foot of Ninety-sixth Street, was the difficult problem to solve. After having almost despaired of being able to accomplish my object without yielding to the demands of the dock company, I reached a solution that may be summed up in the word tide. I determined to make the rising tide lift the obelisk and the falling tide land it. There would be no lack of power.

Before communicating my plans to any one, I visited incognito all the marine railways on the shores of New York Bay, and fixed on a new one at Staten Island as the best adapted to my purpose. An illustration and advertisement in the Daily Graphic had attracted my attention to it. The proprietor had no knowledge of my plans until the terms of an agreement had been entered into for the occupation of his slip. Had he then changed his mind I had two other marine railways in view, the proprietors of which were ready to accept my offer. Every thing was arranged satisfactorily. The "Dessoug's" bow was hauled out of water on August 21st, at Lawler's Marine Railway, on the east shore of Staten Island. Iron shipwrights had been engaged; and the work of opening the aperture was begun on August 22d, and completed on the 29th.

While this was in progress a disembarking stage on piles had been prepared adjacent to the marine railway to receive the obelisk. Plate xix illustrates the plan and section of the disembarking stage, and shows the relative positions of the steamer's bow (A), the marine railway (2?), and the disembarking stage and its approach (C). Two rows of piles were driven from a point close to the railway right under the aperture in the steamer's bow, to a distance of seventy feet, and at an angle with the line of the railway equal to that at which the obelisk had to leave the steamer's hold. Capping and cross-beams were placed on these piles, to form the approach to the disembarking stage. The latter comprised three parallel rows of piles, twenty feet apart. The centre row had double the number of piles in the outside rows. Over each pile of the outside rows and every alternate one of the middle row heavy cross-timbers were placed; and on these, longitudinal pieces were laid to form the bed for the channel iron tracks, prolonged into the steamer's hold. This arrangement of the cross-timbers was due to the impossibility of purchasing suitable timber long enough to extend across the whole width of the staging. The spaces between the rows could not be reduced in width, as suitable pontoons of less than twenty feet beam could not be obtained. The staging and approach were given the same incline as the platform in the steamer's hold, which was the same as that of the marine railway.

The obelisk having been slued inside of the steamer, in identically the same manner as it had been slued in Alexandria, to the angle at which it was to be disembarked, it was raised, and the channel iron tracks and cannon-balls placed under it. It was moved outward about fifty feet by a pulling hydraulic pump, when, to hasten the disembarkation a fourfold purchase of six-inch rope was applied to it. The hauling part of the purchase was taken to the engine of an ordinary floating pile-driver, secured to the end of the disembarking stage, as shown on Plate xx. The time occupied in making the aperture in the steamer's bow, building the stage and its approach, sluing the obelisk in the hold, raising it, and placing the track under it, and preparing to disembark it, was two weeks. The time occupied in disembarking it was fifty minutes.

The report that the obelisk was to be disembarked brought down to Staten Island a crowd of spectators, who occupied every available spot from which a view of the work could be obtained.

REMOVAL FROM STATEN ISLAND TO MANHATTAN ISLAND

On September 13th the pontoons, that had been prepared for the operation of lifting the obelisk from the staging, were placed under the cross-timbers and between the rows of piling at low tide. Water was let into them to prevent their rising with the flood tide. On the following day they were pumped out. As the tide rose they naturally rose with it and lifted the obelisk. About two hours before high-water the cross-timbers were clear of the capping, and the obelisk was once more afloat. Owing to lack of space the positions of the pontoons had not been properly adjusted. It was found that they did not float on even keels. To effect this adjustment they were hauled fifteen feet toward the shore; and water was admitted to them while in this position, so as to land the cross-timbers sustaining the obelisk on the capping this distance from their original positions. This operation consumed the short interval of high-water, and nothing more was attempted until the 16th. The wind on the i5th was such as to cause a considerable sea in the bay, in which it would have been imprudent to float the obelisk on the pontoons. The delay was utilized in removing the approach to the disembarking stage, and clearing a passage for the caissons to be hauled out of the slip directly astern, instead of ahead first and then astern as have been intended.

In the forenoon of September 16th, every thing being ready and the weather favorable, the pontoons were pumped out at low-water and adjusted to their proper position under the obelisk. The rising tide caused them to gradually raise the cross-timbers clear of the capping on the piles until the weight of the obelisk had been transferred from the stage. At high-water, 4 p.m., they were hauled out of the slip into the bay, bearing the obelisk on their decks (see Plate xxi). The next half hour was spent in lashing them together by means of chins passed through the wells in each and under their bottoms, as shown in Plate xxi, cross-section through obelisk and pontoons. The side elevation of obelisk and pontoons on this plate shows the pumps that had been placed to free the pontoons of water, and the method of securing the obelisk by shores from the recesses of its hieroglyphs to the decks of the pontoons.

The landing-stage had been prepared for the obelisk at the foot of Ninety-sixth Street, North River, identically the same in principle as that at Staten Island. The steamer “Manhattan,” belonging to the Dock Department of the city, was in readiness to tow the pontoons from Staten Island. The steamer “Rescue” of the Coast Wrecking Company was in attendance to escort it. She was provided with powerful pumping machinery and the necessary flexible hose to convey steam from her boilers to the pumps on the pontoons. And in order to provide against all contingencies she towed one of the Wrecking Company’s schooners, also provided with steam boilers and pumps.

The time of high-water at the foot of Ninety-Sixth Street is about two hours later than at Staten Island. The distance is twelve miles. At 4.55 p.m. the “Manhattan” started ahead with the pontoons in tow. As she proceeded up the bay, tugs and steamers diverged from their courses to greet the strange object with vigorous and prolonged blasts of their steam-whistles and the cheers of their passengers and crews. We reached the landing-stage at Ninety-sixth Street at 7.15 p.m. The evening was very dark and it seemed as if it would be impossible to adjust the pontoons between the rows of piles. After one or two failures, owing to the swiftly running tide, this was finally accomplished. Plate xix shows the obelisk on the pontoons just entering the landing-stage. As soon as it was in position the valves of the pontoons were opened to admit water to them, and in a few minutes the obelisk had been finally landed on Manhattan Island. As it settled down on the staging the piles swayed, owing to their great height; but as soon as the whole weight was on them they remained steady and the staging became stable.

CROSSING THE HUDSON RIVER RAILWAY

The Hudson River Railway tracks skirt the river bank at the point where the obelisk was landed; passenger trains pass at very frequent intervals, the longest time between trains being an hour and a half about noon. To have blocked the road at this point for more than two or three hours would have involved serious loss and much serious inconvenience to travelers. Preparations for transferring the obelisk from the landing-stage across the track to the roadway of Ninety-Sixth Street, comprised the placing of heavy timbers across the street and others at right angles to them for the channel iron tracks to rest on, and adjusting these to a uniform grade. The frequent passage of trains and the rugged surface of the unpaved street delayed this work until September 25th. The temporary bridge across the railway tracks had been prepared with care, every piece hewn and cut to the proper size, marked, and its position well understood by the workmen. Strong anchors had been sunk deep down into the rip-rap of the street, and made secure by chain-cable backing to large iron bolts let into holes drilled in the solid rock on the south side of the street. The pulling purchase was rove and overhauled; the hauling part was led to the drum of the engine of a floating pile-driver moored to the wharf adjacent to the landing-stage. Nothing that could be thought of that would facilitate and hasten the crossing was neglected. Orders had been given by the railway officials to stop all trains at 11 a.m. Immediately after the passage of the last train that was allowed by the temporary bridge was thrown across the track; in one hour and twenty minutes subsequently the obelisk was resting on the roadway of Ninety-sixth Street and the track was entirely clear of obstruction. The freight train seen in Plate xxii was delayed twenty five minutes. The regular passenger trains were not delayed at all.

THE LAND TRANSPORT

The landing-stage had necessarily been built at an angle with the direction of Ninety-Sixth Street, a wharf at the foot of that street preventing its construction in any other way. The first operation after having moved the obelisk across the Hudson River Railway was that of sluing it to the direction of its route. This was done in identically the same manner as it was slued when embarked and disembarked. The route that was followed from this point to the site in the Central Part is shown on Plate xxiii: Eastward through Ninety-sixth Street to the West Boulevard; southward through the West Boulevard to Eighty-sixth Street; eastward through Eighty-sixth Street to the Eighth Avenue entrance of the sunken road across the park; eastward through this sunken road to Fifth Avenue; southward through Fifth Avenue to the Metropolitan Museum gate facing Eighty-second Street; then westward through the park to the site. Notwithstanding its numerous turns, this route was the best one that could be followed, chiefly on account of the more uniform grades and the condition of the streets. The aggregate distance is 10,905 feet; and the aggregate vertical lift from the level of the landing-stage to that of the axis of the trunnions of the turning structure was 230 feet. This lift is not, however, the difference of elevation above water-level, which is 147 feet. Eighty-three feet of the lift was due to the up and down grades of the streets, as will appear from an examination of the profiles on Plate xxiii.

The apparatus used for moving the obelisk across the railway, and invariably up to the time it reached the roadway of Ninety-sixth Street, is illustrated on the accompanying drawing, which is a section through it, showing the cross-timbers (A) that were placed on the ground to distribute the weight over a large area, the track timbers (B) on which the lower iron channel tracks (C) were place and adjusted, the cannon-balls (D) and he upper iron channels (E) on which the obelisk rested. The great advantage of substituting iron channels and cannon-balls for the ordinary wheels, axles, and tracks, was in diminishing the friction to a minimum and increasing the resistance of the rollers to a maximum. There was, however, on difficulty experienced with this method that could not be overcome at moderate cost. The bottom of iron channels of ordinary dimensions was found to be insufficiently thick to resist the pressure, and the iron channels were literally split into two angle irons by the cannon-balls. To remedy this defect three-quarter-inch flat iron plates were riveted to the bottom of the iron channels of the required size with thicker bottoms, but none could be found nor could any be made unless machinery was made expressly to roll them. This was out of the question.

It became necessary, therefore, to change the method of moving the obelisk. Nothing offered so many advantages as the ordinary cradle, rollers and track of a marine railway, which were substituted for the iron channels and cannon-balls. The idea first suggested itself to be in Alexandria, during the embarkation of the obelisk, when the iron channels also split. The change was determined on at Staten Island, during the disembarkation, when it was found that riveting flat irons on the back of the iron channels was not effective to prevent the splitting.

The system in use on marine railways and adopted for the land transport of the obelisk is illustrated on Plate xxiv. It comprised a cradle (G) a ways (W) and rollers (R). The cradle is formed of two parallel beams, long enough to contain the obelisk and engine, about eighty feet, held together with through bolts, (/) and held apart by wooden struts, not shown on the drawing. Suitable fastenings were secured to the forward end of the cradle to hook or shackle the movable purchase block on. The lower faces of the cradle beams and upper faces of the ways beams were grooved through the middle and shod on each side of the groove with flat irons (H)- The ways beams were kept independent of each other, to facilitate shifting them along the route after the obelisk had passed over them. The rollers were grouped in "boxes" of the form shown on the accompanying figure. The side pieces (P) were two-inch plank, twelve inches deep and six feet long, held together by wooden struts (S) having shoulders on the inside and keys through the ends. Iron thimbles (T) were let into the plank, to reduce the friction of the ends of the rollers (R). These rollers were cast with a flange around the middle, that fitted into the grooves of the cradle and ways beams and acted as a guide. The motive power of an ordinary marine railway is stationary. That of the obelisk railway was a pile-driver engine fastened to the forward end of the cradle and moving with it and, therefore, with the obelisk. It is evident that the rollers would travel over half the distance advanced by the obelisk and cradle, and that the ways were stationary. To have laid continuous ways from the river to the park would have been a useless expense. Six double lengths of ways beams and one and a half double lengths of roller boxes were provided. Gangs of men were employed grading the track ahead of the obelisk by placing cross-timbers and crib-work for the ways beams to lie on, others moving the timbers and other material ahead for the grading, others sinking anchors for the stationary purchase block to be shackled to, and picked men were employed placing the ways beams and adjusting them to the exact grade on which the next advance of the obelisk was to be made.

The preparations for the first advance lasted until September 30th. Rainy weather, difficulty in finding suitable men, and other causes delayed the work, and the obelisk did not reach the West Boulevard until October 27th. The distance from the starting-point, near the railway to the West Boulevard is twelve hundred feet; the difference of level is sixty feet, the grade being about one in twenty. For hauling the cradle with the obelisk and engine on it up this steep grade a fourfold purchase was applied to it. Six-inch manilla rope was used for the fall. The stationary block of the purchase was shackled to a length of bower chain-cable belonging to the "Dessoug," which served as a pennant, the other end of the cable having been fastened to an anchor sunk twelve feet into the roadway of the street. The hauling part of the fall was taken to the drum of the engine on the cradle. The traction to be overcome averaged about thirty-eight tons—that is, the strain on the purchase was equal to a lift of thirty-eight tons before the inertia, the tendency down the incline, and the friction could be overcome. To keep the cradle from descending in case the rope or any thing connected with the pulling purchase should have given way, men were stationed in the rear of the obelisk with large iron wedges, that were held close against the rollers. The least retrogade movement would have caught the points of the wedges; the weight of the large end of the obelisk would, in this manner, have been utilized as a brake.

A change of grade and turn of ninety degrees were the next things to be accomplished after reaching the West Boulevard. The former occupied a few hours. The hydraulic pumps were placed under the ways in spaces left vacant in the blocking, which was removed as soon as the weight had been suspended on the pumps. The lower end of the obelisk was thus lifted, whilst the upper end was lowered until the new grade had been reached.

Instead of lowering the ways on blocking they were lowered on large timbers placed diagonally across the street so as to form a plane on which the obelisk and its railway could be slued. Strips of half inch iron were placed between the ways timbers and diagonal timbers, to reduce friction. Powerful purchases operating in opposite directions were applied to the ends of the obelisk and its railway, and (the whole} slued around by November 3d, after six days and nights of tedious and unsatisfactory work.

It was evident that a more expeditious method of making the remaining eleven turns and part turns necessary in order to reach the site must be designed. The London obelisk was not turned or moved overland at all. The Paris obelisk had been turned by placing it on a pivoted cradle, an expensive and for my purposes an impracticable system. The turning apparatus shown on Plate xxiv I designed and arranged in time for the next turn from the West Boulevard into Eighty-sixth Street. The distance between these points, two thousand six hundred and fifty feet, with two changes of grade, was made in eight days. The ways beams were laid directly over the new turning apparatus, which was reached on November i5th. Twenty-two hours were occupied in preparing the blocking and four hours in effecting the turn.

The apparatus comprises two circles of iron channels, with cannon-balls between, and a hundred ton hydraulic pump under the large end of the obelisk as a pivot, and two sections of iron channels bent to arcs of different radii under the middle and the small end. The upper channels of the two latter were long enough to project a little beyond the ways beams; the lower ones covered an angle of ninety degrees. A purchase was applied to the small end of the obelisk, and the power necessary to effect the turn was equivalent to that required for lifting only two tons. The end of the railway bearing the engine was allowed to slide on a beam shod with iron.

From the intersection of Eighty-sixth Street with the West Boulevard to the Eighth Avenue entrance of Transverse Road No. 3, the distance is two thousand two hundred and fifty feet, with ascending grades of one in thirty-seven and a half, and one in ninety. The entrance to Transverse Road No. 3 was reached on November 25th. An examination of the plan and profile of this transverse road on Plate xxiii will indicate, in a measure, the difficulties to be overcome in order to transport the obelisk through it. The distance from Eighth to Fifth Avenue is two thousand nine hundred feet, with a descending grade of one in sixty, followed by an ascending grade of one in fifty-six, a level, then a descending grade, of one in twenty-six, and concluding with an ascending grade of one in fifty. Besides these changes of grade, there were eight partial turns in both directions to be made, aggregating one hundred and seventy-three degrees of arc. To add to the difficulties of this part of the work, intensely cold weather alternated with heavy falls of snow, and the picked men gave out one by one from attacks of rheumatism and other effects of exposure. The time occupied in moving the obelisk through the transverse road was nineteen days. Work was carried on continuously night and day by two gangs, relieving each other at six o'clock, morning and evening. I made it a point to spend six hours of each day and five hours of each night personally superintending the work. And in order to give encouragement and hasten it, a bonus was paid for accomplishing a distance greater than that regarded by the foreman as a fair day's work under the circumstances at the time.

The turn southward down Fifth Avenue was made on December 16th. The distance to the Eighty-second Street entrance to the park is seven hundred and ninety feet, or a uniform down grade of one to one hundred and thirty-one. The obelisk reached the turning-point at the intersection of Fifth Avenue with Eighty-second Street on December 18th, and was turned on December 2 2d to the direction in which it was to be hauled over the trestle to the site. The greatest distance covered in one day was six hundred feet on November 11th in the West Boulevard.

The trestle extended a distance of eight hundred and ninety feet from the roadway of Fifth Avenue to the site. It had a uniform ascending grade of one in fourteen nearly. Plates xxiii, xxiv, and xxvii fully illustrate this ordinary form of trestle, which was composed of timber bents, braced together in the customary manner, standing on mudsills, the tops connected with exceptionally large stringer-pieces which formed the ways timbers of the obelisk railway. The highest bent was forty-eight feet. The sizes of the timber for verticals, cross-pieces, and stringer-pieces varied from twelve to sixteen inches square, according to the height and other circumstances. It was commenced about October 1st, and completed just as the obelisk reached the lower end during the last week in December. Several sections of the "Dessoug's" bower cable were shackled together and extended along the entire length of the trestle; one end was secured to a large steel pin that had been let into a hole drilled in the rock a short distance west of the site. This served as a pennant for the pulling purchase, the stationary block of which was shackled into the links of the cable, and shifted farther along when the obelisk cradle had been pulled up to it.

A heavy fall of snow on December 28th, followed by intense cold, delayed the operation of hauling the obelisk up the trestle several days, and it did not reach its destination until January 5, 1881. On that day the centre of gravity was placed directly over the axis of the pedestal and foundation, and its long and tedious land journey was at an end. It had travelled 10,005 feet in 112 days, or at the rate of about ninety-seven feet a day.

SUSPENDING THE OBELISK IN THE TURNING STRUCTURE

The cradle and engine were released by raising and suspending the obelisk on hydraulic pumps in the manner illustrated on Plate xxiv, lower figure. Double bents had been placed in the trestle, on each side of the turning structure, for the hydraulic pumps to stand on that were to raise the ends of the obelisk, and extra single bents were placed on the pedestal for other pumps to stand on to aid in lifting and supporting it. The aggregate lifting power of the seven hydraulic pumps used for this operation was four hundred and sixty tons, about double the weight of the obelisk. The apparatus used for applying two of the pumps to the large end was an iron yoke, shown on the lower figure in Plate xxiv, consisting of two wrought-iron beams, eight inches wide, six inches deep, and nine feet long, placed underneath and projecting on each side of the obelisk far enough to allow of two steel bolts, each three inches in diameter, to pass through the ends of each beam. The upper ends of the bolts passed through iron plates two feet long, six inches thick, and eight inches wide. The pistons of the pumps acted against the lower sides of these plates, which were adjustable to the requisite height by means of nuts screwed on both ends of the bolts.

Every thing having been cleared away between the lower side of the obelisk and the stringer-pieces of the trestle, the trunnions were hoisted by a pair of shears on one side and a boon derrick on the other, and carefully adjusted to the centre of gravity of the obelisk. Plate xxviii, enlarged section through the centre of gravity, illustrates the method of clasping the obelisk in the trunnion plates. Strips of very soft wood were placed against the stone to prevent injury by the iron; the plates P were then slid into position, between the lips E and the wood; the bolts H were rove through the lugs in the trunnion plates, and nuts screwed over the threads in both ends as tight as possible. The truss T, the same as that used in Alexandria, was then adjusted, as shown on Plates xxvii and xxviii, to support the ends of the obelisk. This work was completed on January i5th, and on that day the obelisk was lowered by the hydraulic pumps until the trunnions rested in the pillow-blocks and the entire weight had been transferred from the trestle to the turning structure. All supports were then removed from under the ends in order to test the turning apparatus and to determine whether or not the obelisk had been suspended exactly at its centre of gravity. The structure gave no evidence of weakness, and the obelisk turned easily in either direction.

The ancient Egyptians had invariably placed the obelisks they erected directly on the pedestals. The Romans had invariably mounted those they removed on metal supports, leaving a space between the obelisk and pedestal. My desire was to give the obelisk the greatest possible stability, while restoring it and its accessories as nearly as possible to the exact conditions that existed in Alexandria when I took possession of them. With this in view it was decided to mount the obelisk directly on the pedestal, and place the metal supports under the corners. The bottom was imperfect from injuries received before I took charge of it, and not over two thirds of its area would come in contact with the pedestal. To give it a bearing surface equal to that which it would have if the corners had not been broken off, flanges had been cast on the bottoms of the crabs nearly equal to the difference of the area of the bottom of the obelisk as it is and as it was originally. Recesses R, Plate xxviii, end view of base, were cut into the rounded part of the bottom for the upper bearing on the crabs. These had been reproduced from plaster casts of the originals, perfected by Mr. Theodore Baur, sculptor, with great skill and feeling. The new crabs were cast at my expense in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Commodore G. H. Cooper, U. S. N., Commandant, by permission of the Honorable Nathan Goff, Secretary of the Navy, under the immediate and careful supervision of Chief Engineer Charles H. Loring. Artistic moulders could not be found to complete this work. It was done mainly by the ordinary brass-moulders of the Navy Yard, to whose skill the results bear ample testimony. The metal is a bronze as nearly as possible the same as that of the crabs cast by the Romans nineteen centuries ago. The average weight of the new crabs is 922 pounds each.

The decision to place the bottom of the obelisk directly in contact with the pedestal necessarily involved a change of plan from the reverse method of raising it in Alexandria. The new plan is fully illustrated on Plate xxviii. Plaster casts were made of the sides of the obelisk close to the bottom. From these casts moulds were made that would allow for shrinkage of the molten metal, so that the clamps would fit exactly into the hieroglyphs and around the broken corners. Lugs (Z) were cast on the outside faces of the clamps for the trunnion tie-rods (C) to pass through. The ends were also provided with holes for steel bolts (/) to pass through from one to the other. The weight of each was five thousand seven hundred pounds.

The clamps were hoisted and placed in position on January 18th. The bolts (I) passing through the ends were provided with threads over which nuts were screwed to bind them tightly against the stone. It is evident that the metal that fitted into the recesses of the hieroglyphs and around the corners of the obelisk would prevent the clamps from sliding toward the trunnions when the tie-rods had been placed in position and tightened. For the same reason the obelisk could not slip downward after it had been turned to a vertical position, until the tie-rods (C) had been lengthened by revolving the turn-buckles (K).

The work of demolishing the trestle had been proceeding rapidly, and by January 20th all the bents, except the double one, shown on Plate xxvii, under the forward end of the obelisk, had been removed.

The composition clamps had given the large end of the obelisk preponderance enough to overcome the friction of the trunnions in the pillow-blocks while the obelisk was horizontal. Tackles were led from both ends to suitable places to insure perfect control; and by the forenoon of January 20th the obelisk was ready to be placed vertically on its pedestal. Noon of January 22d had previously been fixed on for the operation. To thoroughly test every thing and be reassured that there would be no unforeseen difficulty, an experimental turn was made at 11 o'clock p. m. of the 20th. The obelisk was then replaced in a horizontal position, and remained suspended on the turning structure through the violent gale of January 21st, that left its mark on so many things in and around New York.

RE-ERECTING THE OBELISK

NOON JANUARY 22, 1881

Long before the hour fixed on for turning the obelisk, spectators had occupied every available space in the park and its vicinity from which a good view could be obtained. In spite of the piercing cold wind and thick bed of snow that lay on the ground, ladies formed at least half of the ten thousand persons estimated as the number who witnessed the operation. A cordon of park keepers encircled the immediate vicinity of the site, and with difficulty kept the crowd from encroaching within the space reserved for workmen. A platform had been erected on the north side of this space for the accommodation of distinguished persons and officials. A battalion of sailors and marines from the Navy Yard, Brooklyn, under the command of Lieutenant-Commander W. H. Whiting, U. S. Navy, and Captain Bishop, U. S. Marine Corps, had been ordered by the Secretary of the Navy to act as a guard of honor for the occasion. They arrived at the park headed by the Marine Band at a little before noon, and were paraded in double line on the north side of the site, enclosing the platform on three sides. His Honor, W. R. Grace, the Mayor, the Aldermen, and other officers of the city, many of the civil and judicial officers of the State, very many civil, judicial, army and navy officers of the United States, nearly all of the foreign consuls residing in New York, a large delegation of the members of the Grand Lodge, almost all the members of Anglo-Saxon Lodge in a body, and a large number of distinguished citizens and professional men, accompanied by their wives and families, having positions upon the platform, occupied nearly every inch of available space. Five thousand cards had been issued as a souvenir of the event, bearing on one side a picture of the obelisk as it stood in Alexandria, and on the other an announcement that it would be placed on its pedestal in the Central Park at noon of January 22d.

A few minutes before noon the Hon. Wm. M. Evarts, Secretary of State, the Honorable Nathan Goff, Secretary of the Navy, and Mr. William Henry Hurlbert, Editor of the New York World, drove up to the foot of