612 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF FACTS. 



ceeded in their undertaking that the corner 

 stone of a monument was laid, and during the 

 succeeding eight years the shaft was carried to 

 a height of 156 feet. The work was then sus- 

 pended, at first for lack of funds, then because 

 of the Civil War, and finally because the 

 foundations were believed to be insecure. In 

 1876 Congress undertook the completion of the 

 monument. * The base was first strengthened, 

 and the work of rebuilding the shaft was re- 

 sumed in August, 1880, and was finished Au- 

 gust 9, 1884. The shaft is 555 feet high, and 

 the entire height of the monument, including 

 the foundations, is 592 feet. The base is 55 

 feet 1 inch square. At 500 feet above the 

 ground the monument has four sides, each of 

 which is 35 feet wide. Its area at this point 

 is that of a comfortable six-room house, each 

 room of which might be 12x16 feet. This 

 square forms the base of the pyramidal top 

 which runs from it 55 feet until it terminates 

 in a metallic point. This point is constructed 

 of the largest piece of aluminium ever made. 

 The stones of which the monument is con- 

 structed are great blocks of crystal marble 

 from Maryland, and in some cases are 9 feet 

 long, 2 feet thick, and 3 or more feet wide. 

 There are more than 18,000 of them. The 

 foundation is built of Potomac gneiss, and is 

 81 feet square at the base. One hundred and 

 eighty-one '< memorial stones " have from first 

 to last been contributed for use in the monu- 

 ment ; but many were considered unworthy of 

 a place, and one sent by Pope Pius IX. , in 1855, 

 was stolen during the Know- No thing agitation, 

 and was broken into pieces and thrown into 

 the Potomac river. The monument was ded- 

 icated with imposing ceremonies on February 

 22, 1885. Its cost was about $1,500,000, 

 which was raised partially by an appropriation 

 by Congress and partially by private subscrip- 

 tion. It is 30 feet higher than any other work 

 of man except the lofty iron Eiffel Tower 

 erected in Paris for the great Exposition of 

 1889. 



Origin of Visiting Cards. As is the 

 case in many other instances, we owe the in- 

 vention of visiting cards to the Chinese. So 

 long ago as the period of the Tong dynasty 

 (618-907), visiting cards were in common use 

 in China, and that is also the date of the in- 

 troduction of the " red silken cords '' which 

 figure so conspicuously on the engagement cards 

 of that country. From very ancient times to 

 the present day the Chinese have observed the 

 strictest ceremony with regard to the paying 

 of visits. The cards which they use for this 

 purpose are very large, and usually of a bright 

 red color. When a Chinaman desires to marry, 

 his parents intimate that fact to a professional 



" match-maker," who thereupon runs through 

 a list of her visiting acquaintances, and selects 

 one whom she considers a fitting bride for the 

 young man ; and then she calls upon the 

 young woman's parents, armed with the bride- 

 groom's card, on which are inscribed his an- 

 cestral name and the eight symbols which de- 

 note the day of his birth. If the answer is an 

 acceptance of the suit, the bride's card is sent 

 in return ; and should the oracles prophesy 

 good concerning the union, the particulars of 

 the engagement are written on two large cards, 

 tied together with the red cords. 



Average Annual Temperature in 

 United States. 



Gems Symbolic of the Months. 



January, the jacinth or hyacinth, symbolizing 

 constancy and fidelity. 



February, the amethyst, symbolizing peace 

 of mind and sobriety. 



March, the bloodstone or jasper, symboliz- 

 ing courage and success in dangerous enter- 

 prise. 



April, the sapphire and diamond, symbol- 

 izing repentance and innocence. 



May, the emerald, symbolizing success in 

 love. 



June, the agate, symbolizing long life and 

 health. 



July, the carnelian, symbolizing cure of 

 evils resulting from forgetful ness. 



August, the sardonyx or onyx, symbolizing 

 conjugal felicity. 



September, the chrysolite, symbolizing pres- 

 ervation from folly, or its cure. 



October, the aquamarine, opal, or beryl, 

 symbolizing hope. 



November, the topaz, symbolizing fidelity 

 and friendship. 



December, the turquoise or ruby, symboliz- 

 ing brilliant success. 



