596 



OBELISK. 



THE HIEBOGLYPHS ON THE FOUR SIDES OF THE NEW YORK OBELISK. 



(From Champollion.) 



parts of the stone, and in which the presence 

 of the trowel is emblematic of the master." 

 The position and arrangement of these stones, 

 pointing east, south, and west, are Masonic. 



While busily moving the monolith, pedestal, 

 and steps to the wharf, Commander Gorringe 

 heard of the steamer Dessoug, exactly suit- 

 ing his purpose to transport the obelisk ; but, 



as she belonged io the Egyptian 

 Government, delicate negotiations 

 had to be entered upon to obtain 

 her at a moderate price ; hence he 

 offered 5,000, which was declined, 

 but he was soon notified that he 

 might have her for 5,100, which 

 was paid, and 'the transfer of the 

 ship made, Dec. 3, 1879. 



The Dessoug was refitted by 

 Lieut. Schroeder, and the shaft, 

 pedestal, and steps were trans- 

 ferred to the wharf and embarked, 

 all of which was accomplished, 

 June 12, 1880, when the steamer, 

 with her famous cargo of 1,470 

 tons, sailed from Alexandria, and 

 arrived at the quarantine station, 

 Staten Island, July 20. From July 

 20 to 30 the vessel was open to 

 visitors, and on one of those days 

 there were 17,011. The Park Com- 

 missioners and Mr. Vanderbilt de- 

 cided that Graywacke Knoll, near 

 the Metropolitan Museum in Cen- 

 tral Park, was the most suitable 

 spot for the obelisk. From August 

 1 to 4 the foundation-stones and 

 steps of the monolith and its sy- 

 enite pedestal (forty -three tons) 

 were disembarked at the foot of 

 Fifty-first Street and North river, 

 whence they were transported to 

 Graywacke Knoll. Suitable me- 

 morials were collected and her- 

 metically incased, and the Masonic 

 fraternity was invited to lay the 

 corner-stone. 



It took some time to adjust the 

 iron tracks and cannon-balls on 

 which the monolith was disem- 

 barked at Staten Island from the 

 hold of the Dessoug, Sept. 16, 1880. 

 Next the rise and fall of tide was 

 utilized to float it up the North 

 river and land it at the foot of 

 Ninety-sixth Street, whence it was 

 moved, by steam-power, on tracks 

 with rollers, along Tenth Avenue 

 and across Eighty- sixth Street to 

 Central Park. Oct. 9, 1880, about 

 9,000 Freemasons paraded up Fifth 

 Avenue, with bands of music, and 

 Grand -Master Jesse B. Anthony 

 laid the stone. 



By Jan. 22, 1881, the monolith 

 was ready for erection on its iden- 

 tical Egyptian foundation : steps, 

 pedestal, and brass crabs, constructed exactly as 

 they had been at Alexandria. Even the cold, 

 sleety weather did not prevent an assembly of 

 at least 20,000 spectators. Commander Gor- 

 ringe gave the signal for turning and lower- 

 ing, and within five minutes it exchanged its 

 horizontal for a vertical position. The exer- 

 cises usual on such occasions prayer, singing, 



