REMOVAL OF CLEOPATRA’S NEEDLE TO NEW VORK. 17 
connected with the whole rise and progress of the religions, the philosophies, and 
the arts of our own race and our own times. 
The method of lowering and transporting the obelisk to this country is 
entirely original with Lieutenant Commander Gorringe, who has been intrusted 
with the entire matter. The gigantic framework to be used in lowering the mon- 
olith was shipped for Liverpool, October 7th, 1879, on board the Guion steamer 
Nevada. 
From Liverpool it was trarishipped to Alexandria, where it arrived safely, 
and the work of erection immediately began. The machinery was constructed — 
at the works of Messrs. Roebling’s Sons Company, at Trenton, after plans made 
by Lieutenant Commander Gorringe, its total weight being 128,000 pounds. The 
first operation after arriving at Alexandria was, after erecting the proper scaffold- 
ing, to incase the monolith with 2-inch oak planking, bound at intervals of 3 feet 
with strong iron bands. Then the obelisk was guyed at the top from four points, 
like the mast of a vessel, so that there could be no possibility of its falling over. 
The center of gravity had been calculated at a point of twenty-six feet above the 
base, and here trunnions were placed on either side and bolted across the sides by 
eight 134-inch iron and four 2-inch steel bolts: The trunnions were cast from 
cannon metal only, and that of the best quality. The trunnion plates were four 
inches thick, nine feet wide, and six feet high. At the center was the turned 
trunnion, 33 inches long, and 18 inches in diameter. The weight of each trun- 
nion and plate was 1,250 pounds, making together 14% tons. The next operation 
was to quarry out four 6-inch channel ways through the base of the obelisk, and 
insert I beams to assist in raising the foundations. Next the foundations were 
constructed. These consisted of two platforms, one on each side, of 3-inch oak 
planking, each 6 feet wide and 24 feet long: On top of these were set four oak 
sticks, 12 by 18, firmly bolted together. The iron work of the towers was then 
built on top of the preliminary foundation. Each tower was constructed of six 
12-inch heavy wrought iron I beams, spreading out at the base to a distance of 21 
feet, and converging at the top to within 5 feet. The beams at their base rested 
on four heavy I beams, and were securely riveted to the platform by means of 
plates and knees. Placed on top of these posts were caps, each five feet long 
and thirty inches wide, which also were secured by means of plates and knees. 
‘The posts were braced from top to bottom by angle and channnel irons, 
making the towers perfectly rigid. Placed on top of the caps, and securely — 
bolted to the tower proper, were cast iron journals weighing 3,700 pounds, 
each forming the grooves for the trunnions to work in. A 6-inch rib had 
been cast in the bottom of each of the trunnions, and in these ribs were four 
2-inch holes. Through each of these holes 134-inch iron rods were inserted, con- 
nected with similar from the 6-inch I beams running through the base, by means 
of right and left thread turn buckles, which were used to raise the obelisk from its 
foundation and throw the weight on the trunnions. On the 6th of December, 
everything being ready, the monolith was successfully raised in the presence of 
IV—2 
