Another Cliff to Carve

They would not let Gutzon Borglum finish his Confederate Memorial in bas relief on Stone Mountain, Georgia. The committee in charge quarreled with him or he quarreled with them--it all came to the same thing--but he broke up his clay models and fled and they hired a new sculptor--a not un-Benvenuto Cellinesque affair (TIME, Mar. 9, 16, Apr. 27, May 11). But Mr. Borglum is to have another charge.

In Rutherford County, N. C, not many miles from Asheville, a brawling mountain stream cascades down through a narrow little valley in the mountains. On one side the mountains rise, on the other runs a stone cliff 400 ft. high and 2,000 ft. long. This cliff terminates abruptly as the stream debouches abruptly upon a plain, and at the cliff, a giant shivver of it, detached from the main mass, rises the full height of the precipice, like a giant terminal column. It is called Chimney Rock and is one of the scenic spots of North Carolina. Beautiful views of the cliff and rock can be obtained from the modern road across the little valley.

Last week Governor McLean of North Carolina and a group of "influential citizens" offered Mr. Borglum the cliff adjoining Chimney Rock for another memorial to the Confederacy. Mr. Borglum inspected, professed extreme pleasure. The spot chosen for the North Carolina memorial has long been a resort which has lately been "improved" and modernized with the addition of golf links, etc. With the appearance of Mr. Borglum's giant sculptures this spot will become indeed civilized, although situated in the ruggedest country. Special means for "drying" the great cliff wall will probably have to be taken since (at least at certain seasons of the year) it is wet with moisture draining from above and not far above the spot where the proposed memorial is to be built a stream cascades down into the valley below.

"We are losing no time in doing preliminary work and before I return to Raleigh I expect to have completed preliminary outlines of this memorial," said Air. Borglum.

The sculptor has taken up his residence at Raleigh, and North Carolinians, booming their state almost as vociferously as if they were Floridans, urged him with his plans.