A. D. 2000

reat and ambitious idea, Cobb had co

ly safe from any possible disturbance. It would not do to select any house, or any p

ossible to foretell what places would not be disturbed

ld not be reached by human hands, and its conte

in unmolested. What would not happen in a hundred years! Were he to take the most unfrequented and out-of-the-way place he could co

uch a spot as would give the utmost assurance that no one

at he considered to be the best place possible to select-the place that wou

co, by a Mr. Sutro, a generous gentleman of that city, a reduced copy of the statue of

ight, resting upon a pedestal some forty by t

d every person for the period necessary for his long sleep. No sooner had this belief taken possession o

mall chamber within the base of the pedestal. He also agreed that the chamber should be reached through the side by a hinged block of marble

nett was a man of his word, and was well known to Cobb, who placed the utmost confidence in him; yet, to make it still more binding, he placed him under a sacred o

ken out, at night, by workmen brought there blindfolded, and replaced upon hinges,

een accomplished, it was very

hauling away the material as fast as it was taken out. Cobb desired that the chamber should be as deep as possible below the center o

oth by a liberal use of Portland cement. The door was so constructed that after an inside catch had been set, it would lock itself upon being close

chamber, as turned over by Mr. Bennett

nto shape which he knew would be required, for his chamber was to have a great many and a

on that day the Statue of Liberty was to be unveiled an

d, and the ceremonies o

he statue a man came up the hill to view t

all right; no one had had an inkling of the secret entrance, or a thought

treet cars to the city, leaving them at the corner of Market and Montgomery.

legs with a small cane in a most impatient manner, stood H

walked up to

on time, I see; bu

t least he was there a minute ago; but

I not ask you

ything to-night? You know I have a partial engagement for this evening, and

stpone it; if your social duties are so

want of interest displayed by the other in what to h

words upon Cobb; "you do not understand me. I am ready now and

d passed down the street. Proceeding a few blocks, he hailed the driver of a passing

aged?" quick

he man

to earn twe

man's face gave evid

all night for

s,

wherever

get back

e gone a certain distance, and drive the remainder of th

a guarantee that it will be returned?" and the expression of his countenance indicated that he was in a quandary, for

returned; but, to satisfy you, I will leave two hun

ase," said the man

street in ten minutes;" and Cobb tur

of the hotel, the former puffing away at a ciga

both of you. Good!

hurry to get to work, yet he

pany, where, entering the place, Cobb asked if the stores and appara

a street, he met the expressman whom he had engaged; mounting the driver's seat, he directed him up Bush street, and stopped the team where he

y three, and over eighteen inches in depth. This was carefully taken down-stairs

, telling Craft and Hathaway to get in and sit upon the boxes, as the

e into Market toward the park; ta

streets and by the flashing windows filled with al

friends had on hand. Passing up Haight street to within about half a mile of Mt. Olympus, Cobb ordered the driver to pu

nd off of Haight street, and it was impossible for the driver,

ld pieces, with the understanding that they wer

driver to leave that particular spot until their retur

r off of their true course, they proceeded down that street for a couple of

carriages, which had attended the unveiling of the statue, would conceal al

he base, Cobb pulled up, and b

were unloaded and carried into the interior of the chamber. The large box required all the strength of the two men, but it was finally

the driver, who then hurri

de of the pedestal. The slab door was then nearly closed, leaving but a slight aperture for the entrance of air, the

erns from one of the boxes, and now a bright ligh

way, "take that hatchet a

kly torn off and t

air of iron horses or trestles, and placed them in one corner of the room, with their legs firmly fixed into the cemented floor. Carefully lifting the glass case, he and Craft set it upon the trestles, leaving a space of about thirty inches between it and the floor. Next they hinged the wire mattress to the trestles, so that there were full twenty inches between it and the bottom of the glass case. From the next box unpacked were taken seventy-five cells of Grenet battery. These cells were of peculiar constr

glass of the large case, being insulated with a special

g in two sockets. This beam was held over and in position by a pulley, over which ran a wire rope composed of aluminum strands, and havin

d passed through the holes in the top of th

d the cans made of aluminum for the purpose. An alcohol heater was also taken out and set up in such a manner that a glass reservoir could, upon being turned on, feed it with alcohol. Through this heater

y, carefully lifted from a large box a heavy glass case, two feet nine inches h

ase was a circular piece of bright aluminum divided into equal divisions. The center of the ring was sunk into the glass bottom half an in

nt compass, two feet in diameter and with a heavy needle

steel in the works in this box; nothin

n aluminum rod connecting with the pulley and

ss had settled and the positive pole

ll this apparatus. They had been on the point, a number of times, of asking for some information, but the other had, by a look, quickly given them to understand that he was not

e to do to-night." Then, taking a paper from his pocket, he scanned it for f

ted a tiny hook, became flush with the figures 260 from the zero of the scale, or to a reading of 4 degrees 20 minutes; then turning the whole compass-box around, he carefully adjusted it

overlapping works would become engaged with the needle of the com

glass door, he placed cement along the junction of the door and sides, from a bottle which he had brought for that purpose. In a few moments, the cement had set, and

tisfaction, he announced that the

his watch

on't wish to be seen departing. We have done all that it is possible to do for the pres

r the life of me, I am totally ignorant of the purposes of all this apparatus. I would like to have you ex

d Cobb cautiously open

r; not a single pe

e door was closed, and not a sign was left to indicate that the pedestal of the Statue of Libe

Haight-street cars for the city. It was the first car

the Occident

ere are a few things that I wish to attend to; so I will leave you here. Be sure to be a

he hotel, passed down Montgomery street into Washington, and made his way t

osed by shutters, and the whole buil

the door, he gave a sharp knock, repeating

kno

olchis! Ope

obb entered, the door clos