Great preparations were made for dedication of the Monument. This took place on February 21, 1885, with Hon. John Sherman, chairman of the commission, presiding. Several descendants and relatives of the Washington family were present. The orator of the day was again the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, who as Speaker of the House of Representatives had delivered the oration at the laying of the corner stone July 4, 1848. His oration on this occasion was read, as illness prevented him from being present. Among those in Washington to-day who witnessed the dedication is Hon. William Tyler Page, then serving as a page in the House; later becoming Clerk of the House of Representatives and executive secretary of the George Washington Bicentennial Commission. Thus when we are reminded of the three friends of George Washington who were present at the corner-stone laying of the Washington Monument we must indeed admit that we even of this day are not far removed from him and his times, and that our Republic is still young, though greater achievements have been wrought in the past 100 years than in the previous 1,000 years of the world’s history. The efforts of the Washington National Monument Society had at last been realized, and the American people beheld the consummation of their desire--a great monument erected at the seat of the Federal Government to the name and memory of George Washington. The interior is lighted by electricity, affording an opportunity to see the memorial stones. Ascent is made by means of an elevator and an iron stairway, supported by 8 vertical iron columns--4 columns terminating at a height of 500 feet and 4 within the roof at 517 feet--which sustain the elevator machinery above. The iron stairway consists of short flights, strung along the north and south sides of the wall, connecting with iron platforms 4 feet 8 inches wide (to a height of 150 feet) and 7 feet 10³⁄₄ inches wide, 20 feet apart on a side, and extending along the east and west walls. There are 50 flights and 900 steps. From these steps and platforms the inscriptions may be read.