Alan,
Thanks for the information. According to the web site Measuring Worth and basing it solely off the increase in CPI, 195,000.00 in 1904 equals 5,080,000.00 spent in 2011. An obscene amount of money for a monument. Wow. You're right...there is no comparison. You see the Illinois monument almost as soon as you begin the drive thru. HA-UUUUUGE. I had noticed the same disparity at the Chickamauga battlefield, too. That certainly explains it.

Thanks!

Rachelle