Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1853-01-29
THE JACKSON STATUE.


usry. Mr.. Mills, the artist, is a self mad,
man and like all Of his class has had 10 bal,
lie against prejudice, ignorance, prd, ant
envy, but like true man has riumphec
over ALL His work is wonderful, and is tn,
only piece of colossal bronze casting of ,
horse rampant, in which the animal is un
supported by anything extraneous. The one
at st. Pe,ersburgh has a serpent graceful,
wreaihed round the body and without that
would fall, while Mills statue of Jackson
is sustained solely by the hind feet of the
animal.
The artis, was originally poor plasterer,
and attained proficiency in sculpture through
industry and application, uninslructed. He
finished his model amid difficulties, and The
statement below will show what he had TO
encounter, and what he overcame, after his
mode, wa made. One such obstacle would
have defeated any but man like MIR, Mills
"The model finished. the next thing to be
done was casting the statue Mills had no
foundry. He sent TO different large foun-
dries in Pennsylvania and other places, and
was told that such work could not be cas-,
ia their founderes, but that one could be
built for the purpose for $4,000 This
would not do. His contract for the whole
work was only SIC. 600, and he, consequent
~, could no, afford such n sum for the cast
ing What was he TO do Founders and
artists had said there was no place in Amer
lea where such colossal statue could be
cast. His means his contract would not
enable him TO 90 10 Europe. Full Of resour
ces believing, as Mirabpau said 10 his Sec
rotary. 'ihat nothing was impossible" and
as the Marseilaise said TO Kossulh tthat
nothing was impossible 10 he who wills -
MIR. Mills built n foundry himself. With
limited means, and in small miserable
shanty, he built foundry upon new prin.
ctple, without chimney, smoke stack, or
draft of any kind-an invention of his own
and cast his colossal statue. What is not
the human mind equal TO, when conscious Of
its power, and pressed by difficulties or
thi, foundery, as well as of balancing the
statue, scientific men had said it was con-
trary to experience, and 10 all the known
rules of science. How could sufficient heat
be generated to melt such mass Of metal
without draft He proved by experiment
that it could be done. With three-eigths Of
a cord OF wood he melted 1900 pounds Of
metal, and cast four bells. lie confined the
caloric, and found that, with omparatively
little fuel, and in very small space, he
could generate the most intense heat. He
found. also that he had increased the hard.
ness, and therefore improved the quality Of
the metal by his furnace. He informed the
Government Of his discovery thinking it
would be very importan, in the manufacture
Of cannon. He proposed TO cast a cannon
and have il tested by board of competent
officers. The Board Of Ordnance treated his
proposition with neglect aud doubt. They
said, "Mr. Mills was not a founder, and
they could rot entertain such = proposition
from him" Such are tho difficulties which
bespl poor men Of genius and merit. Mills,
Notwithstanding ha. succeeded TINS far. He
has made his model and his foundry.
"Mr. Mills was not founder: he had
proved himself 10 be an artist by nature,
and man Of great inventive genius but
the practical business of casting he had yet
to learn. He coud find numbers of work
men capable Of casting things in the ord-
nary way, or any small piece. He could fud
no one who understood casting so large a
mass as his statue, which required so much
skill and precision He trusted in himself,
he took from the street ordinary laborers
and as he instructed himself he directed
them. He did nothing ;,.shly he made
himself we'll acquainted with the principle.
and practice of casting metals. II was i'm
possible, however, to forsee everything
His idea Of doing the work was correct, bu
his experience was insufficient. The sides
of The horse were to be cast whole These
were large pieces 10 be cast By such mean
as he had at his commal d. He failed sew
eral times, by unforeseen accidents, in pro
ducng perfect casts. He was determined
10 have the whole perfect, and, at grea
expense and loss Of time, he continued tC
recast, until, in the month of October
1852, he finished the casting all complete
When we consider The length Of time sue!
works take in their execution in Europe
varying from five TO twenty years, and tht
many casts which are often made there be
fore perfect one can be obtained, we mus
be surprised that Mr.. Mills has succeeded
so well, and performed his work in so shor
time, From the month Of October 10 III,
9Th of January following. the day on whicl
the statue was inaugurated-th is, in les
than three monlhs-Mr. Mills put The sra,u,
together, and placed it on his pedestal.
"During the progress Of the work, ant
especially while he was making unsuccess
full castings, MIR. Mills had TO encounter III,
skep,cism of The world Who can appre
cale his difficulties and mental suffering 3
al have been ready" he says "to ,hroy
myself in the Potomac" None bu, ma
Of unconquerable will and perseverance