Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-12-17
Tho Cnrsiins Giant an
Ioxyn Production.

fuvI,~ fy..r.srs nA -.
~ 80 ~ i
-, iowa iroducffOn.
Probability that Il wa. Manufactured
} n fren Block OF Fort Dodge
ssa ass8 -asi > .Gypsus,,. - ss, 44.,fti
ne'e naS uee'i Ihuch specuia'soh
concerning the origin OF the Stone
Giant recently found In Car,iiff On.
ondaypa countv.l Nsw y,,k phe
r.. n,,,. ,,,,, -.
foi' - i,'"so 1'o'"sooese co'siuefs W
humbag, anu claims that it was
carved out OF block of gypsum
taken from the ouarrias near the,
- / n,a ,,,n.,,,. -
p'aeo nv io''o"iis Is It's expose
On tue oth OF June, 1865, two men
came To Fort Dodge, stopped at the
81. Charles Hotel, registering their
names-ueorge HUI Binghampton,
~. l., anu II. ID. Martin, Boston,
Mass. nun was avail, portly man,
weighing pfooaoly 2oo pounds, had
black hair, mnustache anu beard on
MS chin Was stoop, shouidered, red
lace ana eyes, denotihg the free use
OF whisky. lie dressed In black and
wore u 'pfug hat.
Martin, VINO seemed To be his COM
panioh, was small man, ana was
less noticed. soon alter their arrival
they went down To Z. u. Cummins'
gypsum quarry, and tried to make q
contract with him to,get out an i'm
mense block OF gypsum. At one
time they wanted 10 exhibit IL In
New York as specimen OF the pro-
ducts OF Ft Dodge and vicinity.
When IL was suggested that such an
immense block, twelve feet long and
three and half vile, would he very
expensive, and that smaller pieces
would be much cheaper and just as
good for exhibition, they said they
wanted TO send il TO Washington, as
lowa's contribution TO the Lincoln
monument. Cumtnins doubted their
authority to work for iowa In so i'm.
portant a matter, after submitting
them to severe cross questioning,
concluded they were imposters and
engagaged at some attempt swindi-
my, and refused 10 get out the block
for them at any price, They then
went south of town and purchased
an acre OF gypsum land, paying 500
for IL. They built shanty on Ii, at
an expense of about SO; employed
workmen 10 open the quarry, Not
succeeding 10 their satisfaction, they
employed Mike Foley, who went on
section 33 and got out an immense
block, and, getting Geo. Webber and
others to help load 1T, they started for
the railroad nt Bonne. Its weight
was so great that their wagon was
crushed down, and they were COM
PEELED to dress 10 down Co III feet 3
Inches, a width of feet inches.
and y inches In thickness. We saw
IL while IL was on the ROAD To Boone.
y The giant Makers left our place
some time late In July with their un-
developed block, and Were seen In
Chicago by the writer hereof on the
i2th OF August, and at different
times for ten days following. On
the I'D of September they We're seen
by u. Nj. Hull, merchant of our
place, In Chicago, and stated they
were staying at tile Garden City
House. They were In Chicago at
least two months; how much longer
we do not know. 1t Was there, un-
doubtedly, that the giant was carved
out ready for shipment To- New York
The time elapsing from the date of
their leaving Ft. Dodge and the date
OF their appearance at Cardiff with
the fcsurrected giant I'm all his
glorV anu ihlfnensity, gave ample
opl oFIunny 20 carve out the statue,
snip anu oury hiin, allow time for
tue creek To wear away parts of the
neat qack ana legs. IL Is a well.
known TACT TO all who are acquainted
Win our gypsum, that " ~ worn
AWAY very fapiuiy ny the action OF
running our dropping water; few
lnohlis J, VIII suiIce 10 make the nc-
non oi running water piainiy Visible
on our nardest gypsum. -
. 1ats tcfa.U Jea0to tpds found "
a'V - He course " aHttte stream and
most ihgehiousiy placed there too by
HUH anu MS companions, who were
Wen informed AS to the effects Ui
puhh1g water on our gypsum.--
ihls action OF water was intended to
prove its great antiquity, but Is one
oi the iiiportant evidences To us, oi
us idehuty Win our gypsum, which
i1as ioug peeh noted Tor this peculi
arity, ihJurlng its Val'ie Tor project
lhg caps aid silis, as the driving
ruins soon iurrow out little depres
s'oi,s IN ".
W hiie these men were here, they
Wfre regarded as suspicious eharac
tefs, anu IL was generally believed
that the great gypsum block which
they TOOK away would be heard Of 10
some swindling game to he concoct
ed at tue East. lt was the common
taik here after the great block was
carried away, that IL was To be uset
IN New York as specimen tn show
In selling shares In some imaginar,
gypsum quarry to be organized to
guIi the unwary.
rms same Hull now turns up with
DIS gypsum block transformed int
monster giant, TO the greA. wonder
OF our gaping Eastern cousins. =
ihere Is one test that will settle the
point of identity OF the giant with
our gy ?sum; the stone In its natura
state is dark blush mottlcd gray, II
soft and entirely flee from grit. ear
he cut with a kniie or SAW and toher
Pulrertzed turns uhifc.
Now II some OF the scientific mer
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