North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-12-29
The Cardiff Giant.

The Cardiff Giant.
As our readers are aware, the New
Workers, especially those who reside in the
vicinity of Syracuse, have lately been
greately excited. The cause of it was the
discovery of q singular piece of statuary,
imbedded in the earth near Syracuse,
which is ten feet three inches high,
and two inches broad. Common folks
and uncommon folks-lord and plebeian--
savan and illterate have visited the giant,
each giving his opinion as to the pedigree
of the thing, and its rise and fall, as Glib
bon did of the Roman Empire; yet no
two could agree on any one explanation.
Some thought it petrifed giant, of an
extinct race which roamed over that SEQ
ton of America before Hendrick Hudson
sailed up and gave his name to the pail
sade river that bears his name. Others
contended that it was lost piece of stat
uary that had belonged to Barnum. Some
local thought it bore strong resemblance
to Welshman he once saw in an exhibi-
ton. Still they all differed.
Hall and Martin. the owners of the
What-is-it, took it to Syracuse, associated
with them Col. Wood, Of Woods Chicago
Museum, and started show. Latest re-
ports from them say they have already re>
allied some ten thousand dollars from
their exhibition, and the crowd is increas-
ing.
A correspondent at Fort Dodge, in this
State, sets himself up as an inconoclast,
and gives what will probably prove to be
a correct account of the origin of the gi-
gantic mystery. His story is briefly
this:
In September two men appeared in Ft
Dodge and paid John Demott one hundred
dollars for an acre of gypsum land. They
built shanty and went to quarrying for
as they said. handsome piece to carry to
New York.
Once quarried, they loaded it on wag
on, and conveyed it thereon forty miles te
a railroad. Thence it was sent to Chi
cago.
As geologists pronounce the giant moth
ing but gypsum statute, and measures
about the same as the TT. Dodge piece
considering that this same Hall was seer
near Newelfs, ION whose farm the statue
was found the same day that an iron
bound box was seen on the way near
Newell's, drawn by four horses, and tha
he was seen next morning about two miles
from there, his clothes all muddy and h,
having to all appearance been out al
night, no other conclusion can be reached
but that the Syracuse or Cardiff giant wa
manufactured out of Fort Dodge gypsum
and that it was buried where it was found
by this same Hall, who purchased til,
acre.
| The theory is this: Hall and Martir
went to Ft. Dodge, got the gypsum blocl
out, took it to Chicago where it was carved
and worked into statue. 1t was thel
boxed and taken to binghampton, or som
other point, and from thence by wagon Il
Newell's farm where it was found. Hal
was seen in Chicago three or four weeks
and still after that bv Gov. Cue, of Fl
Dodge, and number Of other person
living in Ft Dodge. We have strong
suspicion that Col. Wood, of the Chicag,
Museum, is concerned in the ''sell," els,
why should he happen around just at tn
time they were digging the poor giant
out and Snowman was needed to exhih
lit it?
The facts given can be proved by re
sponsible persons in Webster County.
the two pieces of mineral are not one am
the same, the already mystiied affair j
put in deeper obscurity. Two questions
instead of one, will arise: What becam
of the Fort Dodge statute? Whence tn
origin of the Syracuse?
If the two are identical, what NORTH
cation will be experienced by the wis
men of the East who have puzzled thei
brains over this apparently wonderful
phenomenon, yet should themselves b
incapable of reading the Iowa Gypsur
Sphinx! If they want any more such
the Hawk.Eye State can furnish ther
fenough to FIJI their Coliseum, and then nc
create s'panic" nor ''corner" in gypsum
j l-Des Mojnes Bulletin.