Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-02-17
History OF the Cardir Giant

THE Chicago Tribune claims that to
that city belongs the honor of having been
the birth place of the socalled Cardiff
Giant" and this is its history as given in
the Tribune Of the I'd instant:
In the latter part of June, 1868, two
men, one of them at presenta large owner
in the giant, arrived in Chicago They
had some time before considered the feast
bility of inaugurating humbug, and had
determined upon having something
ancient--a statue so old that it would
cause wonder and create such an excite
ment that before it subsidized their pockets
would be full and their object accom-
plished. The work of cutting out the
statue would have to be done secretly,
and none but man who could remain
quiet was. competent to do it. They
searched for some time, and finally met a
German who had been in this country
about four years, then in the employ OF
well known sculptor of this city. He
agreed to do the work for $75 down. A
block Of gypsum twelve feet long, three
feet wide, and eighteen inches thick, was
procured from Fort Dodge, Iowa, and
placed in a gentleman's barn near Lin
coin Park, on the North Side. The owner
of the structure was let into the secret, as
was another, an assistant to the German.
These were the only persons, be-
side the two men mentioned, who knew
anything of it. Even the three did not
know what was to be done with the figure
when completed. In the latter part of
July the two began the work of chiseling
In consequence of the thinness of the
stone, about foot and half was taken
off one end Of the block, in order to have
better proportional man. A model was
necessary, so one of the men who made
the arrangements-Hull by name-who
is himself a giant in size, with sufficient
intellect to humbug the learned Swans
and wise men of the East, stripped and
chose the peculiar position to suit the
twisted and unfavorable position of the
stone. The artist then inquired what
was to be made, and was instructed
to make anything--a monkey, q bah
boon, or something that would rep
resent man. SO, without ques-
tioning the motives of his employers
he set to work. There was no necessity
for his leaving the barn for drink when
employed, as plenty of lager beer was
supputu HILL Az lHe CloSC VI tuc
eighteenth day the figure was nearly fin
ished. He did not work at it steadily
every day, but whenever he got an coHr-
tunity during daylight and at night His
employers then came to look at it, but
what was their surprise when they found
that the artist had given the figure any
quantity of hair. There wero ringlets
dangling from the head, long beard and
patches on other parts Of the body. Hull
said that would never do--hair would not
petrify. The German was puzzled, and
did not know what they meant, buG re-
moved the hair at their request. In two
days more the work was pronounced done
by the artist, and his employers, after ex-
aiming it, expressed themselves as salts
fed. Now to make him look old A
gallon of strong acid was procured and
put on him. 1t ate into the soft material,
producing spongy looking cavities. A
quantity of English ink was then applied,
and this had the effect of giving the giant
the appearance of venerable age. The |
next step was packing him in box. Dur
ing the next week the box was carted to |
the Michigan Southern Railroad depot. |
1t remained there for so long time that |
the owners were notified to take it away, |
as it occupied so much room and could not |
be moved to make space for goods receiv-
ing and delivering. 1t was subsequently |
removed and placed aboard schooner,
which sailed for some Eastern lake port
The next heard of 1t was of its being I'M.
earthed on farm in New York State,