New-York tribune., 1871-10-09
A NOBLE ART GIFT.
DEDICATION OF THE TYLER DAVIDSON FOUN-
TAIN, CONsTRUCTED IN MUNICH /; MR.. HENRY
PROBAsCos GIFT TO THE CITY,

Davidson fountain dedicated. This is novelty In
the Pork City, once Queen OF tho West She has been
accustomed TO forgving large debts to railroads, TO
giving them larger privileges than they ask to paying
high prices for parks and to Keeping them up great
expense. But the reception OF splendid GIFT from
private citizen affords now sen SatiOn. Woodward
and Hughes LEFT her small endowments for hrh schools
which she Is using and she has the Mcockcr University
endowment fund and the Cincinnati College fund. which
large and accunulang with reference to great
undertakings some time In the future. None OF the
living have an immediate and certain assurance thlt
they will these fluids applied tho for which
they were designed. TIL" University Board appointed
under an act Of the legislature with view to unite al
these cndowmcutS and put university into operation
have done neither.
ME. TROBAsCOs OFT.
But the fountain is every respect Gft OF the pres
cnt hour MI. Henry Probasco the donor. formally pro-
scented it, Mayor Ddv, received IT, ana the people hur
rahcd upon the occasion this afternoon The telegraph
will advise you of the crowd the enthusiasm and the
ceremonies I'll, gift represents more than $iooVO rom
the IuvStc fortune of Mr. Henry PrObascO OF Clifton Inc
business partner brother inaw and heir OF MT IyIer
Davidson, merchant of this city, who died about Six
years ago after having accumulated large fortune 1t
is gift five OF Mr. ProbascOs time devoted to
selecting fountain that would combine IN the beSt man
ner the requirement. OK the useful and the beautiful and
svTve as an enduring monument to the memory OF his
friend Manifold difficulties attended its construction
and transportation to its destination and there was
much time lost IN meeting and removing "bstrucons 10
the enterprise here in this city. His labor has
been labor Of love- but of love whose course did not
smooth.
In the first place, the style OF the fountain had to he
determined. In the year 1866, Mr. ProbascO went TO
Europe to select monument Of his friend Tyler David
son. In Spring Grove Cemetery column Of granite
already marked his grave This was a monument of
another sort. Daring his life Mr.. Davidson had ex-
psaH Iaai,y thn M
natl fountain to afford water for drinking. The Fifth
st. Market space, near Walnut-st, was the place he
designated for it, This in 1853 During the war the
matter was dropped for the time sx months after the
ended, Mr. Davidson died In his will he provided
for several friends and relatives but left the main por
ton OF his fortune to his sister Mrs PrObascO Nothing
said of the fountain in this will Mr. Probasco con-
ceved the idea OF carry ing the view limited at by his
deceased friend in way that would serve as a monu-
to his memOry, ani valuable acquisition and
honor to the city in which he lived and died Accord
ingly, in the Fall of 1866 Mr., Pr0bascO visited Munich
At the royal bronze fOundery under the management o
the Won Mueers he asked for models for fountains The
senior member of the firm showed him plans. One after
another models and drawings were rejected.
HUMANITY PREFERRED TO MYTHOLOGY.
There were dolphins, and Neptunes and Undincs and
water-sprites. He would none OF them. SOmeth!nS
human was what he wanted in the ornaments ana
appointments OF the plan. The representatives Of my
thoogy and tradition by rejected until evc"
model was disposed Of. Won Mueller began to despair 81"
pleasing his customer; but at length he remembered
lively discussion which had occurred about fountain
% years before 1t tween August kreng Nurcm-
berg painter, the sonniaw of Kaulbach, and Number
Of fellOw-artsts. Kreling was the champion OF new
departure in plastic art applied to fountains. He
! also would in his fountain reject mythology. His
| fountain should ram down from the outspread
! hands Of presiding genius, human IN form
and mien. 1t should rise healing waters from the
hidden laboratory OF the earth The forms OF animated
life 1t should be human. Their disposition should
by aegory represent the modes in which water besses
the human family The opponents OF Kreing combated
the innovation but the artist held fast to his conception
He made sketch Of fountain representing In some
degree idea. This sketch Won Mueller obtained afu
showed Mr. ProbasoO and the latter accepted 1t at once
contract drawn up and signed in Paris IN the TOT
lowing April and the idea Of the Nuremberg artist Is
realized in the fountain to-day given to Cincinnati
Kreinc had the satisfaction Of modelling this fountain
lie having long before left the palette for the chise
VARIOUS DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED.
Mr ProbascO met with other difficulties. While the
work was nearing completion the war between France
and Germany broke out. The von Muellers left tho
fouudery and took the field This occasoned delay
which happily saved the fountain to this city. The i'm
pedments at home stubborn Mr.. PrObasco desired
that the fountain shOuld stand where the old bridge
like shed known the Ffthst. Market" standing,
and had stood for nearly quarter OF century The
| mOVaI OF tins marKet-lOusc WOuQ give view OI
fountain from considerable distance east and west.
The locality between Walnut and Vnests, the two
thoroughfarcs most traversed in the city. The City
Council willing that the market-house should be
torn down to make way for the fountain but legal diff
culties Grose. A portion OF the street occupied
| by the old structure had been dedicated to tho
! city for market purposes This was small portion
but il sufced objection and means OF delaying
ncton The butchers too were to man opposed to the
measure 1t seemed as II the old markcthouse would
not bulge. But Mr.. ProbdSro wOuld hear ~ other
place for the fountain At length afternoon, early
the Spring of $780, the City Council passed resolution
to have the old markethouse razed. In fifteen minutes
after the passage OF the resolution and before twilight
fairly IN, the venerable edfce eveled The gu
perntendent Of the Street Cleaning Department had
mustered his entire force and kept them In waiting;
courier from the Council Chamber brought word Of the
passage OF the resolution and the Superintendent went
to work without delay.
The mountains Of saxony furnished the siente and
Saxon wOrk6h shaped and polished 1t for the base Of
the fountain Four Of these stones weigh about ton tuna
each. Bremen vessels refused to take the ponderous
freight Three Hamburg vessels were at last found
ready to make the venture Las May the frcghtnrrived
in Cincinnati in huge boxes. and the stones were Inacd
in position. During last month besamc vessels brought
the bronze work OF the fountain On tue way one
VI the vessels encountered rough weather; the heavy
boxes broke their asinGs deck and narrowly escaped
being tOsscd overheard
b.: before the markethpuSc problem had been solved
and while appeared able to devise solution, the
opposition Cincinnati bitter and the helpless
OF thOse who should clear the way seemed much
like Indifference, that Mr.. Probasco became somewhat
discouraged feeling as II he were in the attitude OF
forcing upon the city gin she did not want. Chicago
and St Louis bid nearly simultaneously for the Fountain
and Kenyon College solicited endowment. Foru-
natey the fountain not finished Had then been
Conueted would have gone to Of the
cties and monument OF Tyler Davidson would have
gone 10 endOw Kenyon College. But before the fountain
81 : the WA vs. Clg II.