Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-11-25
s. American, in Marble.

ALondon correspondent Of the Phil
adelphia Telegraph gives the following
description of John Bells piece OF
sculpture, of "America:' ''yThe princi-
pal subject is the Uuited States direct
ing the progress of America, which
Canada accompanies, pressing to hel
breast the rose of England. The com
position, however, comprises five
figures, anda bison Cor American buffalo
on which the central figure of America
as quarter of the globe) is mounted.
This figure is between 9 and 10 feet
high, and is of the native American
type, with a costume in accordance. On
her left arm she bears a shield, with
blazons of the eagle for the United
States, the beaver for Canada, the vol
canoes for Mexico, the lone star for
Chill, the alpaca for Peru, and the
southern cross for Brazil On her
right hand is a stone-pointed feathered
lance, hung with Indian totenis of the
gray squirrel and the humming- bird.
The housings beneath her are grizzly
bears skin. The buffalo is represented
as passing on, almost charging,
through the long prairie grass, and
in the rear, aroused by it's passage, is a
rattlesnake. The two male figures on
the rear face of the composition repre-
sent respectively South America and
Central America, both of which, are less
progressive, and are represented sedent
South America is personated byan Indo-
Spaniard half breed, habituated in SOM
brero, poncho and Indian girdle, while
1oft hoy CHI 4 81
carbine Of the country, and in his right
a lasso; by his side is an orchid of the
forests of Brazil, and at his feet horn
of the wild cattle Of the plain and bios
som of the GRANT lily of the river Anna
zon. Centr;.4 america is presented in
Mexican d-dress, with staff and
feather cinctures, and at his feet is a
plant of the cochineal cactus. These
two male figures are each eight feet six
inches in stature. In relative proper
ton with these, about eight feet high,
are the two female erect statues on either
side in front, representing respectively
British Possessions,) which although
differing in feature, bearing, and ex-
preston, are both of the Anglo Saxon
civilized type. Canada, is partly habitu-
ated in furs, and i'll her headdress ap-
pear the maple leaf of the mainland and
the May-fower of Nova Scotia. In her
left hand is the English rose, and in the
right are ears of wheat, while at her feet
are some firbranches and apair of snow
shoes. She advances on one side of the
buffalo, while on the other side, direct
ing its progress with the star-scepter
which she points forward over it's head
with her right hand, advances the figure
Of the United States, habited in dress
partly thin and partly of thicker ma
terial, to suggest the great range Of her
climate. In her tresses is seen star,
which is repeated on her baldric a and
with the legend United) on the bracelet
upon her left wrist, while the wand
bears wreath of the foliage of the ever
green oak, an emplem of the states, and
at her foot lies the Indians culver, with
but an arrow or two left in it. This is
the dominant and directing figure of the
whole group, although not the largest
in the scale, as it was judged requisite
to present the central figure of America
Gas quarter Of the globe) Of larger di-
menslons than any other lgure repre-
senting but a portion, however impor-
tant, of the same. The figure of the
United States controls as well as directs
the progress Of the buffalo, which was
selected to bear the central figure, as
typical of the innate power and force of
the continent, and Of which animals in
their native state stillrangein such null
titudes in. the vast natural meadow at
the foot of the Rocky Mountains %