National Republican., 1883-09-18
OUR LUTHER STATUE.
a Visit 10 the Great Foundry al Lauchhammer
Where II Is Being Cast.
The Great Statues Witch Have Been Cast
Thcro-How the Foundry was Founded,
Snccirl L,lL.r


LAucuuAMMER, GERMANY, Aug. ID
know you will be glad to hear from the place
where our Luther statue is being constructed
and to learn how the work is progressing
therefore write you these lines while ain
waiting for tho train to take inc from here to
Dresden.
/ reached Lauchhammcr yesterday at II
o'clock q. M, after most interesting and
pleasant ride in q wagon from the ancient and
quaint place, Eistcrwerda, which place |
reached the duy bcforn from Berlin by rail.
My only object in visiting Lauchhnmncr be-
ing TO look after the progress of our Luther
statue, / proceeded directly upon my
arrival to the bureau, or Office of the di.
rector, presented my credentials. and
] was received with tue German courtesy
and ceremony llcA b'inglnd by che Chictd :
rector, Heycr, walked tbrou h the immau Q
model houses aud ioundUiGs Of thia great c,.
tablishmeut, and there saw the models and
tho different parts OF our statno in tho hands
of divers artisans; but the whole is az yet in
an incomplete state. Still, Che large and
beautiful model in plaster of the colossal
statue stood there, and gives an idea how
the whole thing will look when com
pleted. l am confident all Of NJ, aud
all the true friends of Father Luther
in our country, will have the hest
reason to rejoice with grateful hearts after
the statue will have been successfully put in
place in Washington. 1t Is of course to bc
regretted that it will not be ready to be un.
veiled on the tomth Of November next, AS VIC
originally hoped il would The work on the
statue was begun in April last, but Director
Heycr tells mo that 1t is impossible 60 get it
finished before the first Of next February
as the work on it is immense and cannot
be hurried. SinCo this disappointment
must be borne let us bear it. with as
much cheer as possible under the
circumstances. We have certainly good
reason to congratulate ourselves and above
all TO thank God that our endeavors TO erect
this beautiful statue have bcon crowned with
success, and our friends all, who contributed
so liborally toward the fund, knowing tha.
no one is to blame for this delay, will bear
the disappointment with us, sars mai1rc.
/ would llro to say Il few words about
Lauchh0mmer which may interest you.
Lauchhammcr is situated on great sandy
plain amid pine forests, and near small but
picturesque lake in the eastern corner of the
Prussian province of SaXony, in the govern.
ment circuit of Mer3eburg. The iron and
bronze foundry, which is now SO extensive
and world renowned, had its beginning in the
year 1725, and was then founded by woman
the Baroness Won Loewenthal,,t Ito whose do
main the village Of Lauchhammer belonged
1t was founded for the purpose of giving EN-
ployment to her many poor and de
pendent subjects, aud descendants,
of whom, to the number of five thousand
1ouls, derive, directly or indirectly, liveli-
hood from these works TO this day. After the
death of the Baroness Won l.. the domain be-
came by Inheritance the property of the
Dukes of Einsidel the last of whom died in
1860, and in 1871 the iron works and found
ries were sold to n stock company, the present
owners and are now conducted under the
the excellent management of Director Heyer
The proceeds of these works are not only
very numerous, but in point of artistic eX-
celleuce are surpassed by none in the world.
A great number of the finest and most re.
nowned statues of Europe have been exc
cuted here such as the immense equestrian
statue Of Frederick William III in Cologne
tho largest equestrian statue in the world
the great Luther monument in Worms; the
colossal figure of the Helvetia in Geneva
the equestrian statue of Charles Augustus, in
Weimar, and many others of almost equal
importance.
Beside our Luther statue there are here al
this time, in course of construction, the grand
statues of Luther and Melancthon, after the
conception of DR.. Schilling Of Dresden, to be
unveiled in Leipsg on the tenth of Novcm-
Der next, and part Of the great German ma
tional monument, which is being erected in
Niederwald, on the Rhine, and another
smaller statue of Luther at Eislebcn.
There was q grand and enthusiastic Luthc
memorial celebration in Eriurt last week, o
which | would be pleased to give you an ac
count, but | fear l have already trespassed
and will leave that for another time.
N ivn