St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-13
MINNESOTA FISH.
The Exhibit Secured by Commissioner
Sweeney for the New Orleans
Exposition.
Full Description Of the Grand Piscatorial
Display from the Lakes and Rivers OF
the North Star state--Interessfng
Memorandum Of the Method
OF Preparation.

'ln this business man must be sculptor as
well as a painter said DR.. o. NJ. Sweeney,
president OF the Minnesota State Fish commits
sion, TO GLOBE reporter yesterday. as he picked
mp speckled bass weighing no; less than eight
or ten pounds. and the very sight Of which would
make mans mouth water with hunger.
The conversation took place In the basement
Of sweeney's drug store. or rather museum, on
West Third street. and the sight presented
was one not seen IN lifetime.
Seated at & table were two silent intelligent
looking men, busily plying curious thfoe.oor-
nered needles, such as usedpby surgeons IN sew
ng Hp wounds. The men were skilled In the
mysterious art Of the taxidermist. and they were
at work al their trade. on the table lay an i'm
mense wai-eyed pike and pickerel. the latter
being very daisy. The entrals OF each fish lay
on the table and judging from their appearance
the fish had not been out OF the water over n day
at the longest
AS the reporter entered the silent gentlemen
indicated were busIly engaged in modelling the
skin Of ths nsh TO represent the appearance when
alive. Having removed the entrails and care
fully scraped the skin, which under their deft
touch became soft and pliabie a. lace glove.
the work Of modelling commenced. Alongside
OF the subject was dead pike or pickerel. the
case might be, just taken from the lake, and
close by stood a box OF sawdnst. The
eye OF the taxidcrmist glanced from
the perfect lsh TO his subject
while the skin was rapidly expanding with in
iections OF sawdnst and the proper form WAS
reached the right haad OF the artist defily caught
the stitches until in less time than il can be
written, the bare and fimsy scales had expanded
70 the form and full proportions Of a perfect
fish. The skin was then put through az en-
banning process and wherever q scale was lost or
broken dash Of the painters
brush made the resemblance psrfecS
When the work as described, was completed, il
would be impossible TO tell which was which.
The artists, for such they are. are Messrs. L.
b. and d. r. wyant, father and son, Of Harvard.
Wis, and they are SAID to be the most skillful
tsxidermists In the United States.
Standing around the rooms on upright panels
were specimens OF almost every variety OF fish
known to the waters OF the western lakes and
rivers. All OF which had undergone the same
gorging and embalming process a described.
IL is almost needess 10 inform the reader that
the fsh so carefully repaired are 10 be on dress
parade a. forming the 1sh exhibit Of the Mime
sofa state Fish commission az New Orleans
we are pretty. nearly through our work
now, ;" continued d.. Sweeny, sand considering
the short time we have been at work and the
small amount Of our appropriation, think
III.
We have only been working five weeks ana we
expect to have our exhibit all packed and ready
Tor shipment by next saturday.
You mas; have had q terrible job OF its'
qneried the reporter.
'You have no idea of the amount Of labor
connected with it," was the reply. 'In az we
VIII have specimens of 100 varieties Of the
choicest fish In our lakes and rivers.
or course this does not include half the differ
ent varieties but IL will make fine display
In response TO inquiries the doctor explained
that each specimen would be placed on a neat
panel and placed in case alongside OF its genus.
The reporter then accompanied the doctor 20
the shop where the case or rather
pagoda was in course Of construction
I his is an elaborate and ornate affair and when
the compartments are put together il will be
quite large enough 20 comfortably house good
sized family. In the dimensions it viii be eight
cen feet long, nine feet wide and eight feet high
10 the cornice, which is foot in width. The
whole will be sumounted by a roof or tower
some six feet high clear Of the cornice. flag
will wave from the apex and the roof
Of white linen will be stenciled over
with fish, thus making unique and appropriate
appearance. The pag0dR proper is Ia the form
OF a square, the four sides containing in all four
teen cases, each case being three feet wide by
fosr feet high. The specimens will be placed
in the cases, each hsh being labeled with its
common and scientific name. The pagoda viii
borders OF gold, and the contrast
in connection with the neat and varied colors Of
the specimens will present a very rich and hand
some appearance. The oornice will bear the in
scriptiOn in gilt letters a foot long. Minnesota
State Fish Commission" As stated DIR. Sweeny
expects TO have the entire display ready for ship
ment by next Saturday, and IL may be said with
Justice that the magnificent exhibit reflects great
honor and credit not only on DR.. Sweeny himself
but on the state which he viii represent.