The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-07-30
THE CARDIFF GIANT.


Owner.
A correspondent of The Cincinnati
Enquirer forwards the following state
ment of George Hull, of West Super
ior, Wis, the inventor of the Cardiff
giant"
Down near Fort Dodge" said Mr..
Hull, 81 got to speculating in that gyp-
sum business. Looking over some of
the large pieces one day there was one
which appeared in good deal the shape
Of man. l got interested in the dark
lines, which looked very much like the
veins in the limbs of human being.
A grand scheme struck me. or l struck
it. secured the largest and most
solid piece to be found and shipped it to
Chicago. After some time l got hold
Of a man said to be tirst-class marble
cutter. told him my scheme was to
get out of the block of gypsum the pet
rified remains of tremendous giant.
The fellow caught on, and both of us
studied over the prospect for some
time. When the arms and hands were
marked out the veins showed up in fine
style. You never saw anything more
complete in your life. They were also
visible in the temples and forehead. 1t
cost me a heap, though, to get the
artist at his work. He had my secret,
and handled me as he pleased. Some
times he'd go on spree for days and
weeks. Several months passed before
the concern was finished 1t was a
grand piece Of work. boxed it and
shipped it eastward as block of mar
BILE. Its weight was 1896 pounds. 1
took charge of the great wonder. At
first did not know what to do to bring
it before the people,. When 1 reached
New York state seized upon plan OF
burying the giant IN n secluded spot-a
romantic nook by mountain-side. l
finally selected Cardiff. village on the
Onondaga creek, Onondaga county,
twelve or fifteen miles south of Syra
cuse. l contided my secret to lone
farmer. He appeared to be all right in
the matter. l gave him money and
promised him more. We dug grave
by the river, and. as luck would have
it for petrifaction purposes, at the depth
of about six feet we struck pure moving
water. The giant was enclosed in a
rough ease and deposited in the grave.
mo one but the farmer, his wife,
orI ,,1vcn1f af
The agreement was made between us
that in one year the farmer should ac-
cidentally find the giant; word would
reach me; would make a great ado
about it. take people to the spot, taking
care to lose my way several times be-
fore reaching said spot. The agree
ment worked all right. News of the
finding of petritied remains of a hui
man being near Cardiff was spread
over the neighborhood like wildfire,
and in day or two newspaper men
were there and then the whole world
knew of it. l purchased the petritied
remains and proceeded forthwith to
erect o tent over the grave, the remains
staying undisturbed. Hundreds and
then thousands visited the place. l
charged a fee, of course. to get inside
the tent, just to pay expenses. In n
few days the crowds could not be ac-
commodated In one week soon after
the discovery l took in $4,000. The
rush kept increasing. The most scien-
titic men in the country were present,
and they made critical examinations
of the giant as it lay in its resting
place
Hull sold third interest for $50, 900,
and soon after the secret leaked out.