Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-07-09
some Description of the Beautiful Work
Which is Being Done There.

"H' ohe huHuftu ana nfty men now nh'
employment in these quarries. and the worl
which they turn out is sent to all parts of thu
continent and even across the water
kennebec Journal reporter recently Wis
tied these quarries and the sheds adjoining
them and learned something of the magnitud,
Of the work there carried on. Mr. b. J
Richards, the popular and well known Sup
erintendent of the quarries, was away at tn,
time of the scribes visit, and Mr. william
iIoskin, the Superintendent in charge of the
cutting, kindly showed him about the works
and most genial guide he proved to be-
The first point Of interest visited was the
shed where skillful Italian workmen are en-
gagged in cutting the colossal grarite statues
which are to go to Plymouth Mass, to for
ever be reminder Of the great work accom-
plished by the hardy band of Pilgrim Father
who laEded upon those cold. wind-swepi
shores in the bleak fall of 1920 One OF
these famous statues is finished and Mr.. Hos
kin informed the scribe that it is considered
the finest piece of work in this line which the
company has ever accomplished. 1t is, in
deed, magnificent sponsor for the elaborate
work which the company is able to do, and
the high state of perfection which has been
reached in the cutting of statuary in granite.
Its astonishing, !" said Mr. Hoskins, what
a remarkable advancement has been made in
this respect during the past few years and
looking at the magnificent work before him
the scribe could well comprehend something
of the force of this fact. The completed
signed and modelled by Mr. Mahoney. of
ilallowell, the talented sculptor of the COM
pany, and WAS selected by the committee in
charge without dissent as being BY far the
most original and striking design of any that
was submitted 10 them It repres nts stall
wart man in sitting posture He is clad
somew hat after the fashion of the ancient
Athenean warriors. His whole bearing is
symbolical of dignity and massive strength.
His face is strong and the lines of his mouth
firm, yet kindly. In one hand he has
sheathed two-edgcd sword, while with the
other he holds up by short chain a broken
fetter. over one shoulder fall a lions skin
which Ids still more to tn. ilea Of power
which the figure iuynkcs, aud leads ore to
suppose that the sculptor may indir, ell, have
derived some inspiration in the making of his
model, from the story of samson of oil.
The legs OF this statue are bare as are also
the arms, an 50 hue is the work that the
veins and muscles in them are distinctly
traced with anatomical correctness Even
the sandals upoa the feet are perfectly
wrought.
This statue is indeed masterpiece, and
convention who has been to see it, and who
liked it even better in the granite than he
did in the model
This statue represents the whole years
work of several very skilful Italian work.
men. Something of the patient labor which
it represents can be seen from the fact that
the stone from which this statue was made,
weighed when quarried eighty tons. The
completed statue weighs thirty tons This
means that ffty tons of granite have been
Clipped off by the small tools used by the
stone cutters.
The other statue represents Law" and is
as yet considerably in the rough-being only
partially completed, This is to be a compan-
ion to the first statue. Speaking of the Italians
employed in this work Mr. Hoskin informed
the scribe that in addition to an aptitude for
this class of work these men were obliged in
their own country, to spend all the way from
seven to fourteen years in learning their trade.
The parts of the statues that require the
most delicate and careful work are always
left till the last" said Mr. Hoskin and in
reply to query of the scribe one of the
workmen, engaged in cutting out the statue of
ing relieved parts while cutting the rest of
the statue were greatly lessened in this way.
"Arn't you afraid of breaking some little
thing and losing all your long months of
work."
mo. I've cut a good many statues and never
broke one yet. 1t might happen though,
still we go very carefully on those places"
Speaking of losing ones work, it should
be explained that in getting out these statues
the company furnishes. the block of stone
and contracts with these workmen to cut out
the statues, which of course they will not
accept if the work is imperfect. If the
workmen should have the misfortune to
spoil a piece of staluary they would of
course lose all their labor upon it while the
company would lose the stone, which they
quarried for it.
Passing out of the shed where the
statuary is kept the scribe visited the new
quarry which employs forty men. Mr..
J |. Bailey of Augusta is the foreman of
this quarry and he has turned out some beau
tiful pieces of granite here among them
that from which the statue of Freedom"
above referred TO. was cut
These quarries have never been in better
condition" said MIR. Hoskin, and it seems as
though the supply of granite was inexhaust-
ible.
Among other works which the company is
engaged upon is beautiful monument for
long John" Wentworth of Chicago This
is one OF the eccentric IDEAS of this famous
man that he woull prefer TO prepare his own
monument rather than trust 10 his heirs. And
in this respect he is probably wise and will
doubtless succeed in securing far better
job.
Mr.. Wentworth is man of tong charac-
ter. Graduating from Dartmouth College a
poor boy he made his way West TO start into
the practice of law. He at one time owned
nearly all the land where the city of Chicago
stands and. as a result of his happy land