Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-23
CASTING A BRONZE STATUE.
A Ton and Half of Metal Made Into
Beecher's Semblance.

A Ton and Half of Metal Made Into
Beechers Semblance.
A ton and a half of bronze was poured
into mold containing the representa-
ton of the body, legs and portion of
the arms of Henry Ward Beecher at the
Henry Bonnard Bronze Company's
works in West Sixteenth street recently,
and although The bronze made great
sputter and stew about it, and ended up
in rebellious Outburst of flame
and smoke, experts were sure it
was good job, and that the
casting will be found perfect when it
has been cooled enough to be uncovered.
A hundred or so persons witnessed the
casting. j. Q. A. Ward, the sculptor
them. Colonel William G. Beecher rep
DR.. Lyman Abbott and a number of
other Plymouth church people, with
most of the members of the statue fund
committee were also there, accompanied
by thirty or forty ladies. The head of
the statue had already been cast, and
was on exhibition. Everyone except
Colonel Beecher declared that it was a
marvelously excellent and accurate piece
of work. Colonel Beecher seemed dis
appointed because it couldn't talk.
While the visitors were inspecting the
head picturesque gang OF workmen
who talked French and wore blouses
were poking with long iron bars through
fiery holes in the floor of the foundry.
Jets Of red, white and green flame fol-
lowed their poking. There nine holes,
and in each of them a crucible filled with
bronze had been kept red hot since
Thursday evening. Seven of the cruc-
ibles held from 400 to 450 pounds each
of liquid bronze; the other two were
smaller. In all, about $500 to 1000
pounds of metal was boiling in the fur
naces beneath the foundry floor.
At 80 O'Clock the smallest workman
in the gang appeared with his legs to the
hips and his hands and arms to the
shoulders muffled in loose folds of car
pet. With huge tongs he pushed and
pulled the heavy iron lids of the fiery
holes to and fro, so that the men with
bars could poke the Goals loose from the
red-hot crucibles on every side.
The arm OF a huge crane was swung
around and big pair of many-ingered
tongs lowered into one of the fiery holes,
and in moment there appeared the
open top of crucible fast in the fingers
OF the tongs. 1t was shaped like nail
keg, but twice as big. One by one the
crucibles were raised and their contents
spilled into a huge iron pot which stood
at one end of the big and massive iron
frame holding the mold into which the
metal was to be poured. Brilliant fire.
works were incidental to this proceed
ing.
Meantime dozen men had clambered
10 lro1 Il, Io, IL
work, while others were raking a fiery
scum from the top Of the iron pot to the
ground. In a moment the crane had
anced over the mold. Men seized long
arms an either side and tipped it gently
and carefully. A rill of fire ran over the
edge and splashed upon the dark
sand of the mold. The stream enlarged
until in a moment it was river,
sputtering, cracking and shooting out
jets of flame and smoke. From a little
hole in front of the mold shot out a thin
stream of fire as intense as an electric
light. The little man in the side room
watched it eagerly. 1t came from the
vent hole, and so long as it was strong
and steady he knew that all was going
well in the interior of the mold
The steady flow OF the stream had
lasted only half minute when sud-
denly there was frightful glare; flame
and smoke seemed to envelop the
whole mold, and great splashes of
vivid color flashed through the air and
fell upon the ground. The workmen
sprang away and tumbled to the ground,
with their clothing apparently all in
blaze. The scaffoldings caught fire and
blazed fiercely. The women were all
terror-stIicken, and the men among
the spectators tried to run. All that
had happened was that the mold
had been filled little quicker
than was expected, and there had been
an overflow, and lot OF the molten
metal flying about too promiscuously for
the personal comfort of those near. The
blazing scaffolds were quickly extin-
guished with sand and water, and the
workmen were found to have escaped
any more serious injury than burns on
the face and hands, which are not seri-
GUS incidents in a foundryman's life.
The statue cannot be uncovered for sew
eral days yet.
slouch hat of the preacher has still to
be cast. When it and the head are put
upon the part cast made yesterday the
whole statue will weigh about $500
pounds, and will be nine feet high. The
total height with the pedestal, will be
little less than twenty feet. There will
be a group of slaves and one of chill
dren and other features in addition to
the main statue. The whole bronze
work of the monument will weigh $500
pounds New York Sun.
The Newest in Luncheons.