The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-10
100 Doses One Dollar
CASTING A BRONZE STATUE
A Ton and q Half or Metal Made Int
Beecherss 5omblnnce.

Beecher's 5embiance.
A ton and half OF bronze was poured
Into mould containing a representation OF
| the body. legs, and a portion OF tho arms OF
Henry Ward Beecher. at the Henry Bonnard
Bronze Company's works in West Sixteenth
street Yesterday afternoon. and although the
bronze made great sputter and stew about 1t,
and ended up In q rebellious outburst OF flame
and smoke. experts were sure 1t was q good
JOB. and that tho casting will be found perfect
whom 1t has been cooled enough to DO uncov-
cred. bundled or so persons witnessed the
casting. j. O. A. Ward. the sculptor who mod
elled the statue. was ono OF them. Col Will
liam {. BeechOr represented tho Beecher fam
ily Tho Rev. DR.. Lymen Abbott and 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 for the statue had already
been cast and was on exhibition. Every one
except Col. Beecher declared that 1t was
marvellously excellent and accurate piece Of
work. Col Beecher seemed disappointed be-
cause 1t couldn't talk.
While the visitors were inspecting the head
z picturesque gang Of workmen who talked
Of the foundry. Jets OF red. white, and green i
flame followed their pokinR. There were nine
bronze had been kept red-hot since Thursday
evening. Seven OF the crucibles held from 100
10 10 doO pounds each Of liquid bronze: the other
TWO were smaller. In all, about $500 to 1000
pounds OF metal was boiling in the furnaces be-
meath the foundry floor. :,
gang appeared with his legs to the hips and his
I hands and arms TO the shoulders mulied In
pushed and pulled the heavy iron lids Of the
could poke the Goals loose from the red.6ot
The arm OF huge crane was swung around
; Gnd big pair Of paanyInnGered .9ngs lowered
there appeared the open top OF a crucible, fast
In the fingers OF the tonGs 1t was shaped Ike
ne eg rassa and 66 e One By
the big and massive iron frame holding the
Brilliant fireworks were incidental to this pro-
the scafiolds about the iron frsmeWorS o WRiie
others is we, were 1aking fiery scum from the top
The The and hung e ds
cately balanced over the mould. Men seized
long arms on either side and tipped 4 gently
and splashed upon the dark sand OF the mould.
The stream enla rged until in a moment 1t was
ana smofa From ss ELS
IN front OF the mould shot out a thin stream Of
rs IN as @ %scS ft Tss %
came from the vent hole and so long as 1t was
strong and steady he knew that, all was going
The steady flow OF the steam had lasted only
q half minute when suddenly there was a
friRhtful glare; flame and smoke seemed to
envelop the whole mould, and great splashes
OF vivid color flashed through the air and fell
u uI9 the ground; The woTkmen spranG away
apparently all in a blaze, Tho scatfoldngs
caught fire and bla2ed lcrcely. The women
were all terror-stricken, and tho men among
the spectators tried TO run; All that had hap
pened was that the mould had been hled a
little quicker than was expected and there had
been an overflow, and lot OF the molten metal
flying about too .promiscuously for the per-
sonRl comfort of those near The blazing scat
folds were quickly extinguished with sand and
water and the workm9n were found to have
escaped any more serious injury than burns
incidents in ioundryman's life, The statue
cannot be uncovered for several days yet.
The hand holding the well known SLOUGH hat
OF the preacher has still TO be cast. When 1t
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; VIII be a little
Of slaves and ono Of children, and other tea-
lures In addition to the main statue. The
whole bronze work OF the monument will
weigh 1900 pounds.