The Helena independent., 1892-12-29
'B|CKFOaD TALKS BACK.
The Worlds Fair Commissioner
Makes a Plain Statement
Of Affairs
How the Silver Statue Was
Started and Why 1t Will
Help Montana.
rhe Management. Ready to Stand Any
Investigation OF Work Done
Up to Date.

Worlds Fair Commissioner Bickford
game over from Missoula yesterday to con-
suit with Secretary Ramsey on few Tea
lures Of what is practically Montana's COM
plete exhibit for the great fair. This VIII
be ready to ship within thirty days and
now the only matters left for consideration
are the arrangements in the diherens puiiu-
ings in Chicago. The space has already
been secured and is wholly satisfactory.
Judge Bickford is quite indignant over
various newspaper reports and hints which
he says tend to not only throw disoredit on
the Montana management, but may result
in embarrassing further appropriation,
which 1t ia hoped the Legislature will pass.
After saying with some emphasis than these
reports were wholly groundless, Judge
Bickford continues: "The criticisms made
concern Montana's part in the silver
statue of Justice TO be placed in the center
Of our department. of the mineral exhibit,
and also the construction and architecture
Of the Montana building, which it is al
legged is very cheap and unsightly affair.
constructed ut less cost than the board q
appropriation provided for"
.'Let me briefly give the history of the
silver statue. The idea was first conceived
in Colorado but owing to the failure OF the
legislature Of that state to make sufficient
provision the plan could not be carried
into execution. The subject was first aug
gested to me at Chicago by +. D. Highly,
the general manager of A. Il. Andrews d
Co., and very we'll known in Chicago as
thoroughly responsible. DR.. j. o. Harvey,
who is likewise known, and the eminent
sculptor, Mr.. Park, became interested. and
as the subject was developed 1t seemed to
me to suggest great scheme for advertis-
ing the resources of Montana. / brought
the subject up before the Montana board of
commissioners and it was received by them
with enthusiastic approval. The plans
were formed by our own board and by them
carried into effect. 1t is a Montana statue
in every respect except that the model is
mot Montana woman. The charges
that it is private business enter
prise are wholly false. We realized
shat it was necessary to have someone
carry the plans into execution, and for this
purpose we chose the men whose names are
connected with the plans as above men
toned. There was but one proper person
TO choose the model, and that was the
sculptor, Mr.. Parks. He chose Miss Rehan,
and we have entire confidence that his
feature of the statue from Montana is quite
out of place, because no Montana women
made applications to pose within the time
aet. Mr.. Parks object was to make the
statue as perfect from sculptor's view aa
he was able, and have no doubt that his
brother artists will agree that he was sue
cessful when the result of his work is
seem"
1T seems to me that all intelligent Mon
tanians must appreciate tho value of this
statue as an advertisement Of the states
mining resources. Certainly it has already
had sufficient advertisement to attract the
attention of all visitors at the fair. 1t is
now the best known feature of all exhibits
to be made at Chicago. The novelty of a
large sized statue of solid silver on gold
base and superb in its artistic merit ought
to cause good many inquiries about the
mining interests OF Montana, which in turr
will cause a more general investigation into
the resources of the state. The insinuationt
that it will be in any way cheap, or that il
will not be well protected. are preposterous
Messrs. Harvey ana Highly have given {
very large bond for the care of the statue
and it's return and this is approved by the
well-known millionaire, Lyman j. Gage, OF
Chicago"
Concerning the Montana building Mr.
Bickford said: 1.-THE contracts for the
building were let after advertisements il
the newspapers of Montana, and Chicago
for five weeks. The best bid. in the judg-
ment of the board, was accepted and
have the opinion OF the contractor who
built the administration and mining build
ings at Chicago. that the Montana building
was not only built with proper regard fol
economy, but that it is one of the pretties
state buildings on the grounds. considering
the COST Besides this man no othel
other builder or architect or Mayor Higgins
of Missoula has looked it over for any pur
7 H. ID
who is and has been for some time il
charge of the building. / wish to say
finally that the Montana board courts tht
fullest investis alton of all expenditu e
made up to date, and will pledge my wore
to individually return every dollar that il
the judgment of right men has been wrong.
fully expended"