The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-01-17
MADE TO ORDER.
limitations OF Animals That Would
Fool the Beasts Themselves
The Art of the seaiptor asd the Painter
EnpIoyed In Their Prodacffoa-
More Lsfegike Than the Work
OF the Taxidermfz,-

The arr Of the sculptor is utilized a.
the National museum in Washington
for making snakes and ailigators and
the like When the scientists were in
vestigating the alleged petrifed wom-
an which was brought to Washington
recently some Of them said work just
as wonderful was done every day by
Prof r 4 Lueas and the taxieermists
Tie Washington Post az the time told
the story Of how the woman was made
st Fresno. Cal. il 4 so-caiied petrifae-
tion factory. 4 reporter called the
other day and learned FROM Joseph
Palmer. the veteran taxiderliSt ct the
museum how he makes snakes. alliga-
tors. turtles squirrels. frogs and a
mnitituie Of other animals
The shop where he does his work is
curiosity. The public Is not admitted
10 his secrets and he keeps ! big sign
on his door for It 10 keep out The re-
porter found him with strange as
sortnent on hand a nonSt1ous eToc-
odile was stretched out on table Mr..
Palmer said Il was not true to eroco-
die lie he was captured before the
time when men knew how 70 manufac-
ture them. and Mr. Palmer remarked
that he was stuffed ike a sausage and
that his arms and legs stuck ont from
his body ike those Of scareerow IN a
cornfeld. The alligator and the snake
could not be stuffed. he said, aud he
led the way to another room, where be
unlocked z door and pointed 70 two or
three big alligators as much like life
as If they were summing themselves on
the banks OF some Florida lagoon
Nr. Palmer put his hand on the big
law muscle Of the saurian and said
that that could only be shown in one
Of his casts. The shoulder-blade, too,
and the poise Of the animal, the posi-
ton Of his feet. and hundred other
little fine points which, for the sake Of
exaetness, the scientific man VIII labor
early and late 20 obtain, he also point
ed out He put his kand down the rep
tiles mouth and showed that the flap,
which he may want TO keep closed
when swapping flies or diving under
water. and which closes inside his
mouth ike clam she'll could not be
represented in the stuffed specimen
Then Mr.. Palmer proceeded TO re
late how he took the big monsters,
which were brought 20 him from Flor
ida. and after killing them surrounded
them with n plaster Of paris or clay
east and made perfect alligator from
the living creature
Just divide the mold said he. in
twain after il IS set and take il OF
the dead monster. that has been
placed in any position desired and you
have the impression TO make one hun
d-ed alligators from If you Ike. Pour
the plaster in the mold TIL II IS full
and let Il set Il IS the simplest thing
in the world You have a perfect alb
gator. Nothing eould be more lie
Ike. Il Is 80 near perfect that IL you
should put it down in Florida on the
sands the 6arlzies would think II gen
uine. X would need first coat OF al
Iigator paint from the museum artist -
Mr.. Palmer then told me how one
painter made 4 mistake and painted
an alligator's claws white. thereby
giving the animal Q comical look. fer.
unlike the ticer. the alligator has long.
sharp claws. which are IS black g his
hide.
A large assortment Of artificial tur-
ties were scattered in confusion about
tie taxi6ermist's apartments They
were 50 real, too, that 4 fshmonger
with an ere 70 business would be put
ting the knife into them ! big leath-
erbsek which would weigh sixteen
hundred pounds and something more
in life was perched upon = high Pile OF
skins Yon could hold It out at arms
length itwas Of papicr naeho- The
real animal Is necessary first 20 get the
mold from Then they are usually dif-
seult 10 mold, because OF the many
e7eases under their she'll which tie
plaster viii not enter. Nr. Palmer
ovcrcame this difficulty by q process
which Is his own. and consists OF pSur-
inz hot parafine around the shell. This
permeates the little ereases and cor
uers and makes I perfect mold The
cast Is taken by pressing the paoier
mache into the mold and allowing Il 20
harden. The painter then takes It and
paints what Is necessary 70 make
green turtle, 4 diamond-bscl. or 4
hawks bill
Mr.. Palmer himself likes to talk best
Of snakes. The museum IS not making
many reptiles now, but IN the past il
has turned ont lots Of them Al the
species IN America have been cast by
Mr. Palmer. 50 that there Is little call
for this kind OF work row.