The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1902-08-13
THE LEONARD MEMORIAL.
MONUMENT TO COMMEMORATE OUR
OLDEST IRON FOUNDRIES.
This New Work of Art will Be Erected
in a Square at Taunton, Mass.
Elaborate Designs Prepared.


The Leonard family were famous In
England and Wales for their iron foun-
dries during the sixteenth and seven
teenth centuries, and in accordance
with the spirit of the age they kept the
secrets of their art to themselves.
! handing them down from father to
son. About 1851 certain members
crossed the Atlantic and established
foundry in Massachusetts,, says the
New York Times. Two years later one
of them went to New Jersey and opened
the first furnaces near Railway. Since
that period many of the family have
continued in the business, especially
those who live at Taunton, Mass. In
order to embellish that city and raise
a memorial which shall have its foun-
dation stones laid on the two hundred
and fiftieth anniversary of the estab-
lishment of the industry in America
the Leonard family intends to place at
Taunton monument on large scale.
The sculptor is Charles H. Niehaus.
He has made two designs consisting OF
groups of figures about a base, which
represents an island in a circular basin
of water, and of a shaft rising from
the base. In the one the shaft rises
about ninety feet in the form or an
obeliSk, square in section. The pl1nth
has low reliefs, with figures showing
man and woman plighting troth, vestal
virgins caring for the fire on an altar
and other groups, treated in the GAS
steal vein, which refer to family hfe.
The groups below are designed for
bronze and show the prospectQr dis
covering iron ore, the iron master ex-
tracing the metal, the smith and the
artificer in iron In this design provi-
sion is made for an abundant fall OF
water which may gush from grottoes
on two sides of the island.
The second design is not so tall
Here the groups are more concentrate
cd, the island being smaller and the
cascade feature being omitted. Be-
hind the groups, which are also calcu
lated for bronze. rises the base or a
granite pedestal, against which tree
forms are to be displayed in bronze
On the cap of the pedestal stands a
great draped female Genius holding
torch on high and in her other hand
Mercurys helmet, with wings. The
figures for the lower groups in each
design are calculated for height OF
eight feet. The monument will cost
from $3.50, 900 to 100000, the shaft or
pedestal and island being of granite.
In the second design, with the draped
Genius and torch, the groups for
bronze ON the four sides Of the island
or lower base are studied with much
care and are agreeably diversified.
Each side has three or four figures.
Here are IabOrers prying the ore from
the earth, there the molten iron is be-
ing poured from the crucible by the
foundrymen, while the furnace flames
in the background. Yonder is a seated
master explaining his craft to prem
tice boy in leather apron, who holds
big, long handled hammer, while the
mother stands behind listening.
fourth group shows the iron being
fashioned. The groups on this model
are much more studied and composed
than on the other. They have variety
and good movement and a certain
rhythm of line and mass which those
Of the other model lack.
The two designs will be forwarded
to Taunton in order that the local COM
mittee of Leonards may judge the
work. Perhaps the simple shaft with
it's frieze of low, classic reliefs on the
pliuth in the first model will find favor.
On the other hand, the groups of the
lower part in the second model may be
preferred. Then the sculptor will sac
rifca the big Genius and put the tall
shaft in her place, thus combining the
finer features of each.
The Leonard memorial, as can be
easily imagined, is not to be finished
for a long while. The studies for a
larger model may occupy year or
two, and it may be five years before
the monument is unveiled.
The site fo' Ghis important work OF
art is a SOU G in Taunton surrounded
by immens trees, which look as If
they might have been planted when
the Leonards first came from England.
There is a fountain in the center OF
the square just where the monument
ought to stand. Perhaps IN the COM
pleted design the fountain idea may
be included. In any case within five
or six years Taunton is likely to have
a more important monument than any
thing of the sort in Boston. The fami-
ly is so large and so many members
are still engaged in the iron industry
that the heavy outlay for a work OF
art of these dimensions will not stand
in the way. The sum of 100000 is al
IL Pr,r fund