The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-25
FOUNDATION MUST BE VERY SECURE MacKnight in St Louis Getting Ready for Vulcan WILL SOON BE COMPLETE
  Right Foot and Leg Will Be Cast This Afternoon and the Left satur- day or Monday--Head to
 Be Made Last.
 
WILL SOON BE COMPLETE

James A. MaeKnight, originator ot the Vulcan idea. and who has had charge to q large extent of all the plans for max ing it snd raising the money, IS no" Ill st Louis. where he is experimenting the cousfrn, ton of the foundation.
 AIr. MaoKuight will have charge ot the Alabama exhibit at the exposition' ana he is arranging everything for it now The foundation will have to be capable [, supporting weight of about lzS'OOo D, unds, without giving way fraction or m inch at any place.
 Mir MaeKnight will remain in St. Louis until after the exposition IS oVer' ana will ther superintend the removal of the statue hack to Birmingham and it's erec- ticn in Capitol park at the head of Twen- tieth street.
 The address of MT. MacKnight in St. Louis is 726 Aubert avenue, and the Com mer. lal club Is keeping in touch with him there. Nothing has been heard from MT. Mack night since he left for St. Louis, but ;etter is expected today. He will  lions n time for the meeting of the Com mefcial club the first Friday In next .aonth.
 Fourth Casting Today.
 The fourth casting of Vulcan will be made some time this afternoon, probably about o'clock. and the braces were put :p so that 1t would not give. Sand was paeked around the mould and it will be packed tight today.
 The nortion of the figure to be cast to- day Is the right foot and leg as high as the krte. This portion of Vulcan Is little ovei twelve feet in height and the foot Is about seven feet long. so 1t will require a larger pit for this than any previous cestire
 As has been explained before, as soon as the mould of the foot is taken, It IS baked hard and then the mould, with the core, Is placed in a large pit where 1t is securely tied and packed so that 1t cannot give a fraction of an inch when the hot metal is poured into 1t.
 It will require about 15,0OO pounds of metal to make this casting, as the iron shell of the foot and leg is to be about 21s inches in thickness in order that it will be strong enough to bear the weight of the balance of the statue. This is tho thickest portion of the figure.
 Left Foot Next.
 The mould and core of the left foot will be placed in the oven today and baked so that it will ready for casting late to- morrow afternoon, or Monday morning.
 The foundry commence today making the mould of the head. The first thing to be made Is the base plate, which is about two feet larger in diameter than the head, and about two inches thick. The head will be placed on it and the outline secured, after which the plate will be cast. A top plate of similar size and shape will also be made. These plates arc used in making the casting, they be- ing required to hold the mould in posi- tion in the pit.
 About next Wednesday the actual put ting together of the figure will be com menced in the derrick outside of the foundry of the Birmingham Steel and Iron company By the time the portion 10 the shoulders is set up It is thought that the head will be completed and then the figure will be done and ready for shipment