The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-17
SEVEN FREIGHT CARS
BIRMINGHAM's IMMENSE IRON MAN REQUIRES ALMOST EN-
 TIRE TRAIN.
Like a Modern Brobdignagian is the Monstrous Visitor Among the Other Sculpture at
 St. Louis.

St Louis, April 15-While. St. Louis of- fers hotel accommodations in abundance there is one visitor now on his way to the Worlds Fair who will he unable to find a place anywhere in the Exposition city where he cen lay his head. This stranger who is destined to stand upon his feet from the time the Fair opens until it Is closed Is I'M. Vulcan, of Bir- mingham. Ala. who tips the scale at 10O.- O0O pounds and stands 56 feet high in his new stockings.
 Sleeping cars were not made with berths for Brobdignagfans and Vulcan had to suffer several very serious ,surgis cal operations before his ponderous franc could be put aboard the cars for the trip to St. Louis. With his 15.0O0 pound head occupying one car near the engine and his feet, each six feet long. in car to themselves near the end of the train, this giant, sprawled put over seven freight cars, looks very much like Gull liver strapped down by Lillputians in Dean Swift's nursery stories.
 When Vulcan arrives in St. Louis he will be carefully put together again and mounted upon pedestal of coal and coke in the Palace of Mines and Metal lurgy where he will represent the great mineral resources of the Birmingham, Ala, district.
 Vulcan was cast in iron from a model built by the well known sculptor, G. Moretti, and all of the metal used in h's construction as well as the minerals composing the foundations for the statue are from Alabama mines. The monster exhibit cost $2000O and it has required al- most a year to complete it.
 More than a simple enlargement of the human form was required, for Vul- cans head is exaggerated by 1-2 feet This gives the colossus an appearance of symetry from the levels from which he will be viewed Such treatment of proportions is a part of the sculptor's s study. but Is seldom practiced on such a large scale as in this instance.
 Moretti designed the model in an old cnurch building at Passaic, N. J.. where high roof permitted the frame to be reared, but the improvised studio was not properly heated and shortly after completion the plaster Was frozen and the head began to crumble. The sculp- tor quickly loaded the structure upon cars and in the milder climate of Fir mingham completed the me del.
 Then the casting of the parts began and such a feat as the foundrymen have performed was never before equalled' The figure was modelled in 15 pieces, di- mensions of some of the sections being gwen as fOlloWS: f1eau, 1-1 leeL hiSh' ' feet across, weighs 15,o0O pounds; cir conference of neck. Il feet inches; cir conference of chest. 22 3-4 feet; width across shoulders. 10 feet; length of arms, 10 feet; circumference of waist IS feet, irches; diameter of calf of legs, IA feet, inches; diameter of ankle 1-2 feet; weight of spear head, held in right hand, 251 pounds; weight of hammer In lett hand, 300 pounds: weight of anvil block, 6,OOO pounds. The strap over the left shoulder and the apron worn by Vulcan are separate pieces and are used 10 strengthen the sectional joints.
 The idea of having a giant statue made of iron to represent the vast mineral wealth of Alabama was conceived by MT. J. A Mcknight who is now in St. Lcuis to witness the unveilins of Vul- can. The cost of the statue was defrayed by contributions from Alabama people. Around the base of the big figure Will be displayed mineral exhibits from the State and miniature reproductions of Vul- can may be procured by visitors.