The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-24
TELLS STORY OF
CARDIFF GIANT"
MICHAEL FOLEY OF FORT DODGE
QUARRIED THE STONE.
Old Iowan Has Just Celebrated His
Eighty-second Birthday-Stone from
Gypsum Quarry Was Carved Into the
Giant in Chicago and Buried in New
York.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Fort Dodge, Iowa, Oct. 24.-Surrounded by a
happy family of children and grandchildren,
Michael Foley of this city celebrated his eighty
second birthday anniversary with good chances
for participating In many to come. Mr.. Foley
has lived quiet life for many years. but remenl-
bers well the time that he was engaged to
quarry the rock which was afterward made into
the "Cardif giant" one of the most colossal
frauds perpetrated upon unsuspecting
public.
1t was In the month of July, 1868, that two
men, one giving his name as Hull of Syracuse,
n. Y, and the other Martin, claiming to be from
Cedar Rapids, engaged quarters at the old st.
Charles hotel In this city. They pretended to
be studying the geographical conditions about
Fort Dodge. They made several inquiries as
to where they could find a large ledge of gyp-
sum rock. They even went so far as to buy
an acre Of ground and Quarried it with view
of finding out just what they wanted but failed,
They finally informed in casual way
that Michael Foley who was engaged in getting
out rock for railroad company, could in all
probably get them what they wanted. When
pressed for an explanation to what purpose
they intended putting the rock, Hull explained
that they were going to ship it to New York
to exhibit for the purpose of raising a stock
company to manufacture plasterparis. Martin
said they were going to take it to Springfield,
ILL.,, as Iowas contribution to the Lincoln monu-
ment, which then being built.
When Mr.. Foley interviewed conserving
the stone he informed them that he could fill
tnelf Oruer ne ndu just Slrlppeu u leuSe VI
gypsum rock about 100 feet long. On the top
Of this he drilled some twelve holes and poured
in about fifteen pounds Of powder. long fuse
touched it off at once and the rock broken
loose in SPLENDID condition. 1t was twenty.
four feet long, three feet wide and eighteen
inches thick.
The stone was shipped to Chicago, where IT
was given In charge Of a sculptor, who carved 1t
into a giant, pricked it with needles, while it
was soft, to give it the appearance Of human
skin, treated 1T with acids to give it the an
cient appearance. and packed it in an iron box,
twelve feet long, four feet wide and three feet
deep and in this manner shipped 1t to George
Odds, at Union, n. Y. 1t arrived at Union on
Oct. 13. 1868. On Nov. 4, man claimed the
box. receipted for it, loaded it on large wagon,
hitched four horses on and carried 1t fifty miles
to place Cardiff, in Onondaga county.
New York, where the giant buried and
remained until Oct. 16, 1869, nearly year, when
the resurrection took place while men were pre-
tending to dig for well. Special trains were
run from New York, carrying visitors by the
thousands, to see it. and 1t is estimated that
$4,000 persons visited the spot the first week
after it was discovered and paid 81 each for a
sight of the giant made from the stone quarried
by Michael Foley.