The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-02-28

! KM INl%A banks Of the Rock riv.
dUllYA er near Oregon, Ill.,,
\ dllp w. SV has been built by
dorado Taft, the sculp-
Tor, with every care that modern en-
glneering can take 10 make It as per
manent as the Pyramids and other IA
/ nous landmarks OF the ages. BY his
method oc applying the concrete Mr.,
Iatt bids fair TO accomplish his pur.
pose.
The statue, erected 10 commemo-
rate the American Indian, represents
Black Hawk, chief OF the Sacs and
Foxes, standing with folded arms,
looking down the picturesque valley
OF the Rock river. The figure is OF
noble proportions. being nfty feet in
height, and crowns the top Of bluff
ESQ feet above the swirllng waters Of
the river.
Ihe claim OF the statue 70 fame
rests in three things First. any one
VINO runs-even those who run in
automobiles-may read it's message.
As those who are rushing by in autos
and steam cars and motor beats stop
or turn to look II inevitably recalls
the former occupancy by the red men
OF the places they are now in
Then the statues great size places
It on scale with the Goddess OF Lib
erty IN New Pork harbor and the
great statue OF THE Pilgrim" on the
New England coast.
Its third and greatest claim to fame
is that it is built to be permanent |
and II Is believed that n will outlast |
the sphinx, the Pyramids and the |
stones erected by the Drulds.
It is utilitarian concrete which II |
IS hoped viii make the statue of .
Black Hawk overtake the Sphinx in |
age by enduring after time has ef- .
faced that grim figure, The statue
was three years in process Of making
and represents a new era in concrete
construction as applied to the art OF
sculpture. While fountains and per
golas and temporary figures for exhi-
billions have been made of concrete
in the past. nothing approaching in
magnitude or purpose the present
piece Of work has ever before been
attempted with this material 1t was
q labor OF love with the sculptor who
bore all the expense himself
Behind the building Of the Black
Hawk statue Hes an interesting story.
A few years ago Mr. Taft was watch
ing some workmen build a concrete
az the Chicago Art Institute,
and there came to him his great idea
Of the means for making an enduring
statue With the process in mind n
was not long until an adequate sub
ject presented itself
For fifteen years Mr. Taft has had ,
his summer home and studio at ,
Eagles Nest Camp. near Oregon. the :
summer seat Of the Chicago art col. ,
ony. Standing for the hundredth
line at the highest point CT the cliff p
he never failed to remember that IL
vas from here that Black Hawk was
1nally driven out of Illinois. So he
lecided to bring back the famous In
han chief, and now in concrete Black
Iawk again surveys his former do
main, with an air Of "immutable dis.
lain" as one artist has put It.
Black Hawk and his tribes fought
N the English side in the War OF Z
812. He saw sooner than other
hlefs that the whites would take all =
he Indians hunting grounds from =
i'm. He tried everything from war .
o treaties to check the whites ad. =
ance. AS he grew old he became =
nore attached to his home along the :.
tock river and fought against re. a.
1oval to the Iowa reservation by the y
overnment. He even tried living in y
eace with the whites, but he had :,
chieved such a reputation that any -
epredations that any Indians com.
litted were laid at his tepee door. :,
Finally he and his people were driv- n
n across the Mississippi by Uncle n
ans soldiers. After that, as an old /,
nan, he petittoned the government a
hat he might come back and view \,
is old domains on the Rock river n
Iany members Of the tribe were "a
rought with him, and suddenly there 4
as panic among the whites. Wheth. N
r It was intentional from the first on Il
le part OF the Indians or the result ie
suspicion, war was precipitated. a,
braham Lincoln and Jefferson Da.
ls both fought with the whites and II
lack Hawk was made a prisoner. cr
1t is characteristic Of Mr.. Taft that So
hen he went about what he hopes al
i'll be his most enduring work in dt
aterial way he started with as lit. 81
e fuss as if it were a small matter.
Ilently and surely the work advanc. bc
as BELTS in character the approach fo
an Indian. Even the sculptor Fl,
niles at his work as if 1t were a a
'nceit OF the moment instead Of the w
'oject Of a lifetime, and succeeds dr
.rtly in hiding his pleasure in the ac
ork. of
Mr.. Taft did not study any one type sa
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