The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-03-01
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cheering can take to make 1t as per
manent as the Pyramids and other IA
NOUS landmarks of the ages. By his
method of applying the concrete Mr..
Taft bids saiH 70 accomplish his purs
pose.
The statue. erected to commence
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 fifty feet in
/. height, and crowns the top OF q bluff
z5e feet above the swirling waters OF
the river.
The claim of the statue 20 fame
rests in three things: First. any one
who runs-even those who run In
automobiles-may read its message.
As those who are rushing by in autos
and steam cars and motor boats stop
or turn to look it inevitably recalls
the former occupancy by the red men
of the places they are now In.
Then the statues great size places
IT on a scale with the Goddess Of Lib
erty In New Pork harbor and the
great statue Of 1.-The Pilgrim" on the
New England coast
It's third and greatest claim to fame
la that it is built TO be permanent.
ana 1t is believed that it will outlast
the sphinx, the Pyramids and the
stones erected by the Druids.
It Is utilitarian concrete which 1t
is hoped will make the statue OF
Black Hawk oVertake the Sphinx In
age by enduring after time has eff
faced that grim figure. The statue
was three years in process Of making
and represents new era In concrete
construction as applied to the art OF
sculpture While fountains and per-
goIas and te nporary figures for exhi-
billions have been made Of concrete
In the p, /, nothing approaching in
magnitude or purpose the present
piece Of work has ever before been
a&empted with this material It was
labor of love with the sculptor, who
bore all the expense himself
Behind the building OF the Black
Hawk statue lies an interesting story.
A few years ago Mr.. Taft was watch
ing some workmen build a concrete
chimney at 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 It
was not long until an adequate sub
feet 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
time at the highest point Of the cliff
he never failed to remember that 1t
was from here that Black Hawk was
finally driven out OF Illinois. So he
decided bring back the famous In
dian chief. and now in concrete Black
Hawk agar surveys his former do
main. with an air of 'immutabie dis
dain," as one artist has put it.
Black Hawk and his tribes fought
on the English side In the War of
1872. He saw sooner than other
chiefs that the whites would take all
the Indians hunting grounds from
him. He tried everything from war
to treaties to check the whites ad-
vance. AS he grew old he became
more attached to his home along the
Rock river and fought against re.
moval to the Iowa reservation by the
government. He even tried living In
peace with the whites, but he had
achieved such reputation that any
depredations that any Indians COM
mitted were laid at his tepee door.
Finally he and his people were driv-
en- across the Mississippi by Uncle
Sans soldiers. After that. as an old
man. he petitioned the government
that he might come back and view
his old domains on the Rock river.
Many members OF the tribe were
brought with him. and suddenly there
was panic among the whites Wheth-
er It was Intentional from the>arst on
the part OF the Indians or the result
OF suspicion, war was precipitated.
Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Da-
Wis both fought with the whites and
black Hawk was made prisoner.
1t is characteristic OF Mr. Taft that
when he went about what he hopes
VIII be his most enduring work In q
material way he started with as lit.
Tie russ as II it were a small matter.
Silently and surely the work advanc-
ca as BELTS In character the approach
OF an Indian. Even the sculptor
smiles at his work as IL 1t were a
conceit Of the moment instead Of the
project of lifetime. and succeeds
partly In hiding his pleasure in the
work.
M Taft did not study any one type
e