The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-12-18
CARVED THE STATUE
OF GEO. WASHINGTON
DEATH OF MAN WHO MADE FAM
LIAR FIGURE IN STATE
HOUSE GROUNDS.

Few people have visited Boise with
out seeing the equestrian statue Of
George Washington which for many
jects of interest in the state house
grounds. Most Of them have probably
been told the story of its production,
that it was carved with Jack knife
BY pioneer prospector and miner af-
ter years Of. patient labor way back in
the COS. In later years the sculptor
made his home In Boise, and in his
declining years it Is said his daily
custom has been to occupy a scat in
the capitol grounds commanding n
view Of his masterpiece which, con.
sidering both the skill displayed and
the patriotic spirit that prompted Il,
was very properly the pride of his
life
Formally Received by the State.
The sculptor was Charles Ostner. a
native of Germany The Boise States
man. in giving an account of his death
reproduces the picture Of the dedca-
ton of the statue and its acceptance
by the state. This was in 1869, a.
years ago. Following is sketch of
his career:
The man who, in 1869, isolated in
the heart of Idaho mountains, inn
prisoned by walls of snow, using on
~ such primitive tools as a jack knife
and Ratchet. carved the equestrian
statue of George Washington that
adorns the capitol grounds. is dead
Charles Ostner.
Mr.. Ostner died Saturday morning
at local hospital after a lingering
illness. 1t was only week ago that
he was able to sit in his favorite seat
in the state house grounds facing the
statue which he had carved so many
years ago. He failed rapidly, how.
ever, after that, and death came to
his relief at an early hour Monday
morning.
In Poor Health for Years.
Of late years Mr. Ostner has been
In such frail health that few people
have seen him, but he has been known
and will be known by every child Of
Boise by his statue of Washington,
made during the winter Of go in his
rude cabin in Garden Valley the
sculptor often working late at night
when the inspiration seized him, his
wife or daughter holding the candle
that he might see. The carving Of
the statue with Ahe rude tools took
many months and when finished was
presented to the state. Mr.. Ostners
artistic talents were not confined to
wood carving. He has painted many
large canvases, his models being
mainly animals.
Starts Turn Vereins.
Mr.. Ostner was born in Heidelberg
Germany, in 1928 and left Germany
on account of the students riots in
1S48-49. He came to Philadelphia in
lS49 and while there formed the first
Turn Verein society in the City of
Brotherly Love. In this work he
proved pioneer having the distlnc-
ton Of forming the first Turn Verein
society in New Orleans and also the
first one in San Francisco, which he
organized in 1852,
In 1862 he moved to Idaho. making
many trips between California and
Idaho in the early days, He finally
settled in Garden Valley in 1864,
building the first toll road and bridge
in the valley.
The mining excitement at Florence
brought him to that section in 62 and
it was here that he modelled, from
snow, the original model of his eQues-
tran statue Of George Washington.
On this trip to Florence Mr.. Ostner
had narrowing experience: he be-
came lost from the main pack train
in prospecting around the country,
and was lost for 80 days without shell
ter and food other than birds that he
could catch at night and a few edible
roots and wild rose seed pods.
Was Extensive Traveller.
While making Boise his home, Mr..
Ostner was an extensive traveller.
having visited Washington. Central
America and British Columbia. His
last trip was to Nome during the gold
excitement there. where he had both
feet frozen and suffered many hard
his Alaskan trip proving so hard that
IT cured him Of the wandering heel"
and he has remained here ever since
He leaves a widow, Mrs Julia Ost-
ner, and the following children, Al
Ostner, Mrs. Julia Adelmann and Mrs