Year: 1870

Was Made and What lie Cost


In the latter part of June, 1868, two men, one
of them at present large owner in the giant,
arrived in Chicago. They had some time before
considered the feasibility of inauguratlng
humbug, and had determined upon having some
thing ancient--a statue so old that IL would
cause wonder and create such an excitement
that before it subsidized their pockets would be
full and their object accomplished The work
of cutting out the statue would have to be done
secretly, and none but man who could remain
quiet was competent to do 1t. They searched
for some time, and finally met a German who
had been in this country about four years,
then in the employ of a well-known
sculptor of Chicago. He agreed to do the
work for $75 down. A block of gypsum
twelve feet long, three feet wide, and eighteen
inches thick, was procured from Fort Dodge,
Iowa, and placed in gentleman's barn near
Lincoln Park, on the North Side. The owner OF
the structure was let into the secret; as was
another, an assistant to the German. These
we're the only persons, beside the two men mem
toned, who knew anything of it. Even the
three did not know what was to be done with the
figure when completed. In the latter part OF
July the two commenced the work of chiselling.
In consequence of the thinness of the stone,
about foot and half was taken off one end of
the block, in order to have a better proportloned
man. model was necessary, so one OF the
mon who made the arrangements-Hull by
name-who is himself giant in size, with sutii-
cient intellect to humbug the learned savans
and wise men of the East, stripped and chose
the peculiar position to suit the twisted and un-
favorable position of the stone. The artist then
inquired what was to be made, and was in
structed to make anything monkey, bab-
boon, or something that would represent man.
So, without questioning the motives of his en-
ployers, he set to work. There was no necessity
for his leaving the barn for drink when en-
ployed, as plenty of lager beer was supplied
him At the close of the eighteenth day the
figure was nearly finished. He did not work at
1t steadily every day, but whenever he got an
H..
employers then came to look at it, but what
was their surprise when they they found that the
artist had given the figure any quantity of hair.
There we're ringlets dangling from the head,
long beard and patches on other parts of the
body. Hull said that would never do--hair
would not petrify. The German was puzzled,
and did not know what they meant, but re-
moved the hair at their request In two days
more the work was pronounced done by the
artist, and his employers, after examining it.,
expressed themselves as satisfied. Now to make
him look old. A gallon of strong acid was pro-
cared and put on him. 1t ate into the soft
material, producing spongy-looking cavities.
A quantity of English ink was then applied,
appearance OF venerable age. The next step
was packing him in box. During the next
| week the Dox was carted to the Michigan South
ern Railroad depot 1t remained there for so
long time that the owners were notified to take
it away, as 1t occupied SO much room and could
not be moved to make space for goods receiving
and delivering. 1t was subsequently removed
and placed aboard a schooner, which sailed for
some Eastern lake port. The next heard of 1t
was of its being unearthea on a farm in New
York State and an announcement of its apti-
guilty. What has been done with it SINCE the
public well know, and therefore repetition is un-
necessary.


The artist, who is q very modest man, and
whose name is yet unknown to fame, does not
consider this his best effort. This Is evidenced
by a remark he made when told it was very
poor piece of workmanship. "Well," said he,
''they hurried me like thunder--any baker could
make as good a thing out of dough-" He further
said, in view of these hardltimes, that he would
be willing to take orders for duplicates from the
admirers of antiquity and petrifaction at the
same price, provided that the ten-acre quarry at
Company to get the stone to make the giant is
not already exhausted by parties seeking speci-
mems of this now celebrated stone for their
cabinets.