XII
MISS Wurach, 733 West Pratt street, Baltimore, states that her father started in business 51 years ago and that she and her brother now continue to keep the store, her father being dead. The figure in front is the second one used in 51 years. The age of the present figure is not known.
Mr. Bringman’s Indian figure, on West Baltimore street, is very old and very impressive in appearance, being of unusually large size and displaying great muscular development. It has required much repairing about the feet and on one thigh.
Very interesting is the story of F. Dreves’ figure, on West Fayette street, above Park avenue, as told by Mr. Dreves.
The late Mr. Dreves, Sr., at one time dealt in Indian figures.
Sailing vessels that for a long time plied up and down the coast of America and across the Atlantic carrying merchandise and passengers would become unfit for further use at sea and were then dismantled.
Often the masts of these old sailing vessels would be trailed in the water and towed into port. These portions of masts would, in the water, become hardened, or even petrified. They were of large size and furnished excellent material for wood carving of all kinds.
About 35 years ago the late Mr. Dreves obtained two lengths of such masts and wished to have two Indian figures carved from them.
He found a German sculptor from Munich who had carved figures now to be seen adorning the Capitol at Washington.
The German sculptor had never seen an Indian, but when shown pictures of the figures he was to carve exclaimed: “O yes, that’s the American,” meaning that the Indian was the only native American.
Each Indian completed cost $115 in the raw wood.
All High Rollers