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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1958-03-27, Page 2Fooled Thousands With Fake Fossil When cigar salesman George Hull traded a barrel of beer for. something he promptly sent off • in a railway crate something registered as a five -ton piece of new machinery- he was setting. the stage for a hoax destined to gross over the years $2,000,000. During 1869, a farmer named William Newell began rcomplain- ing that the springs were dry- ing up on his land in .New. York State. Finally, he summoned diggers to sink a new well. Bill Newell, it seemed, fan - tied his prospects as water - diviner with the traditional hazel -rod and selected a likely spot. But, four feet down, the well -diggers struck something hard. Bill was away from home at the time, trying to raise money to pay for the well at a bank In the nearest town. When he re- turned and saw the excited crowds milling round his farm- stead, he began to run. "What's the matter?" he yell- ed. "Is the place on fire?" The lanes around Cardiff vil- lage were becoming more jam- med every minute with carriages bringing inquisitive newcomers. "Where is it?" they cried. "Where's the giant?" In the excavation begun by the well -diggers lay the grotesque, twisted figure of a man. It was bald. and its massive features were of Asiatic cast, Unclothed and brown after lying for long centuries in the earth, the limbs were contorted as if in agony, Strangest of all, it seemed to have been turned to stone, yet the entire surface was needle -pitted as if by tiny pores. All around the open grave the crowds trampled and murmured. One man with a tape measure proclaimed that the giant was ten feet four inches tall. Another exclaimed with wonder at deep grooves on the underside, as if worn by water flowing through the earth. On all sides was heard the wondering phrase . . . "A petrified man!" It was not long before Bill Newell had roped the respassers back, declaring that on his own land he had a perfect right to do as he pleased. Within a few hours he had erected a canva^ tent over the recumbent giant and began charging admission. The queues trailed over the fields and, after the first week- end, when the story burst in the newspapers, thousands began beating a path to the farm. Bill doubled his admission prices, while controversy flared. Delegations of clergymen visited the tent where, in the dim light, the enormous figure seemed even more impressive. •People spoke In solemn whis- pers, Was the monster indeed the petrified remains of a gent man? Was it an ancient idol? Was it vivid proof of the biblical text from Genisis, "There were giants in those days"? In their pulpits parsons be - ban saying that the Cardiff giant was indeed proof of the truth of the Bible. After visiting the site, bearded Professor Drater of the State Museum called it the most remarkable ancient object ever found in America. Yale professors and distin- guished chemists pronounced the giant a true fossil. The crowds increased. Soon Newell had dis- carded his farmclothes and don- ned a frock -coat to lecture on his discovery. And if sometimes his eyes twinkled at some of the scien- tists' assertions, it was a secret smile only his wife noticed. Nearly every clay Mrs. Newel] went to the bank with the pre- vious day's takings. Casual con- versation with the bank man- tger elicited that the account was by no means as handsome as the takings would seem to imply. lifts. Newell noticed, too, how keauently her husband was writing to his cousin, George !lull, in Chicago. Her curiosity aroused, Mrs. Rewell steamed open two of the letters. Each contained a hand- some cheque. Though the Cardiff giant had been discovered on her husband's lancl,George. Hull was getting, the giant's share of the gate money. When winter came, this pro- portion increased, Hull openly paid his share for the giant' to be moved to an exhibition hall In Syracuse. Here the crowds were , greater than ever. And they grew to suffocation when a famous sculptor examined the petrified man and called a Press conference to denounce it as a fraud. A tiny chipping from the giant, he announced, had been ana- lysed. It was neither fossilized stone, nor petrified flesh but plain gypsum, the mineral from which plaster of paris is made. By this time, the giant had netted $250,000 in cash. Hull and Newell were now known to be partners and a business syndicate bought out two-thirds of their interest for another $50,000. Yet the cash still kept coming. The Cardiff giant was taken to New York and placarded: "Is it the first man — or a first fake?" Then just down the road -show- man Phineas Barnum opened a second giant show as the only original Cardiff giant. A court case ensued. The Hull and Newell group tried to get an injunction to prevent Barnum, from displaying a fake. Despite the fact that the famed scientist Emerson still called their giant "a bonafide petrified human be- ing," the application failed. Probing back into George Hull's movements, newspaper- men unmasked a journey he made for "new machinery" and learned of the huge block of gypsum he had acquired for a barrel of beer. By scanning transport records they traced this load to the Newell farm. Not far away, also enjoying his share of the profits, they discovered the stone -cutter who had so skilfully hewn the block of gypsum into the giant semb- lance of a man. Confronted with the evidence, Hull and. Newell confessed their secret. A bath of sulphuric acid had tinged the gypsum ancient brown. Fine -pointed mallets had pitted the surface with minute pores. The "water grooves" had been deilberately cut in the fig- ure. Then it was buried and a1 - lowed to lie for three months before being discovered. Oddly enough, however, the confession merely perked up business. Both the Cardiff giant and his Barnum rival still at- tracted record crowds. And the crowds have been coming ever since. As recently as 1939, New 'York State erected road signs to the Cardiff giant's original. grave, The Barnum figure is owned by an Iowa publishing family and regularly trotted out for State fairs. And in the Farmers' Mu- seum the "true" Cardiff giant is now on show free for the first time in his $2,000,000 career. Virgin ; irths It was discovered some time ago, to general astonishment, that virgin turkeys and chickens once in a while laid fertile eggs. Now the same source (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Research Center at Beltsville, Md.) has found that an injection of fowl pox vaccine will increase the chances of this curious parthenogenesis. It still isn't known how these very rare virgin births take place, but the ability appears to be genetically transmitted, and can be increased by selective breeding. However, until the boys get some of the loose ends cleaned up, it seems likely that procrea- tion will be carried on by more old-fashioned methods. One of the fatherless young turks is seven months old. He has crook- ed toes, poor nerve co-ordina- tion and bad eyesight, — From Imperial Oilways. ALY'S A COLONEL, TOO—Wearing a Pakistani army col'onel's uniform on the left is Aly Khan, international playboy and horse fancier. RELIGION IN ACTION -Shoveling her way to church is routine --for Rev. Winnifred M. Bridges, who serves as pastor fot several churches near the town of Swastika in the sparsely settled Hough Lake region of Ontario. The 34 -year-old .woman, or- dained in 1956, is a minister of the United Church of Canada. TABLE T4LKS cau..A,drews SPLIT PEA SOUP (Makes about 1 quart) 1/ pound finely diced salt pork 1 cup coarsely diced onion 1 cup green split peas 1 large bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon salt pepper to taste 1 quart water 1 large can undiluted evaporated milk Fry salt pork in 3 -quart sauce- pan over low, heat to golden brown (about 10 minutes). Add onion. Continue cooking over low heat (about 5 minutes). Do not brown. Add split peas, bay leaf, salt, pepper and water. Cover. Heat to boiling and continue cooking over low heat (about 1 to 11/4 hours) until peas are com- pletely broken up and smooth. Stir occasionally to prevent stick- ing. Slowly add evaporated milk. Reheat, stirring constantly, to just below the boiling point (about 2 minutes longer). Re- move bay leaf. Serve at once. * * 5 SAVORY FISH CHOWDER (Makes about 2 quarts) 1 pound cubed haddock fillets 2 cups diced raw potatoes 1 cup chopped onion �1 2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon savory 1/s teaspoon thyme 4 cups water 1/ cup flour 1 large can undiluted evaporated milk' Simmer fish, potatoes, onion and seasonings in water in 3 - quart saucepan until fish and potatoes are tender (about 30 minutes). Combine flourand milk to form a smooth paste. Gradually add to fish -potato stock. Continue to cook over medium heat until thickened and smooth, stirring constantly (about 5 minutes). Serve im- mediately. * - * * TUNA AND POTATOES (Makes 4 to 6 servings) 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour 1/4 teaspoon salt pepper to taste 1 large can undiluted evaporated milk ?!c cup chopped green pepper 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped garlic . 2 tablespoons chopped pimiento (optional) 1 cup (6 to 7 ounce can) well - drained, flaked tuna 2 cups cooked, cubed potatoes % cup grated process -type Canadian cheese Melt butter in top of double boiler over low heat. Add flour,- salt lourysalt and pepper. Stir until smooth. Slowly add evaporated milk. Place over boiling water. Cook until thickened and smooth (about 10 minutes), stirring con- stantly. Add green pepper, .gar- lic, pimiento, tuna and potatoes. Mix well. Place in buttered 11/4 - quart casserole. Top with grated • cheese. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees F.) about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve at once. *In place of cooked potatoes, you may use 2 cups cooked noodles. „ 4 • SALMON -MACARONI LOAF (Makes 9x5x3-itich (oaf) 1 large can undiluted evaporated milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 to 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 cups (8 orates) grated process -type Canadian • cheese 2 eggs 1/4 cup diced green pepper 1/4 cup diced pimiento (optional) 2 tablespoons grated onion 2 cups (1-1b. size can) salmon, drained and 'flaked 1 cup soft bread, crumbs 3 cups cooked elbow macaroni Simmer milk, salt, mustard and Worcestershire sauce in saucepan over low heat to just below boil- ing point (2 to 3 minutes). Add cheese and stir until thickened and smooth (1 to 2 minutes long-. er). Beat eggs slightly in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining in- gredients. Mix well. Add cheese sauce. Combine thoroughly. Turn into well -buttered 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees F.) 25 to 30 minutes, Allow to stand about 5 minutes before turning out on warm platter. * , CREAMED CORN BEEF (Makes 4 to 6 servings) 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour 1/ teaspoon salt 1/a. teaspoon pepper 1 largo can undiluted evapor- ated milk 1 can (12 oz.) corned beef, diced i/2 cup diced celery 1/4. cup diced green pepper 2 tablespoons chopped pimien. to (optional) 2 hard -cooked eggs, chopped Melt butter in top of double boiler over low heat. Add flour, salt and pepper. Stir until smooth. Slowly add milk. Place over boiling water. Coolc until thickened and smooth (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. Add corned beef, celery, green pepper, pimiento and hard - cooked eggs. Mix well. Continua cooking over hot water about 3 minutes longer. Serve at once over toast or cooked rice or in patty shells. 5 5 5 CORN AND SAUSAGE . CASSEROLE (Makes 4 to 6 servings) 1 pound pork sausages 3 cups (about 11/ 14 -oz. cans) well -drained whole kernel corn 1/2 cup fine cracker crumbs 2 tablespoons grated onion r large can undiluted evapor- ated milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 to 1 teaspoon dry mustard 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 2 cups (8 ounces) grated pro- cess -type Canadian cheese Cook sausages over medium heat until brown. Drain on pa- per towel. Combine corn, crack- er crumbs and onion in buttered 11k -quart casserole. Simmer the milk, salt, mustard and Worces- Old-Time Strip Fish Returns The "strip fish" industry ' is',, coming back .to.; New 'England, they tell us. Just at first there won't be too many to get ex- cited over this information be- cause most of us haven't, the slightest idea what "strip., fish" is; or was, But those oldsters who do remember . how good it was are spreading the glad news and making a lot of -/olks anxi- ous to try it. A man from the little fishing town of Corea in the State of Maine is responsible for its revival. "Strip fish" is an old New England dish. Back in the old days when Great -Grandmother sent., you to the store for codfish, you didn't bring it back in glass jars or neatly packaged, as it is today. It came in one piece, "a jib - shaped critter, broad's • a sail, three feet from tail to snout," and you carried it by the tail. In those days they split the fish, took out part of .the backbone, salted it, then dried it in the sun.', And when it, was freshened, you could peel it off in nice, thick strips: hence "strip fish." Great -Grandfather sometimes. used to like a strip raw, just as. his great-grandsons like a piece of smoked salmon as an hors d'oeuvre today. I-Iunters and lumbermen often carried these strips,, in their pockets to eat with their lunches. Salt codfish may not seem a very poetic subject but Holman Day's poem called "A Cure for Homesickness" was, very popu- lar, back 58 years ago, when it was published. It was about a State of Maine girl who married and went to Denver to live. She was so homesick that "she grew as thin as a belaying pin." But when she wrote her father that she .couldn't stand Denver a minute longer, he knew just tershire sauce in saucepan over low heat, to just below boiling point (2 to 8 minutes). Add cheese and -stir until thickened and smooth (1 to 2 minutes longer). Pour over corn mixture. Mix well. Place pork- sausages on top of casserole. Bake in mo- derate oven (350° F:) about 20 to 25 minutes. Variation; Add 1 cup chop. ped green pepper to cheese sauce when adding mustard and steak sauce. what to do: He remembered how he had felt when he went to the World's Fair in '93 and he "Went to his ten -cord Tile of cod and he pulled the biggest out, A jib -shaped critter, broad's a sail, three feet'from tai to snout; And he pasted a sheet of postage stamps from snout clean down to the tail, Put on a quick delivery stamp, and sent the fish by mail." And, the poem goes on,that was all she needed. After she got a good whiff and a good taste of the�fish (probably had "strip fish" for the next meal) she felt better, "and today a happy wife in a happy home, lives out in Denver, . Colo." You won't find a recipe for "strip fish" in any of the mod- ern cookbooks, but in her "Ap- pledore Cook Book"published in 1870, Mrs. Parloa gives three different recipes for fish balls, and in each of them she "'says use the strip fish left over from dinner, writes Nellie Ryder Crates in The Christian Science Monitor. Mrs. Putnam, in her "Receipt Book," 1858, gives full directions for this old-time dish. She calls it„Dun Fish. You put the whole •. fish in a .kettle, soak it over- night, • bring it to a boil and "dish it up in a clean napkin on, a fish dish; eat it with drawn butter and pork scraps." To make the pork scraps, you cut a quarter pound of salt pork into the tiniest of squares, put them into a frying pan, stirring frequently until all the fat is extracted and the scraps are a light brown. Then you pour them, fat and all, over the fish and boiled potatoes The potatoes must be boiled, says Mrs. Par- loa, and there are always beets. Beets are always served with strip fish, says Mrs. Putnam, most emphatically. There was another dish made with "strip fish" which Great - Grandmother called "picked fish." There are many recipes for this in the old cookbooks. "Pick up" two cups of freshened salt fish, they all begin. This simply means, flake the strips with a fork into tiny bits and serve in a white sauce. The potatoes to accompany this must be baked. And of course there are beets. The big question today might be, Will "fish strips" push smoked salmon off the hors d'oeuvres tray? "SECOND" GLANCE AT HISTORY—History of the world dating from four years before the birth of Christ through the launching of Spunik I is "remembered" by the machine, above, at the touch of a few keys. A synopsis of stored information for any year then appears inany of '10 languages "konwn" by the machine, on device at top of cabinet, right. "Brain', back- ground, contains discs mounted vertically on a shaft which revolves at 1,200 r.p.m. Each disc has many magnetized spots on its surface, each representing a portion of the stored information. FALSE ALARM—Foilovaing two telephoned thre ats on Catholic Archbishop Richard J. Cushing in Boston, Mass., he is Shown leaving St. Rose's Church in Chelseci where he said mass. The calls; to Boston Police headquarters stated a bombhad been planted in Holy Name Cathedral, where. the Archbishop usually presides. He is shown being guarded by polite and plain - cloth. detectives;