Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-09-13
FALL OF THE CHARTER OAK" A.
HARTFORD.

The ~Ilartfort Daily Times gives the following
account Of this event:
"Thc famous old Chorter Oak of this city, so
noted in song and history, fell with a tremendous
crash during the great storm at II 81 o'clock
this morning, august p, 1860
The noble old tree stood upon the beautiful
grounds of Hon. Isaac w. Wyllys' estate, in the
southern part of tn" city, About three years ago
some boys built II fire in the hollow of this tree,
which burnt out the punk, and though it was fear
ed that this would kill it, such was not the fact.
Fresh sprouts sprung out the next Spring, and Mr..
Stuart took great pains to preserve this valued rel
ic Of the original forests of New England, but
more especially interesting rs the tree in which
the old British Charter of Connecticut was secret
ed and preserved. At this time the hollow in the
trunk of the old Oak was 50 large that a fire COM
pany Of y iul! grown men atOod up in it together.
Mr.. Stuart ha0 a stout door made to shut IN the
entrance, aud he also placed Tin caps upon the
stumps Of broken limbs, aud for the past three or
.our years fresh sprouts have grown upon most of
its limbs which were decaying. AT the time of its
tall, young and fresh acornS were growing on ev-
cry part Of it. Thousands Of people are visiting
the tree, and, and bringing away such sprigs and
parts Of limbs as Mr., Stuart permits.
Watchman Batter says he stood at the head of
the street, at the time of the crash. The wind had
been blowing freely from the northwest for an
hour or more. lie first heard Il loud crack, and
SdN u OIb Van oHdN NIX III lIc DICtZC u CTlCh-
ing noise followed, then the crash-all within the
space OF halt Il miuute--and the famous monarch
Of the forrest, whose history is so Intimately in
tNined IN that of Connecticut, was PROSTATE upon
the earth! One thousand years ago, when it was
in the prime Of life, when its years were half
numbered, its far.rearhing branches had sported
IN fierce storms, and more swift winged winds.
Bat now since full two thousand years have smil-
ed and waned upon its youth, lis prime, and its
decline, 1t had become gray and decrepit, but was
still tenacious Of life il still clung to the lovely
spot which gave it birth, by its far-reachiug roots,
running Il long way up into the beautiful hillside,
and downward to the sharp cut below. Firmly,
aye, proudly, the Oak stood seemingly conscious
that Nature had marked OUT for its own accommo-
datiOn, one of the most enchanting retreats ia the
State, and that destiny had accored to it IA notable
and everlasting historic page ia the story of Con
necticut one of the patriotic and original thirteen
States of the Unien.
Proudly it had stood, and when ~tottering with
age, and reduced to a mere she'll Of "A few inches,
hy the steady inrOads Of time itself, it still chung
with fOndness to the loved spot on which il had
witnessed the decay and downfall of many of its
associates-the path and the bloody wars of the
red man, and the rcd mans decay--the birth and
death OF generations of the white man, whose axe
had cut away its towering comrades OF the olden
time. But whilst preserving 4 fair exterior, it
was inwardly wasting away, and was obliged to
yield and fall in a storm far less severe than many
thousands that had preceded it.
Before Governor WHY'S came to America, he
sent his steward forward to prepare a place for his
residence. As he was cutting away the trees upon
the hillside Of the beautiful "Wyliys Place." a
deputation OF Indians eame to him and requested
that he would spare this old hollow oak, They
declared that it had been the guide Of their an
cestors for centuries" 1t was spared to fall this
day. having finally yielded to the process of natural
decay.
The tree measured SO feet in circumference al
the bottom; and it has broken Oh so as to leave 8
feet OF stump on one tide and 6 feet on the other,
the stump measuring q feet in circumference at
its top.
Mr.. Stuart had Colts Armory Band come up
this moon, and play solemn dirgcs for two hours
over the trunk Of the fallen Monarch of the Forest.
lie is n generous hearted mana worthy proprie-
tor Of the lovely hill side that nurtured for centu.
ries such a noble tree.
A daguerreotype likeness of the fallen tree was
taken to-day.
The city bells are to be tolled at sun down, rs a
mark OF respect entertained by our citizens for
the fallen "McnaIcb."