Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-03

TEE OLD ELM" AT BosroN.-Boston'
veneration for her old landmarks has sci
dom received such shock as was given il
BY the blast that blew down the Old Elm or
they common. last week. The trunk
was shattered by the fall. and it had hardly
struck the ground before there was a rush
OF relic-hunters who started off with pieces
from the size of twig to an armful and a
guard OF policemen had to bo put around it
at last. The tree has been known as far
back as tradition can go, and is represented
as Of considerable size upon the oldest map
OF the town known to exist, which was en-
graved in l722. 1t is reasonable to believe
that 1t was growing before the arrival of the
first colonists. Upon its limbs it is sup
| posed that some of the early executions in
| the old colony took place, and it is certain
that during the Revolutionary struggles of
America this tree was one of the places of
constant resort of the sons of liberty. who
frequently illuminated it with lanterns on
evenings OF rejoicing and festal occasions
Ii also served the purpose of popular indig-
nation, for many tory has been hung in
ethgy from its branches. Perhaps on this
account it acquired the name =" liberty
tree, which it bore in 1874. The first
measurement of the great tree. of which
an account was made, was taken in 1926,
when Its height was 65 feet. circumference
II feet eight inches, = feet 8 inches from
the ground, and the branches extended in
diameter Sc feet. 1t was as handsome in
form as large in size and venerable in age.
Measurements in 1914 showed that the tree
had not ceased to grow. In the Summer OF
1882 1t was much injured by the violence OF
storm, and its largest limbs were so
much cleft asunder as to allow them to rest
three branches upon the ground, but they
were subsequently restored to their former
position, and were sustained by iron bolts
and braces. Ii was again dismembered by
the gale OF June, 1850, and its beauty was
destroyed. The cavity in the trunk was
filled with eight cart-loads of material On
the great branch that was blown off 1870
rings could be counted. In 1869 large limb
measuring AZ inches in eircum ference, was
blown off. The sorrow of Boston at its lo,s
IS mitigated a little by the fact that a sap
ling about ten years old. that sprang from
the old tree. Is still living.
A good story Is told in reference to the
Rev. Mr.. Murray and the - Big Elm" Mr.
Murray visited the ruins. and catching the
lever which filled the crowd for relics"
asked the policeman what it might be prop
er for him to take. The city guardian,
said, rather sharply, " You can take any
thing you can carry of, which was equiva-
lent to a refusal, as the CLEANERS" had
made clean sweep Of all the small boughs
and splinters. But the parsOn was not to |
be foiled. 50 Interpreting the policeman's |
permission IN Is widest latitude, he laid |
his hands upon huge limb. some ten feet |
long and nearly as many inches thick, |
heayed it up out of the earth into which it |
had been embedded by the fall and placing |
1t on his shoulder a. if it had been Of a |
few pounds weight, made bee line for the |
Golden Eagle Office, leaving the policeman
gazing In silent amazement at the unex-
pected result Of his permission and the ex-
hibition of muscular strength Some of /
the " Adirondackers. who have seen the /
reverend gentleman - backing in" logs for
the camp fire. know about how he looked .
to this policeman as he went stalking
through the darkness with that huge
. relic of the Old Elm on his shoulder.