New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-18
OBJTi ny THE BOSTON ELM.

TIN, Hoston newspapers OF last "Wednesday were
exceedingly historical and moi little sentim' ntal.
The famous elm tree. the pride al Boston Common,
which j. in its hln the pride OF BoSion was upon
fine previous cNcrnC blown down 10y IN" golr-thc
windi,st catastrophe since ih" destruction OF Mr..
t,,luorc'- Coliseum. This tree was ono - the pet
objects of the town. There have been many contro-
,cr,i, about its age but ail the combatanis admit
ted that il was scry old 1t figured upon the oldest
rlar of the town. which was cngrNed IN !122, and
Their, are those who hold tia; il was growing before
thc arrival of IN, first settlers in 1880. i was aicc
fionatry spoken OF ~ the oldest inhab,tani al
Boston" Skcptir- declared that IT was planted
bv a, can't. Hcnchman in 1870 10 shelter
thc Ancient and Honorable Artillery Com
many which h. commanded. his legend
however was exploded by Dr. Warren who printed
p monograph of the Great Tree and proved that II
must have been 100 years old III l722. One hun
dr,l and ninrt, rings were conDtcd in branch
broken OH in 1850 which must have been consider
abb, Younger than the tree itself. II belonged 10 "a
srr,ics known a, the " American ar hite Elm. Its
first catlst rophe was in the summer of $50, when
= g,le partially broke of four of it, larger limbs
They were however. restored BY careful surgery,
Loltcd into their original places AMI are SAID 10 have
grown back into the tree again. In june. 1850 II
lost limb measuring " inches in circumference.
sill. il continued tn grow According 10 the latest
ulca,ur,incn in $50 the following were IT. proper
iou4: irih ~ The ground. - feet; at 3 feet above
| il yae -. feet n . feet above. lGl2 feet.
This tree has been very useful one III lis day. II
+, supposed that William Robinson, Marmadukc
Stevenson. and Mary Dyar. the Quaker marty ~,
velr hanged from it. In 1876 an Indian captive
was tied 10 II and put death. In l12s duel WAS
! fought under il by TWO young gentlemen who were
! in ln,. with the same lady. Benz Woodbridge was
/ lc, dead on the field. while Henry Phillips h- an
! taponi@i escaped to Europe. The Rcyolu onaIy A.
! .o,iatiors of the old tree were mol numerous. II
| n,n.t not be- conioundrd with the Liberty ire ~
| the corner of Washington and Es~cx--t-.. which
| Was cut down by the British soldiers dur
! ING the siege of Boston. The Old Elm, however,
during he pre- Re, pulmonary period, was a place Of
/ resort for the Sons of Liberty, AID was fire.
ou,ntly illuminated On ftSinl occasions. Many
Tories we've hung in ciiy, from it, branches, aud
-cyc,al members, We bcoyr OF the British Ministry.
7 In 1851 MAYOR Smith. who was by profession a
surgeon tool great interest IN pruning and other
wise caring for the tree. He protected II by hand
| some iron fence Before this the great hollow IN the
trunk had received fifteen barrels Of clay. and was
/ covered with canvas fastened around Il. Dr.
! Smith also pat ~ an appropriate inscription which
I stated among other lhng5 that the trt" had been
Standing Tor an unknown period. An otShool
was discovered in 1850, OF which great care has
been taken.
ate minutei css in the Boston newspapers. The wind