Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-19

son while serving as a member of Congress
from New Jersey, after relinquishing his
portfolio as Secretary of the Navy under
President Grant The tree was planted by
Mrs. Robson and Superintendent Smith
conformity in 1892 and ii now gives a his
toric interest to the house Ii shades A
third can be seen at the residence of John
w. Forneys heirs in Philadelphia; still an
other fiourishes at the home of Proctor
Knott in Kentucky, and another at the
home of ex-senator Sargent in California,
while the sixth one is being jealousy kept
by Superintendent Smith for Gov. Alex
ander Shepherd. formerly the Boss" Of the
District of Columbia under President Grant.
when that silver magnate shall return from
Mexico and settle down as an American
citizen again.
The Cameron Tree.
Almost as prominent as the original Geo.
Washington elm at the Senate side of the
Capitol is another elm of less size. near
the House entrance to the south, known as
the Cameron tree" in honor Of the late
Simon Cameron, Secretary Of War under
Lincoln, for many years United States Sem
ator from Pennsylvania, and father of the
present Senator, J. Donald Cameron. While
a member OF the Senate committee on pub
lie buildings and grounds in 1878, Senator
Simon Cameron interviewed powerfully In
its behalf. and prevented its destruction in
the regarding process by effectively re-
peating in the ears of the grading commits
sion George P. Morris familiar line Wood
man, spare that treeI' 1t had sheltered him
from the sun on many a hot summer after
noon, when he lived across the street on
New Jersey avenue, on the site now oc-
cupied by the headquarters of the marine
hospital service and the coast survey, and
although 1t INSTRUCTED the principal path
way leading to the House of Representa-
tives near the southern terrace, Ii was
nd haS tO
of the sentiment he entertained for II. The
ground about it has been trimmed down
and stone tagging built around 1t, SO that
IL derives scant nourishment from the soil
a striking and beautiful object Of interest
to visitors approaching the House entrance
from street
The Sumner Tree.
The whilom Charter Oak Of Hartford.
Conn, is justly celebrated in American his
tory, and the more or less apocryphal apple
tree Of Appomattox has received world
wide notoriety. but probably no tree ever
received the publicity Of such a splendid
and eloquent advertisement as that given
to the Sumner tree" named after Charles
Sumner. and beloved and eulogized by the
great Massachusetts, Senator in a public
address delivered in the Senate chamber on
January %, 1884, few weeks before his
death. 1t was glorious specimen of the
outrageous classical Italian beech or horn
beam, of the Identical sort under which the
ancient Etruscan shepherds used to tend
their woolly f1ocks and tune their pastoral
pipes. Until recently it occupied a con-
spicuous position near the old George Wash
ington elm, in full view of the Senate steps.
but in the fatal regarding, with a number
Of other beautiful trees, 1t suffered damage,
and some years afterward 1t pinned and died
Sumner pleaded with the Senate In his
speech to save it, and the grading COM
mission did have regard for his dying
wishes, but by cutting down the earth
around it and leaving 1t to stand on a rising
knoll, its accustomed nutriment was some
how cut off. and it gradually became de-
crepit and withered away, despite the care
taken 70 preserve it. Its site is now marked
by little hillock on the east lawn.
JOHN D. CREMER