The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1895-04-18
THE FOUR GEORGES.
gance.'

They have four George Washingtons
in Trenton, and if ever four men dis
agreed in appearance it is these imita-
tions of the Father of His Country. 1t
takes wide stretch of imagination
to believe that they are relatives. and
the disparity in their appearance is the
cause of no end of talk in the capital OF
the State. Trenton has historical
claims on Washington. He was there
once or twice during his days ia the
flesh. He spent one very lively
Christmas in the town in 1870, when
he captured the Hessians and made an
interesting page of Jersey history.
Trenton people think that they have
just claim on Washington, particularly
for ornamental purposes.
The big revolutionary battle mon
ument that stands on the top of the
hill where Washington opened fire ON
the German soldiers is one of the pre-
tiest in the country. 1t is topped off
with statue Of Washington of giant
proportions. He stands with his out
stretched hand. Another statue of
Washington stands ON the hill out in
the city park. He has stony concep-
ton. His marble face is looking up
the river at the point where in ante
steamboat days he crossed over. The
impression prevails that the bronze
faced heroic George is astonished be-
cause he is represented as having come
over i'll the row-boat standing up as
erect as if the river was creased and
everything was clear sailing that night
The French sculptor who put up this
statue believed that George came over
in round bottom row-boat, and in
consequence threw in at the bottom of
the statue part Of the boat, but those
who were there at the time say that
the official George was not in the boat
as Lutze's painting has represented
him in the well-known picture entitled,
"The Continental Army Crossing the
Delaware, which hangs IN good
many parlors. but which Is gigantic
artistic error. Washington came over
in little fiat bottom Durham boat
that held three persons. This particu-
lar monument was erected by the
Junior Order Of American Mechanics,
and the statue did duty in the Centen-
NAL Exposition in Philadelphia. re-
manned for awhile in the Permanent
Exposition, and then became a dead
weight on the statue market and was
about to be cut up into marble vesti.
bule blocks, when it was rescued by the
patriotic young men Of Trenton, who
put the great General on the green hill.
There is another George that must
be considered. and he is the George
that crossed the Delaware River with
Colonel Knox and Jersey farmer row.
ing the boat. One of the panels on
the Trenton monument tells this story
differently from that Of all the grand
paintings and etchings. The panel is
the gift of the State of Pennsylvania
and it is said to be historically correct,
and If so the impression given of Wash:
ington crossing the Delaware River in
the school books is entirely wrong. II
is considered iconoclasm of the worst
kind to have put out the tablet and tc
have spoilt youthful impressions and
have future generations to understand
that George Washington came over the
Delaware River just like any ordinary
citizen going across to quilting party.
Washington, without the huge military
coat wrapped about him. and his face
wrapped in thought, and the ice rappinq
the side of the round bottom boat
with his sorel horse close to him. is re,
garded as picture scarcely worth con.
templating. 1t is entirely too com
monplace, and lacks the theatrical at.
titude that historical sentiment makes
essential.
Last, but not least, is George Wash
ington. down in the Washington
Market. Trenton has no street named
after Washington, but 1t has market
where they sell fish, of course, and q
Washington Hall, where they have
sociables, and washington house where
they have schooners of beer, but no stree
3 or boulevard. They did have a LITTLE
street about as big rs an alley, but grew
ashamed of it and changed it's name ant
called it Lafayette. after the other pat
riot. but George is the patriot saint o
s this particular market The world /
0 informed of this fact because statue
OF him, made out of terra Gotta, wood
: or something of the sort, stands In
a little niche facing Broad street. -Tren
a ton special to the Philadelphia Press.
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