The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-11

til 1888 He established his paper in
Boston in 1854, and continued it's editor
Tor more than 40 years, drawing around
him the best political and other news
paper winters of that period. Russell
was "a years a representative from
Boston in the legislature, and was also
a member of the senate and executive
council. He died in 1S45.
The methods in bookmaking in
Thomas day differed greatly from those
of the present time everything then
being accomplished by hand work,
through slow and laborious process.
But there was quality about his pro-
auctions which cannot be reached in
the rapidly executed printing of our
period, with all its attractions of half
tone and other lavish establishment.
1t was this quality which gained for
him the designation of the American
Baskerville from the greatest of AM
erican printers, Benjamin Franklin.
The titles of the standard works print
ed and published by Thomas form a
long list, and all his books combined,
make a library Of no mean proper
tons.
Few men have had the distinction
which was accorded Isaiah Thomas, OF
being twice buried, or committed to
the tomb, with pomp and ceremony.
In 1878, the march of civilization claim
ing a right of way over the old Me-
chanic street burial ground. the long
time tenants of that once sacred spot
had notices of eviction served, which
were enforced with such dispatch, that
within a few months they found them
selves occupants of new and strange
quarters The Thomas tomb, at the
northwest corner of the ground, shared
the fate of everything else within the
Enclosure. and it was thought proper
that the removal of the remains OF It's
ilIustrious owner should be ATTENDED py
a public demonstration of a character
suitable to the occasion. Ana mere a
personal Renaissance may be related.
Certain rumOrs at that time prevailed
to the effect that, some AZ years peioTe,
the tomb had been broken INTO, ana tue
bones of Thomas carried away to parts
unknown. 49,, - 90
These stories coming to the ears OF
Mavor Charles B. Pratt, a man OF great
Ingenuity of mind and infinite resource
In the face of a dilemma, he determined
70 satisfy himself IS to the truth or
faIsitv of these disquieting assertions,
DECLARING that it would never do Tor the
CITY officials to go on with the arrange
mants for the public ceremonies ana
find themselves, at the last minute IN
default Of that customary ad1uhct 10
a funeral, the body
In accordance with this purpose a
chosen few. of whom the writer was
one. were quietly notified to attend
"rehearsaT' of the operation of opening
the tomb, and what in art circles would
be termed a private view OF It's con.
tents on the morning of the Sth OF
May. - AZ
appointment in finding the orlck ana
stone receptacles which contained the
remains intact were at once dlspelled;
hI,t during the suspense a very knowing
Iook an the face of a certain high ofh-
ciai gave assurance that If the OBJECTS
so,,ebt did not appear on the present
occeaion they would be found all right
~, tbeir nroper places when the time
nanie for the grand opening, which was
IN take place preliminary to the formal
exercises on the oath of June:
A few days before the date last men
toned the tomb was again opened IN
the presence Of a large assemplage, ana
the removal of the remains was ERECT
ed.
Shortly after this sundry bits of
wood each bearing the following label.
we're distributed among several public
museums: ,,,,..or
PRIMER. Publisher of The Massachu-
sets Spy. through whose columns was
boldly advocated the cause of American
liberty during the Revolutionary peri
cd: Author of the History of Printing
and founder Of the American Antigua
rian Society.
..Tba inexorable hand of Public Inn
r,.ovanant disturbed his repose after
sleep of nearly fifty years, June IL
1875"