Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1901-08-10
A STATUES HISTORY.
INTERESTING FACTS CONCERN
ING THE PENN MONUMENT.
Metal Shoes Repaircd-statue Was Blown
Down-The Memorial Once In q junk
shop-Now ON the Hospital Green In
Philadelphia.

An interesting history attaches to
the statue OF William Penn, founder
OF Pennsylvania. which still stands
where it was placed in the grounds
OF the old hospital at Eighth and Pine
streets. The minutes of the Pennsyl-
vania hospital tell the story OF its
coming, a gift OF John Penn. In No
vember. 1902. John Penn, through his
attorney, offered a portrait OF William
Penn to the managers of the hospital,
requesting to know where IL would be
placed. A reply was duly sent to John
Penn. but the picture was never pre-
scented. On Sept, "A, 1891. the minutes
record "A statue in lead of william,
Penn Is arrived in the ship Pigon from
London" No letter accompanied the
statue which was accepted in lieu OF
the portrait which John Penn had al
nrst purposed giving TO the hospital
In quaker language beginning with the
familiar greeting Esteemed friend"
and eouched in friendly "thees" and
thons," the president, Josiah Hewes
wrote TO Penn, thanking him for his
glft and telling him Immediately after
It's arrival some young men OF our
CITY who are friends TO your family"
requested the liberty OF raising graf
uitously for this purpose a pedestal OF
the white marble OF Pennsylvania, TO
De hxed al the green south front OF
the hospital. with suitable inscriptions
TO record the birth Of William Penn.
the memorable era when he founded
the Province OF Pennsylvania and the
time OF his death " Penn ~ represent
ed in colonial costume. He holds In his
hand a scroll engraved With q charter
OF privileges 10 Pennsylvania. MDCC.. p"
etc, The statue stands uu q slab OF
marble marked ~Pres utsd By John
Penn. A, D. 1904 This sarnoanys the
pedestal which Is engraved AS follows.
in front the WeIl-knOHa coat-1I-arms
with Penn's rounds's. Over lt Va On.
grayed William Penn. Born fG4l
Died Ills On the east side we read
Pennsylvania Granted By Charles II.
10 William Penn. 1861, On the north.
The Proprietary Arrived lg.3 Made
a just and Amlcab!s Arrangement
with the Natives for til" purchase us
Their Lands and Went Back 10 Eng
-iand 1854, The west side reads. Re
turned to Pennsylvania 1899 and FIN
ally Withdrew to Ills Parental Estate
ldOl. The history OF the substitution
OF statue for picture vas not explained
until 1876, when a letter OF BENJAMIN
Franklin, written in 1855. threw high,
on the transaction, says the Phitadel.
phia Record In this epIstls Franklin
describes a visit to his friend Lord
Despencer, and seeing the statue or
William Penn holding the scroll
Franklin admired Il 80 much ne then
wished copy made to stand Ia the
state house grounds In Philadelphia
The letter. with copy Of the scroll de,
scriptiun, Is now among the archives OF
the Pennsylvania hospital Lord De-
spencers successor took no interest in
William Penn The statue was sent to
junk shop to be sold for old metal
Here John Penn found II and pur.
chased 1t for presentation 10 the Penn.
sylvania hospital We may now see
. the statue facing Pine street. on the
hospital green. Penn stir holds the
charter. In perpetual remembrance OF
that famous treaty. never sworn to
and never broken" II is curious to
know that in course Of time one OF tho
statues shoes wore out! In 1850. dur.
Ing a severe storm, the statue Of Penn
blew down. II was found that the sup
port OF one foot was corroded and tho
metal had deeayed away. A new sole
and high heel were supplied 10 Penn.
and his statue was then securely re-
placed on the pedestal. where Il now
stands today.