The times., 1901-05-19
THE HISTORY OF A STATUE
Facts Concerning the Penn Monu-
ment in the Quaker City.
Interesting Relic on the Hospital
Green in PhiIndeIphia-Oneo of the
MefaI shoes Repaired The Me-
mortal once In JunISshop.


MefaI shoes Repaired The Me-
An interesting history attaches to the
statue of William Penn. founder of Penn
sylvania. which still stands where II was
placed in the grounds of the old hospital
at Eighth and Pine Streets. The minutes
of the Pennsylvania Hospital tell the sto-
~ OF its coming, gift of John Penn. In
November, 1902. John Penn. through his
attorney, offered a portrait OF William
Penn to the managers of the hospital. re-
questing to know where il would be
placed. reply was duly sent to John
rem, but the picture was never present.
ed.
On September "a. 1904. the minutes re-
cord "A Statue in Lead of William Penn
Is arrived in the ship 'Pigon' from Lon
uoh- no letter accompanied the statue.
"tlen was accepted in lieu of the portrait
which John Penn had at firsi p,,rnose,I
giving to the hospital.
In Quaker language beginning With tha
familiar greeting Esteemed Friend. +" ard
couched in Friendly 'thees" and ..thous :,
the president. Josiah Hewes. wrote Ia
Penn, thanking him for his gift. and tell
ing him Immediately after its arrival
some young men of our city who are
friends to your family requested the Iib.
erty OF raising gratuitOusly for this pur
pose pedestal of the white rnarbls Of
Pennsylvania, Ito be fixed az the Green ar
the South Front Of the Hospital with suit
able 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 is represented in Colonial CO.'S
tune lie holds in his hand scroll en-
graVed with Charter OF Privileges to
pennsylvania. MDCC," etc.
The statue stands on a slab Of marble
marked: Presented by John Penn, A. d.
iS4 This surmounts the pedestal which
IS engraved as follows: In front the we'll
known coat-of-arms with Penn's round
els Over it is engraved William Penn.
Born 1644- Died us" On the east side
we read Pennsylvania Granted by
Charles ii to William Penn, 1881" on the
north. The Proprietary Arrived Iss2.
made Just and AmicabIe Arrangement
with the Natives for the Purchase of their
Lands and went back to England 1854. .
The west side reads: Returned to Penn
sylvania 1893 and Finally Withdrew to His
Parental Estate 1701"
The history Of the substitution of statue
Tor picture was not explained until 1876,
when letter Of Benjamin Franklin. writ
ten in 1755. threw Eight on the transaction.
In this epistle Franklin describes a visit To
his friend Lord Despencer, and seeing the
statue OF WiliiaT1 Penn holding the scroll
Franklin admired il so much ne then
wished copy made to stand in the State
House grounds in Philadelphia. The letter.
with copy Of the scroll inscription is now
among the archives of the Penns vlvanfs
Lord Despencer's successor took
no interest in William Penn. The statue
was sent 20 junk ship to be sold for old
metal Here John Penn found il and
purchased il for presentation TO the Penn
sylvania Hospital
We may now see the statue facing Pine
Street. on the hospital green. Penn still
holds the charter. in perpetual remem-
brance Of that famous treaty, never
sworn to and never broken
1t is curious to know that in course of
time one OF the statues shoes wore Oati
IN Is1o, during Il severe storm. the statue
OF Penn blew down. II was found that
the support of one foot was corrOded and
the metal had decayed away. a new sole
and high heel were supplied to Penn, and
his statue was then securely replaced on
he pedestal, where it now stands today
Philadelphia Record.