The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-27
ANOTHER LANDMARK
IS PASSING | ] ! [ AWAY A \ |'.''|'.
THE Old popiarBiii tic Capitol
Square Is believed. 8 10
be Doomed.

NM ,rho id poplar tree whlcl, has 80 long
atood Hear the southeast corner OF the
II Cartel Hsquare and i,os 81 history That
4 extends over years, Is nii$olbject of IN
Y tercst Just nov. " 03 ;Ss ~ /. 4 \,
!49S,fhc Old poplar Is perhaps q hundred
yonrs Sd and II It could speak Or cou -
Y write It could ~ tale untold when, Wits Wits
IL mightGnot make aiiybody's hair sttln ~
d 81, end Or anything like that would l'it 30 q
intonsc iislorcal interest. Ia II, 81 III
rho Old tree was struck w ligl1 III
last year nbouts4 D clock IL, the afternoon y.
a tic 4t1,Bof July, ut q time wien half
~ Richmond, living Richmond. was out
OF town. Few people, pnratiYsciy
4 spcaklng. knew Of tl1e catastrophe, Dlll lt
tile state officers and clerks who happen
d "a 10 be lingering about tie Library
building 1T tho time, heard the crasl,,
saw tho bark stripped from tho main
!. body OF the tree, suw n half Il dozen
SQUIRRELS fall out OF the branches dend,
saw Governor Montagnc's horse. when !hfiiIct,
was standing In the rear OF the Library
building, drop to IL knces beng slock .e.l
md stunned BY the electric bolt, land WIN
sorrow they declared the old tree gone one.
for they hnd no idea IT could survive
= such d shock. 9 sfi IA III h, n
However, the old poplar has bndded out
and right now The hopes sof the Q nlu ,lal
IN tic Library building nre strong that
tits leaves will reach maturity ana iur.-
I ilisl,ssladc for u least another summer.
Commissioners Kolner, OF tho IA gricnll-
] turnl Department. who is nuthorl tys \. II
h such matters, has expressed nni5 expert,
opinion on tho subject. and he gives@butss
little hope 10: I he continued lie OF me t'$
old tree. Tho commissioner thinks tfo
leaves Will get through the budding stage
trn
Z the southgprong OF the zee. he thinks,
viii wither and die very early, and that,
& will DO The last or the south prong. The
south prong was much worse hurt by the
Il cruel bolt OF lightning than was the
north prong and the commissioner thinks
Il II will give up the ghost sooner than the
Il north prong. But even the Inter, nc
u tiinks.lBis doomed. It may grow some
medium sized leaves this sea- son, but
they will be stunted, and II may bud
next season. but will scarcely get through
tho budding stage. ana while other trees
Iii the Square will be DOMINIC their
lovllest spring attire the north prong OF
81 tho grand old poplar Will withcr and
die. FIJI III ~ s
sSYhnt@a pity, for It has been grand
old tree. and It has n history. Away back
yonder before the war, statesmen who
" had come from all parts OF Virginia TO
dispute and discuss and 3lcgi5tate for the:
good o e. the commonwealth p3 sought
1 shelter from the sweltering sun beneath
/ It's outrageous foliage, and there they
4 held Incidental caucuses and reached.
conclusions that wore later given force
and vlgor In the Capitol building, and
later still made and imprint on the his
Y tory OF the State. t.
In the early days OF the Civil War the
i old poplar was famous resort. IT Is said
that tho first company OF soldiers that
passed from State service to Confederate
States service we're mustered into the lat
ter service under the old poplar. Other sol
diers In the stirring days that followed
rested beneath It's sheltering limbs These
soldiers came from every part OF the
southland and doubtless many n re stu
living who remember the old tree that
IS now budding, probably for It's last time.
Leaf by leaf the roses rail- s8
And one By one tho old landmarks leave
lis. Tho Indications now are that before
the frosts Of another winter comes to
Swl,iten the Capitol Square tho striped
convicts who keep the sacred ground
clean will remove the old tree and con-
vcrtSit into kindling wood for he Offices
IN the Capitol and the Library build
ing. {l3 ~ 5I "A * i. a{szj E