Evening journal., 1905-10-12
PLYMOUTH ROCK AS
IT APPEARS TODAY

Plymouth has been called the cradle
Of New England. 1t is on the coast,
thirty-eight miles south OF Boston. and
is thriving and prosperous New Eng
land town. with good schools and
churches and town han and shops Of
an kinds and comfortable homes.
On the Fat strip Of land that runs
for miles up and down the shore Of
the bay the diminutive white houses Of
the fishermen are crowded Together.
In the centre OF the same Hat land
strip. hanked on both sides by the fish
ermen's homes, is a large, open square
forty yards from the water front. Here
stands Plymouth Rock, the first sight
OF which gives a mental shock, for no
doubt fancy has pictured an immense
bOwlder rising grandly out of the sea;
but instead the D visitor sees
only an oblong, irregularly shaped
gray sandstone rock twelve feet in
length and FIVE feet in width at the
widest point and two at the narrowest
Across one part runs a large crack,
which has been filed with cement, and
l. 4
artificial appearance. The origin OF
this crack is a bit OF unique history.
and bears evidence to the early differ
ences that az time divided the inhabi-
tants into two factions.
For a long time there waged spiritual
and bitter wrangling between the op-
posing parties, and Sc even settled down
upon the much cherished Plymouth
Rock. which one party declared ought
to be removed to a more worthy POSI-
tion In the town square and the other
Wranglers protested Il should not be
moved an inch from its position. even
though they had TO guard 1t with their
pixies and guns.
Finally the strongest faction drew up
their forces around Plymouth Rock.
and in attempting to move il up the
Hill split il asunder which seemed a
bad omen for those who had at
temped such thing. until an
ardent Whig leader fourished his
sword and by eloquent appeal to the
other Jealous Wings convinced them
that they should not swerve from
their plan of carrying the rock to a
place in the town square
'The portion that first fell to the
ground belongs to u.s." he cried; "and
that we win transport with all care and
diligence TO its proper home"
Twenty yoke OF oxen drew the Whig
section of Plymouth Rock up the hill.
amid the shouts of the throng that
pushed forward around the liberty pole
which was to mark the new site. The
ceremony of dedicating the rock in it's
new position was very Impressive, and
people stood with barred heads and in
reverent tones chanted their high
pitched psalms in token of thanksgiv-
ing.
In the town square this part Of Ply
mouth Rock remained for more than
half a century, when a committee Of
the council resolved to move Il back to
its original position and join &C. as best
they could. to the other half Accord
ingly, IN 1884, on the morning of the
Fourth of July, the Plymouth Rock had
been reunited in 8ll seriousness 20 its
long estranged portion, and the union
made complete by a mixture OF cement
and mortar
To-day four granite columns support
a canopy of granite that offers Ply
mouth Rock an Indifferent protection
against the rain and the sun and serves
to keep back, in some measure the
thousands OF slghtseers that come to
! Plymouth with only one object IN view
namely, 10 press up around the iron
bars and to gaze through them al the
revered rock, on which they see the
single inscription, cut IN the middle Of
dts face ia long, plain figures. 1920"
The rock As surrounded by high
iron railing composed of alternate boat
hooks and harpoons and inscribed with
the illustrious names Of the forty men
who drew up the Pilgrims compact ON
board the Maynower that November
day as they sighted the coast that
henceforth was to be their honest
! Nicholas