The sun., 1909-02-21
LAST OF JUMEL EXPRESSES
STORY or NAPOLEON AND OLD
JUMEL FALLS WITH THEM.

NTo 70 MAKO Room Tor an Apart.
ment House--May BE Regretted,
Even II They Never Came From Esypt
After living for hundred years with
the pleasant tradition pinned to them
that they began life In Egypt and found
heir way to the upper end OF Manhattan
Island through the gift OF the great
Napoleon, q hall dozen Expresses which
used TO fringe the fish pond on the old
Jumel estate are to get few outs from
an axe and topple over into an exoava-
ton FOR new apartment house. Long
ago the old fish pond dried up and the
place whore it was became the corner
OF st. Nicholas avenue and lS9th street.
With the coming Of the new streets the
trees-there were a hundred Of them in
the beginning went in tens and twenties
until at last there were only a couple Of
dozen left. That was six weeks ago.
Then twelve more fell to make room for
the cellar Of new building door OF two
from st. Nicholas avenue, and now the
Italians are digging holes and blasting
rocks Tor an apartment house on the
corner. Already six Of the remaining
Expresses have gone, and by Wednesday
the last OF them will be done for.
For large part OF the one hundred
years men have looked at these trees
and told one another that they were
given TO Napoleon by the khedive OF
Egypt and that Napoleon passed them
on TO stephen Junel as a token OF his
very high regard. The story has II that
Stephen Jumel went TO Paris In 1915 In
his own ship, the Eliza, with the full in
tent OF bringing to this country Napoleon
Bonaparte. who was at the end OF his
fortunes. Napoleon declined the oner
OF retreat in the United States and
shortly thereafter found himself ON the
Island Of st. Helena.
When Jumel was in Paris he saw the |
trees lying In heaps on the ground in the
Iuileries Gardens and knowing 80 goes
the story that they we're ranties come
from Egypt, received them from the
the roots Of each little tree was a clod OF
It's native earth packed in a canvas bag.
Along with the trees Napoleon gave TO
stephen Juinel his travelling carriage,
some furniture and paintings which once
belonged to the Empress Josephine, a
set Of drawing room furniture once the
OF Charles Y. and a good many
other relics from the households of the
Kings OF France. The travelling car
rage, 80 tradition has 1t, was almost the
occasion Of disaster. As NJ. and Nine.
Jumel we're drawing out OF Paris thfy
we're stopped and held as prisoners. me
American Minister intervenod and after
4 six hour detention they were released,
But the carriage they had to giveup
The trees, however. found their way to
his country. and stephen Jumel put them
Jut in a semicircle around his fishpond
n the southwest corner OF his grounds
They took root and grew, and presently
heir top branches got so high that they
ook ed out over the Harlem River as 1t
visits BIT TO the eastward: The mansion
tself was not far away. II looked almost
" 1t did when Washington took II fresh
rom Roger Morris for his headquarters,
or Jumel had restored the place out OF
spirit OF loyalty 20 the friend OF his
riend Lafayette.
OF course those trees bridge the age
II the city from adolescence TO manhood.
They could doubtless tell some stories.
3ut there are some who wouldn't believe
he stories. for the tale Of the Egyptian
,rigin does not seem To have a proper
oundaton in fact. They are not African
ypreeses at all, but plain Americans,
fou have that on the word Of Samuel
Parsons, Jr.. the landscape architect of
he Park Department. He gives them a
attn name Taxodium disdichum). and
ays that TO the botanist the distinction
'etween the American cypress and the 4
me that would grow in Egypt 10 as clear ,
s the difference between the oak and the
'alm In the eyes Of the layman,
But TO some people the imposture was
much pleasanter thing 10 have there I
N the corner of st. Nicholas avenue and |
59th street than this:
as ROOM APARTMENTS TO LET;
LII MODERN IMPROVEMENTS, TELEPHONE; ,
APPLY TO JANITOR on THE PREMISES.
md that 10 what there is going 10 be.