The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-06-01
\ IrIr,end.hip Group d Trees on Country
Estate II E. 9. Benedict Which
Was Planted 81 Distln-
sulshed Men.
rHE CLEvELAN TREE
place Of Honor Was Given 20 the
Cleveland Trse. Which Was II
Planted ~ Ex-Presi-
s' s,as don't Ii 1897.

4 KEW YORK, May 30 One Of he.
most remarkable Of living memorials
4 famoue men Is the friendship
grove. which II q feature OF the beau
I HUI country estate OF B. g. Benedict,
lie wealthy banker and ex-commodore
Of the Seawanhake-C orinthian Yacht
club near Greenwich, Conn Mr..
Benedict has teen widely known for
many years as q yachtsmnn and bust
ness man and as Grover Cleveland's
1 most intimate friend in private life.
It was on board his yacht that many
81 the important acts or Mr. Cleve-
lands public life were decided upon
ard he has been on terms OF close
Is friendship with many otter leaders
in public, business and professional
lie. Probably more prominent men
have been entertained at his n1agni-
ncent Italian villa overlooking Long
I Island Sound than at any other coun-
A try house In America.
To commemorate thess friendships
M Benedict has induced some OF the
distinguished visitors to liant trees
which have been named for them in
rio. OF ground close to his house.
Those trees, which shavo been planted
on different occasions during the past
dozen years stand close together and
form vrcve that probably has no
lil:c elsewhere Tho group of trees
Ii still small one for the great
banker has been exceedingly careful
1 about admitting new members to his
miniature Hall Of Fame. but it includes
s1rboricultural representatives almost
q as. varied as hsve been rs persoEaIi-
tier md achievements OF the men
whose fame and friendship taey per-
petuate President Cleveland An
drew CArnagic. Joseph Jefferson. the
/ famossc actor, Thomas Bailey AldVcfl,
'Yhe poet, John G. Carlisle, and former
3 vicc-Prt mt Fairbanks are among
those Tho have added . this remark
able memorial grove and the trees
Z By which they are REPRESENTED range
from spreading chestguts and lindens
to ,,aks and eversreens.
The place of honor ir this remark
able grove, both IN roir. Of time and
In the place which the man WHO
planted 4 holds In the friendly affect
I ions OF the owner. belongs to the
Cleveland tree. This Is sturdy chest
nut, the roots of which were covered
with earth by spade in the hands
i OF the ex-president on April ~, 1897,
!. little more than month after lie had
retired from the White House for the
second time. In fact tie nucleus of
the fr andship grove may be sconsid-
cred memorial to the second Clcve-
land administration. for 1t consists, in
addition to the Cleveland tree of .wo
others planted by William l.. Wilson
anG John G. Carlisle. both members
Of President Cleveland's cabinet. Di-
rectly after he had given up the Chief
Magistracy of the nation Mr.. Cleve-
land peid yipit to the country home
Of his cid FRIEND, Mr.. Benedict, on
whose counsels he had often relied
and among the other guests were
John O. Carlisle, who hac just retired
from the position Of Secretary of the
Treasury. and william T. Wilson, who
had served President Cleveland as
Postmaster-G General.
It was at this time thst the idea OF
the friendship grove originated. Some
reference having been made to the
presence together OF three OF the men
most prominently identified with the
Cleveland policies. 1t was suggested
that they should commemorate the oc
casion by each planting Il tree 10 bear
n's name. Mr.. Benedict Immediately
mad the ground prepared: three fine
young saplings were brought from the
woods or the estate and were planted
Sosc together as tho three men had
aeen during tie busiest and most I'M
por'ant period Of their lives.
Precedence was given to Mr.. Cleve
'alid who placed the first tree In the
Ground Instead OF following the
usual custom OF distinguished mer
N and contentinr himself with. merely
throwing on a spadeful Of earth, Mr.
Cleveland with characteristic thor
oughness insisted on de-. the jot
completely. and finished 1t up by lamp
lng the earth down solidly around the
stem OF the young tree. On the follow
lng day Mr.. Wilson planted his tree
selecting, like his former chief, 9
cnestnut, and on the second day Mr.
.srlisle set out the third member Of
ne grove. He declined to be re
Membered BY chestnut, however