Evening star., 1911-08-13

PLYMOUTH. Mass. August I. 1911.
Everybody who comes here is disap-
pointed at the size and surprised at the
location Of what is left OF
Plymouth Plymouth Rock. 1t stands
p.l down among the DOCKS sur
A'oon. rounded by warehouses and
fish markets. about $50 feet from high
water mark, and is protected by an elab-
crate canopy Of stone. There Is no doubt
about its identity. For more than 200
years the anniversary of the landing has
been celebrated on the 22d OF December.
commonly called Forefathers' day. and it
has been venerated on these occasions
like the relics in the cathedrals of Rome.
1t Is the only rock in the vicinity, and
from the moment Of the landing until
the present day the Pilgrims themselves
and successive generations of their de-
scendants have regarded the bowlder with
reverence. In 1I41 it was formally de-
clared to be the landing place OF the
Pilgrims by Thomas Faunce, elder in
the First Church, who. having been born
in 1916, knew several of the Mayfower
party personally, and had frequently seen
them at the rock and heard it discussed
by them. At one time the sea threw up
tlic SdiO was en1lfely Dur1eQ TO
the depth Of twenty feet or more, hut
the tradition of the spot has been we'll
kept and its sanctity has been recognized.
The honor of having first set foot upon
the corner stone of this nation, the most
noted bowlder Of Christendom is claimed
for John Alden and Mary Chiffon. The
question of precedence can never be def
nitely settled but it is only common po-
liteness to give 1t to the lady.
The rock is about seven feet long and
five foAt yr-tI
feet wide at the narrowest. There Is a
crack across it very nearly in the center
which has been filled with cement. This
gives it an artificial appearance.
In 1775 an attempt was made to raise
the rock from the earth and remove it
farther inland because Of the
Removal encroachment Of the sand
Project sna xs. also sooa Of '0mmeres m,,n This
grave at Elsnor. Denmark 1t was orig
| inally on the outskirts Of the city, in a
very inaccessible place, and for the con-
venience Of tourists 1t was removed to a
little park in the center Of a group Of
restaurants near the old castle The good
people of the city will tell you the story
of the removal with sober faces, and
seem to think that 1t was the most nat
ural and logical transaction in the world.
The result OF the effort to change the
location of the rock was to divide the
citizens OF Plymouth into two bitter fac
tions. and at one time those who opposed
removal guarded 1t day and night with
pixies and muskets. Finally the stronger
faction captured the place, drove their
opponents away and placed their own
guards around the rock, and, as soon
as the arrangements could be made, at
tempted to hoist 1t with derrick and
place 1t upon a wagon: AS the tackle
frightened in lifting 1t from it's bed the
rock split asunder. and the superstitious
saw in the fracture an omen of the sep
aration of the colonies from the mother
country. After a hurried conference it
was decided to take the portion that was
lifted to the center Of the town. and twen-
ty yoke of oxen drew the wagon UP the
hill, leaving the other half Of 1t imbedded
in its original location. The ceremony
Of dedicating the half that was taken to
the public square was very impressive.
An oration was delivered and the popu-
lation stood with bare heads while in
reverent tones they chanted psalms Of
Thanksgiving.
1t remained in the public square until
1884, when on the Fourth Of July it was
removed to the plot Of lawn in front of
Pilgrim Hall, the Mayfower Museum
where It rested for forty-six years. until
1880. when. through the influence OF q
Mr.. Stlckney OF bdltlnnOfe, IL was re-
turned to It's original place, united with
the other portion and the reunion was
made complete by the administration Of
cement. II was then that the canopy was
erected over It.
Every schoolboy knows the history Of
Plymouth by heart. and some Of the
youngsters have well defined
Juvenile opinions as to. the rights
v and wrongs Of things. and
velslo0. the conduct of the leaders
Of the Mayhower party.
The boy from the livery stable who
drove us about Plymouth and pointed
out the places Of interest, with explana-
tions that were clear, concise and COM
plete. gave this version Of the first set
tlement Of New England.