East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-06-17
CIV Burton X. Standish. }

(By burton Il. Stanulsn.D
WASHINGTON June 17.-Few
persons realize that Amer lean history
is linked as much with old trees as
with historic buildings and spots.
Few visitors to the National Capital
ever look at the famous trees-and
there are thousands of visitors here
every week who believe after their
tour that they have seen everything
of Importance.
Not one in a thousand Washington
visitors-or residents-know that the
beautiful Summer Elm" in front of
the Capitol was planted by Abraham
Lincoln. Few know that nearly every
has planted trees in Washington which
still stand, Nearly every famous AM
erican statesman can be linked with
one or more of the sturdy old trees
here. A big cypress near the Capt.
tol was brought here by Mrs. Jeffer-
son Davis and just across the street
from ii is tree Charles Sumner
| planted.
The tree man" of Washington is
Bristow Adams, forest examiner of
the Bureau OF Forests. United States
Department of Agriculture Speaking
of trees closely associated with AM
erican history Adams said There
is the famous elm under which Will
liam Penn made his treaty with the
Indians. That tree was so esteemed
/ that the English oldiers placed a
special guard around it during the
Revolution, and after II was blown
down by gale in 1910 it's trunk was
sent to the old Penn family seat, near
Windsor. England. There it still is
preserved"
On Georgia avenue in Washington.
according to Adams, on the grounds
of the Walter Reed Hospital is the
trunk of an American poplar which
was occupied by both Confederate and
Federal lookouts and sharpshooters
during the Civil War when the
Southern forces made their nearest
approach to Washington. The tree
was the lookout point from Fort
Stevens.
Scattered throughout the United
States. especially in New England are
many other famous trees. II one elm
on Boston Common could tell its his
tory. tragic tales of suffering would
be unfolded. for on it were hanged
two witches and Mary Dyer, the
. Quakeress.
At Hartford. Conn, is the famou:
Charter Oak where the charter OF
Connecticut was hidden when King
James sent Governor Andres across
the ocean to usurp the powers in the
I original land grant
| Adams said he believed the old Ap.
pomattox Oak is still standing. Under
: IT Generals Grant and Lee met on tn,
occasion which marked the close Of
Civil War hostilities.
7 At one battle of the Revolution the
2 American forces were saved from 6
$ terrible defeat by the tough spong,
e wood of the palmetto tree. That wal
at Charleston. s. c., during the BATH,
Of Fort Moultrie. Then the British
volleys fell harmless against the tree
which sheltered the Continenta
lhc ihbt TIOttbtdnt
services in the United States wer,
held under trees at jamestown. Va
The most recent of historic trees II
Washington are the Japanese cher
ries. the gift of the late Emperor o
China. They were set out along tn,
Potomac Drive.
1t seems known to few Washington
a visitors that the huge bronze statu,
q of Liberty which tops the Capitol dom
Il faces away from the White Hous
n and Washington monument. Few
Il seem to know that the original plan
i. of the city were for the buildinI
= where the nations laws are made, t
i face east and not west
When the Capitol plans were draw
;. the government expected the city L
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