The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-03-22
City Of the Pilgrims Preparing to
Celebrate Tercentenary Of
Landing.
ANNIVERSARY COMES IN 1920
Little City Of Plymouth Thinks It's
Big Enough to Undertake Job OF
Fittingy commemoratlns .
Historic Event.

scendants of the Pilgrim Fathers
visit this, the oldest town in New
England. during the tercentenary
celebration of the Landing capital
L, please-from the Mayilower The
celebration, which might commemo-
rate also the blessing of the new
word with roast turkey and pumpkin
pie, will not be held, of course, until
1920. But already the usual placid
minds of Plymouth's best and most
prosperous citizens are perpleXed by
the question: How can the coming
of the Pilgrims to this shore 300 years
ago he celebrated in the most fitting
the most dignified and yet the most
brilliant manner?
Any New England schoolboy will
tell you that the Mayflower first cast
anchor in Cape Cod bay, just within
the cape. on November 21, 1920. This
Is now the splendid harbor Of Prov
incetown, the only windward port
for many league where the lit
tie vessel that bore Miles Standish and
his companions could have lain safely.
Nearly all the company went ashore,
glad to touch land after the long
voyage. They first fell on their knees
and thanked God for the preservation
of their lives. The water was shall
> low and they had waded ashore-the
men to explore the country, the wom-
en- to wash their clothes.
Chose Landing Place.
The spot chosen by party of ex-
plorers for the permanent landing
place of the Mayflower's passengers
was selected about December 20, 1920,
and there New Plymouth was built.
From about the middle of December
until Christmas day the weather was
stormy and the bulk of the passen-
gers remained on the ship while some
of the men built rude shelter to re-
ceive them. On Christmas day most
of the Pilgrims went on shore to visit
the spot selected for their residence.
ton and John Alden, both young. were
first to spring on Plymouth Rock from
the boat that conveyed them.
Small wonder Is 1t that, with three
such central figures as Priscilla, Miles
Standish and John Alden at hand. so
to say. historic pageant almost
certainly will be one of the great fea-
lures of the celebration.
There are some dubious ones here
who feared that Plymouth is not big
enough Tor the celebration; that the
town of 14,OOO people cannot do JUS
tice to the great event. 1t has been
suggested even that Plymouth be re-
produced in Boston. where there 10
capacity to entertain thousands OF
visitors, and that the ceremonies be
held in The Hub. But this PROPOSE
ton has already been dismissed; as
well remove Plymouth Rock to Bos-
ton Common.
Plymouth will be the place; Ply
mouth Will rise to the occasion and
welcome all America, II need be, to
the very scene where those who
risked their lives to give religious
liberty disembarked. More than
three years remain in which to pre-
pare.
Capitalists stand ready to build
great hotels here; already the rail-
roads are planning for the transporta-
ton of the Pilgrims of 1920. 1t is
arranged to transport Plymouth Rock
from its bed on the shore, for only a
comparatively small piece of 1t is visi-
BILE now to the patriotic eye.
Plans were made, ideas were ad-
vanced for the tri-centennial as long
as 16 years ago, when the Massachu-
setts Society of Mayhower descend
ants and the Pilgrim Memorial asso-
citation interested themselves in the
project. But there is no need for
those who love to tread historic ground
and to offer the tribute of their pres
ence to the forefathers to delay their
visit to Plymouth.
A "Live" Town.
Old as it Is, this is live" and
beautiful town, closely dotted with
places of interest. AS n shipping post
IT is second to Boston, in Massachu-
sets. 1t manufactures products worth
more than S15, 100000 each year. Here
one may see the national monument
to the forefathers and that to Miles
Standish: the site of the Common
house on Leyden street. the first
house to be built, the first street to
be laid out in New England; the court
house of severely chaste colonial archi'
lecture; the famous Pilgrim hall. with
its great collection of relies OF the
Puritans; Clark's Refuge; Old Burial
hill, the burial place of many of the
first settlers, and Pilgrim wharf Ind
Bawtry Island. where the Pilgrims
passed their first Sabbath.
Cnoi+ivs I ives in Coal Nine