Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-05-04
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PLYMOUTH ROCK
LOOMS UP AGAIN
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
Fittingly Communicating
Historic Event.


Plymouth Mass.-What great
throng viii be here II all the good
Americans who claim to be de-
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 Mayflowerl The
celebration, which might commemo-
rate also the blessing of the new
world 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 be celebrated In the most fitting,
the most dlgnifled and yet the most
brilliant manner?
Any New England schoolboy will
tell you that the Mayhower first cast
anchor in Cape Cod bay, just within
the cape on November 81, 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 Standlsh 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 he permanent landing
place of the Mayfiower'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.
Then, tradition hath 1t, Mary Chill
ton and John Alden, both young, were
first to spring on Plymouth Rock from
the boat that conveyed them.
1 Small wonder is 1t that, with three
such central figures as Priscilla, Miles
Standish and John Alden ut 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 for the celebration; that the
town of $4,000 people cannot do JUS
tice to the great event. 1t has been
suggested even that Plymouth be re-
produced In Boston, where there Is
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 anc
welcome all America, If need be, tC
the very scene where those who
risked their lives to give religious
liberty disembarked. More thar
three years remain in which to pre-
pare.
Capitalists stand ready to bullt
great hotels here; already the rail
roads are planning for the transporta
ton of the Pilgrims of 1920. 1t Ii
arranged to transport Plymouth Rocl
from its bed on the shore, for only {
comparatively small piece of 1t is visi
BILE now to the patriotic eye.
Plans were made, ideas We're ad
vanced for the tri-centennial as lont
as 16 years ago, when the Massachu
sets Society of Mayflower descend
ants and the Pilgrim Memorial asso
citation interested themselves In thu
project. But there Is no need TO
those who love to tread historic groun'
and to offer the tribute of their pres
ence to the forefathers to delay thei
visit to Plymouth.
A olive" Town.
Old as il is, this is Give" ant
beautiful town, closely dotted will
places of interest. As shipping pos
1t Is second to Boston, in Massachu
sets. 1t manufactures products WORT
more than $15,000,C00 each year. Her
one may see the national monumen
to the forefathers and that to Mile
Standish the site of the Common
, house on Leyden street, the frs
house to be built, the first street f
be laid out in New England; the court
; house of severely chaste colonial archi
3 lecture; the famous Pilgrim hall, wit
. its great collection of relies Of tn
} Puritans; Clark's Refuge; Old Buria
= hill, the burial place Of many Of tn
q first settlers, and Pilgrim wharf an
a Bawtry Island, where the Pilgrim
Z passed their first Sabbath.