Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-02-24
a MIGHTY GIANT FALLS

storms and tempests that have blown in from Rarltan bay
from generation TO generation it has been the pride and
inspiration of the living, a lasting reminder of the dead.
It's mammoth trunk and sturdy limbs have baffled the
elements for two centuries and up until last night 1t stood
as proud and as naughty as ever. Then, after defying the
most that man could do for far longer than man ever thought
it had the power to resist, it finally gave up the ghost and
came crashing to the ground. The work Of destruction was
complete.
Thus does man show his mastery over nature. God
intended that it should be thus, but when one contemplates
the utter destruction within a comparatively few hours of
what it has taken centuries to develop, one wonder if, after
all, mans mastery over things on the earth is always direct
ed in the right way.
The giant which yesterday surrendered to mans will
was a mammoth elm tree, the largest of the group that has
always excited so much attention and admiration in the
lower end of Rector street in the rear of what in former days
was known as the Woodruff mansion, but which is better
known in this day as the Johnson property. Some called
them English elms, some claim that they came from Scot
land. It is certain that they are not natives of this soil, but
they have thrived here as few trees have thrived.
These trees were brought here by the early colonists.
They were set out on a site which, to those early settlers,
was good to look upon. They took root and grew. Year
after year they pushed their tops into the sky. They swayed
and moaned in the gales that blew and they cast their gener-
Gus shade during the torrid heat of the summer stiffness.
A" These trees were there to give pleasure and comfort
TO the old time colonial governors; they were there to see
the British frigates lombard the city from off the Bluff
during the struggle for freedom; British troops marched
under them to be superseded by the Continentals. No doubt
Aaron Burr, who took refuge in the Woodruff house the
night after he shot Alexander Hamilton, looked upon them
the next morning when he awakened and took courage to
press on in his flight.
And so on and on down the ages these old trees have
stood silently, majesticallY through the various periods of
our American history until today the wanton hand of man
has come to lay them low. They have been forced to yield
TO this age of commercialism. The mercenary spirit Of this
generation has overcome them. The lust for gold that blinds
SO many of the men of today when mere sentiment and his
fopic worth r. inyolyad has at last reached tbesp old oiopfc
and they have fallen the victims of our so-called modernt
civilization.
But ii was not without a real struggle that this big
fellow surrendered: The axe was first laid to its roots
early yesterday morning. At 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon
the boss in charge of this work of destruction said it would
be Two hours before it would fall.
Two hoursl Ye gods, and it took two centuries to
create it.
But the boss was mistaken. lie was not aware of the
stuff his foe was made of. They were still hacking away
when darkness fell. The old tree stood there in all its
grandeur even with a saw half way through its vtals and
with thick wedges driven into its trunk, and as The gang of
wreckers pulled and hauled rope after rope would snap like
string necessitating another half hours delay while some
one climbed into the wide-spreading branches and made
fast once more.
The wind sprung up. 1t blew in off the waters of the
lay carving with it a mist as if the bay, too, realized what
was going on and would do its best to hide the treacEeryl
and finally spread a shroud over the fallen. Yes, these trees
and the bay have long been companions. The men pulled
and hauled and the old tree, as last yielding to superior
power oreaked and cracked, but still stood up defantly while
the winds from the bay swished through its branches as if
10 say good-by. Then, finally, there was a great cracking
sound and with a crash that could be heard for blocks away
The giant lay PROSTATE.
Perth Amboy will never see a tree like that one again.
IT is doubtful if its duplicate can be found anywhere in this
section of the country. Perhaps such things must be, but
sometimes we wonder if, after. all, it is really worth while.
The city is becoming crowded and way must be made
for more and more houses for people to live in. But is there
no sentiment whatever in the city for these old historic
landmarks? Are we to go on with this work of destruction
,~fl oxou,yu oroipIop af IA opoo4 ,oHt Inc
The man who gave the orders to have that beautiful.
magnificent tree cut down-a tree that has<weathered two
hundred years and that was still in the very vigor of life.
had his own conscience to reckon with. But then we are
almost persuaded that anyone who could deliberately cut
down a tree like the one that fell in lower Rector street
last night is without a conscience; it would seem as if he
must be devoid of sentiment or soul and his heart must be
like stone.