Evening star., 1934-11-16
PRESIDENT SEES
PIONEER PARALLEL
Nations Plight Demands
Spirit of Frontier, Har-
rodsburg Told.
Continued From First Page.)

e~O~'r
first school teacher and the first doc
tor beyond those mountains came, the
first court in the West, the first corn
in Kentucky, the first apple seeds and
peach stones planted, the first wheat
field, the first grist mill and the first
spinning wheel in what is now Ken
lucky.
The President added to brief re-
view of Harrodsburg's history by say
ing with a broad smile, land, as you
know, 1 am very much in favor OF
first things"
His large audience caught his
meaning instantly and laughed and
clapped.
As the President concluded his
speech he was greeted with cheering
which lasted nearly minute.
The Presidents special train, after
an overnight ride, arrived at Har-
rodsburg at 8 o'clock this morning.
This little town, SO rich in the early
history of this country, and not useo
to any great amount Of fuss and
excitement, was greatly alive to the
OCCdSlOIl. oul10l1lSo "CAS
and the short main street was alive
with cheering people as the Presl-
dent and his party motored to and
from the scene of the dedication.
Granite Memorial Near.
The exercises were held close by
the handsome granite memorial to
those brave and patriotic adven-
turers who started the settlement
which in 1774 was named Harrods-
burg in honor of James Harrod,
Virginian who was leader. This
memorial, for which the Federal Gov
ernment appropriated 100000. Is in
the nature of a cenotaph and Is
beautiful in its simplicity. On either
side there are three monoliths and
a monument of sculptured figures
including George Rogers Clark and
Of four other pioneers.
The section Of ground which COM
prised the original settlement and
upon which has been built repro
ductions of the original log cabins Of
the first settlers and the log fort
has been converted into a park to
be preserved for the future.
There were less than so men in the
brave little band led by James Harrod.
Little is known of Harrod and less Of
his companions. This exploit and
the founding of this settlement seem
to be his sole contribution to history.
He had been in a surveying party on
lands along the Ohio River when he
learned of the rich bluegrass region
beyond the Ohio and in that section
now known as Central Kentucky. He
determined to settle there, and in the
Spring of 1774 gathered together a
party of frontiersmen and, after a
long journey down the Monongahelia
and Ohio Rivers, decided to settle upon
the ground where today's ceremonies
were held.
Town lots were laid out and log
cabins built, but within the year their
work was interrupted and their hopes
temporarily blasted by frequent In
dian attacks. They were forced to
abandon their settlement, to return
the following year.
Clark Joins Settlement.
Their numbers increased, and soon
afterward they were joined by George
Rogers Clark, whose force and quail
ties as leader were soon recognized.
1t was under his direction that a
strong fort was built, without which
this struggling settlement could not
have long survived because Of the
hostility Of the Indians. From Har-
rodsburg Clark sent to Gen. Washing
tons army many strapping young
frontiersmen recognized as expert
marksmen. 1t was in this crude set
tlement that Clark conceived the idea
of opening up the country further to
the west which later gave him his op-
portunity to serve the young republic
so well.
Among those in the Presidents i'm
mediate party were Mrs. Roosevelt
Secretary of State Hull, Senator Bark
ley and Col. Marvin H. Mcintyre, one
of the presidential secretaries. Gov
at the station to officially welcome the
President and his party, and later pre-
side over the dedication ceremonies.
Secretary Of Interior Ickes boarded
the presidential train early this morn
ing at Cincinnati. Mrs. Roosevelt
Joined her husband at Danville, KY.
at $50 this morning, having flown by
plane from New York.