Old Settler Gone - Rock Maple  

Culver Has Lost One of Its Most Prominent Landmarks

Culver Lost one of it oldest inhabitants last week - one whose sturdy and towering form has been a familiar sight to the people of the village and whose presence will be missed even by those who have been but temporary dwellers in the town.

Straight as a arrow and diginified as a king, this old resident has withstood the shock of summer storm and dified the shrieking blast of winter's blizzard with no dimunution of his royal vigor until within the past two seasons when it became apparent to the close observer that there was a slight loss of his spledid strrength and that probably his days of usefulness were nearly gone.

This old settler was the big rock maple in the center of the walk in front of the Porter property on Main street.

When a cement walk was laid about four years ago Grandma Porter, owner of the adutting property - loyal, as all old settlers are, to distinguished landmarks - could not decree the removal of the grand old tree, and the town board in the same spirit permitted it to remain.

Surrounded by cement, however, it was deprived of its former moisture, and recently the leaves have shown a tendency to curl. A portion of the foliage had to be cut away to make room for the new stores, and Will Porter concluded last week to have it cut down.

Henry Overman and Abe French laid sturdy stroke of glealming ax to its base and soon it toppled over into the street with a crash which proclaimed its mighty strength and weight

Mr. Porter remembers when it was set out, some fifty years ago, a slender tree 3 inches in diameter. At the time of its sacrifice it was 18 inches in diameter and 60 feet tall.

Under normal conditions it would have attained an age of 200 years, but would not have greatly increased in size.

It was a splendid specimen, symmetrical in every way, - a typical growth of the noblest family which inihabits our American forests. Its grain was curled, and no doubt Mr. Porter could have sold the tree for a handsome price but he has taken it to his yard whenciet will find ifominious end in the Porter cook stove.