The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-10
New England To Be Aroused
Again.
TOM ROGERS HISTORY.
An Interesting Conversation with an Old
Resident OF TicOndcrOga.


VINO have announced theirlntention TO arrive here
on the morning or the 10th OF May, The more
wonder az 1t the more / admire their patriotic
zeal and enthusiasm; for they, even were their
town rebuilt, would simply represent little dark
speck on the vast map OF the state, and yet they,
with more than two-thrds OF their village in
ruins invite TO what is LETT or their homes any
number OF persons VINO may choose TO accept
their Inequalities. | feel confident that
or the many thousands who will join
them on the morning OF the "centennialn
none WIN Depart dissatisfied; for though their
houses lie In ashes they have farms which they
can mortgage and clothes which they can pledge
grave exlgencies TO which they VIII resort rather
than see the ceremonies proceed in any other
channel than the proper
PREPARATIONS.
The historic grounds in this immediate neigh
bornood cover an area OF miles and miles. Had
any one ever taken the pains 10 "wrtc them up,i
the Revolutionary history OF New York state
would not be the mean, little land l cannot help
saying-super1ciai, Insignificant document that it
is now. Indeed, upon looking over all that has
been written and comparing it with what ever
since my sojourn here, have found. wholly untold
II would seem as II the first historian gathered all
he di;ated upon from romance, Imagination and
hearsay, and as II all VINO succeeded him followed
his example l confess, busy have i Deen IN
travelling over these nallowed grounds, in clam
boring their mountains and crawling among their
ruins, that aside rom forwarding you my investi-
cations rendering to you the regular and
official programmes, have had little opportunity
10 view what great efforts the people themselves
were making, and have not, ntil now. been In
possession OF one spare moment in which
could even conjecture how these efforts were
likely 10 succeed. At last all has been
fixed" No matter how many may come
and thousands are eXpected-all can be enter
tanned. Itwont be display like that at Lexing-
ton and Concord, though II commentaries an
equally important event. Indeed. the names OF
those VINO Will speak are at present unknown,
and their utterances viii be governed by what
they feel at the moment. The best blood OF New
England, the culture, talent and intellect OF
dozen States, will witness the scenes; and then
any one whom the spirit movesi can stand up
and say what he pleases. All the Vermont rail-
ways have arranged time ana place for special
trains. More than i've extra steamboats, will lie
under the shadow or the fort on Monday morning.
A grand picnic wiz be held on the grounds, and
bands OF music will be heard on nalf dozen his
toric hills, around which Will assemble numerous
posts OF the Grand Army or the Republic.
Though have already given, to the most minute
detail, all the particulars OF the capture OF the
fort, 1nd that the historical authorities upon
which have often relied are strangely antago-
nistlc and incomplete, and hat as limited BEFORE
many OF the incidents with which This neighbor-
hood is replete Ind no place Whatever upon their
pages.
OLD TON ROGERS.
met to-day the Oldest reliable inhabitant in the
place. had been searching for him, alter
fasnion, ever since | have been here and stun
bled across him this afternoon quite unexpectedly.
l found in him a grave, genial, aged man, silvery
haired intelligent and congenial-an entertaining
companion Tor any one Of any age, and o
party possessing q human joyialness aud
pleasantly at least twenty years younger
than himself He can remember as far back as
hfty years ago personally, and reates to-day what
his father told him OF events that happened nfty
years before. No '1ingon nor any discerniole
peculiaritles OF dialect marked bis dialogue for he
Is an intelligent man, VINO, aside from knowing
every foot OF the ground and all that has oeen
written oft In history. mad the advantages OF an
early education and possesses at the present time
one OF the prettest homes in the village.
climbed up the hills which lead to Toms residence
this EVENING" mean no oisrespect, for every
one calls him Tom-and | found hum seated
upon his piazza. The outlook mag
nincent-Mount Defiance upon the right,
Mount Independence upon tue left, the
calm waters OF Cnamplain IN 'front.'; behind them
magnificent stretch or rolling land, backed up
far, far away oy the dim outlines OF she Green
Mountains. Ticonderoga village, with It's ruins.
lay below US. and Jet somehow, We seemed over
Swallowed BY some mountain towering In the
rear. THIS mountain was Mount Hope, and tnither-
ward the old man went with me.
roH's HISTORY
IL remember said he. 'tne old fort nfty years
ago. remember when 10 was government prop
erty. and not In the hands OF individuals as It IL
now.n
"But now does IL come, ~ asked, shat 50 strong
piece OF masonry, as Judge 1t must nave been
from the wans now standing, should have erum-
bled such abjecs ruin in the space OF q hundred
years :"
.'Hal hap laughed the old man, as ne felt his
way mp the hiiL ~ dion't crumOle, not q bit OF
It. Don't ron believe IL, either"
1t didn't crumLle What 90 you mean 7"
WHAT ssyp retorted Mr. Rogers. "Tcon-
deroga never ell from its own weakness
"But," said l. at is In ruins.r
81 know IL, know it, no answered somewhat
sadly Cne - the most palnotic man ever met in
my nfeI, but It ougntn't to be-"
"Nhy notfn
"Listenl Tconderoga was torn down. stolen,
almost stone oy stone. they were nice stones.
Their lscos were smoothly dressed-nne stone for
building cellars. The creaturesn (he didn't desig-
nate them by the name OF mem Giving over on
the other side OF the LAKE knew it, and
what did they dos Why, az long that
fort was government properly the creatures
would come over IN boats Ia summer and in
sledges in winter, and take down sEe walls OF ri.
conderoga, and carry them by night the lake
again. aud use them to build cellars with. know
It. I've seen them do s myself with my own
eyes, there's no denying It; and they did It until
the fort and all it's surroundings passed into pri.
vate hands, and-wsll then they darsn't 60 IL
any longer"
Here then was the cause OF Fort Ticonderoga's
present dnapidated condition. Bombardment, age,
the rain and wind or years left the old fort stu
intact and lt would to-day have remained almost
In It's primitive condition but for the plundorlng,
tnieyish hands that tore II down layer by layer;
hands, TOO that hrst lifted themselves up to liRnS