The Newtown bee., 1889-10-04
Putnam Memorial Park.

To convert wilderness into q beauti- 1 full park requires many months of weary toll by many hands. Such is the work undertaken i'll transforming the old Put
 nam camp ground into q handsome me-
 morial park to the memory of Gen Put
 nam and his army, who camped here.
 Some 3S acres of land in the crudest state 1 is being worked By about 50 labcrers, who, under the supervision of Senator
 Bartram of sharon, are laying out drives
 and walks, building block houses, bridg-
 es, walls and restoring as far as possible ! many of the old relics that in the century past have crumbled away.
 1 The News correspondent, wishing to 1 find out just what was going on at the grounds, visited the place. It is less than an hours drive from Bethel, which 1 is the nearest railway station to the park. You drive over hills and along lonely
 roads and, just as you are about to give yourself up as lost to all civilization, you 1 are confronted by q large sign board, bearing in bold letters the pleasant in- formation, gro Memorial Park
 On reaching the grounds, activity was seen everywhere. Men were scattered
 all over the place, most of whom were engaged in squaring huge blocks of gran ite for building purposes. A repair shop
 and other necessary buildings have been set up and work will be continued till cold weather sets in.
 With Superintendent Bartram as guide the correspondent was shown about the grounds. The senator is q big man and,
 like few other odd men we have heard
 of, never wore an necktie. He has had
 much experience in the work and knows
 every inch of the grounds, as he was
 born and brought up in the vicinity.
 He seems to be thoroughly interested in
 the work and, in explaining some old thusiastic. On entering the grounds by the Bedding road, to the left and built on a high pinnacle of solid rock is a large granite shaft, some 43 feet in height. It is plain in design, but very neat piece of work. Leading up to the monument, handsomecourt is in course of construc- tion. At either entrance to the court are to be the block houses and a granite wall follows up the steep hill through an arch in which stream of water rushes and foams as it falls over the rocks below. Near the end of this wall will be built an orname ental stone tower, unique in design. Many relics of the past are still in good preservation and
 are not disturbed. Old fire places, or
 fire backs, as familiarity called, occupy not a small portion of the grounds, in long rows across large field. Cannon balls and bullets have been found, and the men are constantly unearthing something new. 4 few days before, an old mess kettle had been found with several bullet holes in it. All the relics
 will be gathered together and will be on exhibition in q suitable building erected for that purpose. By damming up one of the many streams that flow through the place, charming little lake will be
 made and similar attractions will appear on every hand. A stone bridge, said to be no years old, will not be disturbed. The grounds will be surrounded by huge stone wall, substantially built, with a granite coping much of the way. All of the stone are quarried on the premises and walk over the place will convince one that the supply will be far in excess Of the demand.
 To complete the work as now planned will take many months, although good start has already been made. The State has appropriated nearly S22,000, but it
 will not be sufficient and another appro- priation will doubtless be called for.
 The work cannot be completed this sea son and will be resumed as early as pos sible next Spring. The members of the special camp ground commission are Samuel 5. Ambler of Bethel, Isaac N. Bartram of sharon, Gland H. Blanchard of Hartford, Oliver B. Jennings of Fair field, Clement A. Sharp of Pomfret, James E. Miller and Charles Burr Todd Of Reading .-[ Danbury News.