Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-05-18


directed "as soon as conveniently may be,
to cause to be cleared up a part OF the col
lego square, not exceeding 10 acres, begin
ming on the westerly line and extending
eastcrly the whole width OF the lot"
President Sanders says that in 1893 ''tho
College common was covered with wood, no
building erected upon it and no road run.
ming through it. o." In the fail OF this year
President S. helped to cut down the every
largo trees which, with "thick underhrush, -
grew upon the site where the college was
afterward erected "These pines formed
considerable portion OF the timber in the
ediflce " The president. house, begun in
1194 and nearly finished the next year, was
completed and occupied, and well dug. in
the fall OF 1893 The next winter the pres
dents barn was built, and his garden was
maue in the following summer. This
house stood a little to the southwest of
the present Museum building. The origi-
nal college building, o four-story struc-
ture OF wood, was begun in the spring OF
1891 and carried up to the third story the
Same season. The nsxt year the four stor-
les were completed and the roof covered
In 1903. l6 rooms, eight at each end, were
completed SO as to be occupied in 1904.
For acme years after the erection OF tho
building the green was ornamented by huge
pine suumps. These were dug up and
| cleared away from time to time by ccntri-
| buttons from those who resided in the vci
nifty and the people of Shelburne and other
adjacent towns were invited to assist. A
machine was finally contrived which tac.li-
tated the removal OF the stumps
A fence must have been erected in front
of the college before the summer of 1905, as
| in that year five students were fined 30
cents each for burning it.
There seem. not to have bean law enough
in the State or the town to prevent squat
| ters from occupying this park. Atany rate
buildings were allowed to disfgure it at
either end. Two dwellings, a story and
half high, as also a barn, stood for many
years at the south end. One OF these was
occupied by Mr.. Dorman Bridgiman, who
came here to educate his three sons. His
daughter married Mr.. Eaton, and was the
mother of the Hon. Dormau Bridgeman
Eaton OF the clnss of IS, who has been so
efficient in the advocacy of the civil servi ce
reform. AT the north end, besides three
| dwelling houses, there was white wooden
structure three stories high, bull. for a
| store, one room OF which WAS sometimes
occupied by a private school, These build
ings had all disappeared before 1S40. The
date at which these encroachments began at
the north end ia indicated by q letter from
Ira Allen in which no tries 10 dssuade cor
tain men from appropriaitng that which
belonged to the public We print from q
copy made by sn amanuensis, the signature
only being in Ira Atoms handwriting.
COLCHESTER, May 18th, ISL.
Gentlemen: lave observed that you are
about to erect buildings on lands that have
! tribute both to convenience, elegance and use
! OF the University of Vermont, burlington, etc.
| Permit me To state facts. Whom the CORPORA
| ton OF said University stuck tho stake for
the lands and public buildings, 1t was agreed
to rcrerve convenient dooryard in front OF
said buildings, that the remaining pa bic lands
to the west should De appropriated TO the Use
OF green. then proposed to the corpora
tion, in presence of a number of respecta bio
spectators, that IS proprietor or owner of the
lands to the north OF the College Green, 20 tn
road leading from tho lake past Mr.. Loomis'
TO the falls of Onion river, should also be-
added to sad green, and no buildings erected
thereon. My long detention in Europe, II,
doubt. predicated on the part early took tor
the liberties aGu Independence OF this and the
| United States ought not to operate as an in
| Jury to II place made beautiful in the forma-
tou OF tho earth, and by art may be useful to
| this and future generations. II you persist in
erecting buildings on said lands, you cannot
| hereafter blame lue for not giving you the
earliest verbal and written Information, wher
| assure you that shall use every influence
| in my power, as member of said corpora ton
etc, to remove any buildings that are or may
be erected on said lands.
ana, etc,
(SignedD IRA ALLEN.
Messrs. Nichols, Barnard, etc.
The stout wooden fence, Of three heavy
rails framed into the posts which surround
! cd the green until 1874, was built under the
supervision OF the class OF 1888, headed anC
: directed by the energetic Alvi T. living,
: better known as the Rev. DR.. living, secro
tary OF domestic missions OF the Episcopa
church. For two months he and his assoc
ates busted themselves in grading tn,
grounds. filling the cellars at either end, re
< moving debris, and planting elm tree
- around the entire park. The students So
{ their hands to the work with will, WELD
ing blow and scraper with skill and energy
, born Of their farm training. Tho two arch
ed gates which stood between the coleg,
and the head OF College street, gave Il sor
| Of dignity to the whole enclosure Tn,
| uuadrupeds which were often allowed Il
roam uudisturbel in the poor mans pas
tursp were now excluded from the green
while bpeds we're admitted by turnstiles q
the extremities Of the paths. There was ,
> turnstile on either side of the two big gates
and two others at the north and south end
. of the park, alfordng entrance to broaC
walk or promenade some eight or ten fee
wide, which was neatly graded and extend