The times., 1897-04-07
.F0RT|FY|hG PLUM ISLAND
Big Guns TO Defend the Entrance
to Long Island Sound.
GOVERNMENT BUYS A SITE
Work Of Preparing Plans for Sys~
TEN OF Strong Forts to Protect
New York and BrOokIyn-Interes
ing History of the Land Bought
From Indians Many Years Ago.

New York, April 6.-PreparatiOns for
fortifying the eastern end OF L0nd Island
Sound are about Completed Plum Island,
on which oueof the forts that viii command
the entrance 20 the sound is to be erected,
has been turned over 70 the Government
for that purpose. Major 5. 5. Leeeh, OF
the United States War Department, sta
toned at New London, Conn, who has
been negotiating for the purchase OF the
property, caused the deed, conveying the
property % the Government, TO be filed
in the Suffolk county clerks office at
Riverhead, l. /. a few days ago About
geo acres OF land In ali was turned over
to the authorities It was purchased from
ex-Mayor Abrarn s Hewitt, OF New York
The price mentioned in the deed was
S25, 200.
For some years past the Government has
been anxious to get possession Of some OF
the small islands at the eastern end OF
Long Island Negotiations were opened
with several owners OF property but no sat
isfdGtOTy price could be agreed upon. It
was not until early in February OF this
year that price satisfactory 20 the au-
thorities could be had II was then that
the deal for the Plum Island property was
the island made.
Assistant United States District Attorney
Robert II. Roy, Of Brooklyn. made tha
search of tile title Of the island, and in do
ing so discovered some very interesting
history. II was found that the little island
was originally decided by wyandance, the
Sachem OF the Montauk tribe, to Samuel
Wyliys, Of Hartford, Conn. in 1853. Wyl-
lyS ha w be
from the COnchongo tribe, but did not take
title from them.
The price paid for the property that has
just been purchased by the Government by
wsIiys was 1 coat. l barrel Of -'biskitt''
and 90 muxes, or fish hooks wyandancs
set his hand and seal to the document at
GARDENERS Island on April 27, 1883 This
document was found in the clerks office
at Riverhead- Mr. Roy also found IN the
printed records Of the town OF SoUthOld
that patent Of confirmation was granted
to Samuel wyIIys by Gov. Andras on April
2. 1875. The island was transferred 10 Jo-
seph Beebee in 1889 A deed dated No
vemher %. 1922. shows that Isaac ScheL
linz conveyed the east end OF the island TO
Daniel Tuthll, in consideration Of $50
pounds supposed sterling money!
Tuthill also acquired all Of SchellinZs
sheep and lambs now running and being
upon the said island he and they his heirs
and asslgnsj agreeing TO pay TO his majes-
ty or the governor or governors duly ap-
pointed in and over the colony. as an ac-
knO OwledgfnenJ and quit rent for the said
lands, the One-half part Of a fat lamb upon
midsummers day, yearly, every year, sue
cessiveIy forever"
The island ga me into the possession Ofex-
Mayo Hewitt, who used 10 as a sheep and
cattle ra nch until ii was turned over to the
Government. lie has received S25. 900 for
half of the property that was originally
purchased from the Indians for coat, a
barrel of biscuit and 100 fishhOoks.
The easterly end Of Long Island Sound
has at present no defenses to protect the
cities on either side of the sound from the
fleet of an invading enemy. Besides the
property Just acquired by the Governments
on Plum Island, portion Of Fishers ISL
and VIII be used for fortifiCatiou purposes.
These islands lie at the extreme easterIy
end of the sound and command all the
channels through which ships must pass
TO enter or leave the sound. Plum ISL
and is nearest the Long Island shore,
while across the sound, about eight miles
distant, is Fishers Island. The end Of
the island near the Connecticut shore and
at the entrance to New London harbor
is occupied as summer residences. The
westerly end of the island viii be used
for coast defenses by the Government as
soon as the negotiations for its purchase
have been completed
Heavy Casemates are to construct ed
on both Plum and Fishers islands The
largest type of Tapid-fiTe rifles, mounted
On disappearing carriages. will be mounted
in them. Besides these several large nor
tar batteries will be placed in position,
having complete command of all the en-
frances to the sound. as well as those to
New London HaThOr and Gardeners Fay.
The work of preparing the plans for the
construction of the Casemat es is now n
the hands of the army engineers Sur
veys of the territory have been made, and
1t is expected that the work will be
begun on the fortifications during { he next
month. IL is said that these forts Will
equal anyinthe country. 1t has been stated
by an army officer that the plans as
were to have these forts fitted
with dynamite guns similar to those in
the batteries for the defense of san Fran
cisco HaTbOr.