Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-22
rs OTHERS SEE US,
A summer Visitors Impressions Of Bur
lingtun in u Letter to Friend.


Picturesque Burlington" for ] know OF
no city moro beautifully situated. on the
west lies Lake Champlain with the blue
Adirondacks beyond its further shore,
while long sloping streets lead up from
the lake through the city to the top of a
hill, crowned by the buildings of the Uni
vcrsity of Vermont.
My room looks across the campus of the
University. and, can see. off towards the
east, the distant peaks of the Green
Mountains. If ! go for a short distance.
and climb the hill leading to the Experi-
ment Farm, | can get fine view of YER
nonts loftiest mountain, Mansfield, and
peak of Camels Hump. Wherever one
gets view of the horizon. II is to see the
wavy blue line of distant hills.
Nature has done much for the queen
CITY," but the dear old lady has been
greatly helped by the citizens themselves
1t Is city of magnificent trees, planted
with wise care. in almost endless rows on
either side the wide streets. To look down
College street which leads from the Uni
vcrsty TO the lake, is like looking through
leafy tunnel, so closely do the branches
oNcrarCh the road
The streets are wide and In many places
csplanaded. so that the eye is refreshed
with living green" wherever 1t rests.
Throughout the residential portion of the
city there is much the same air of wealth
tHN 'Oiilpit tllul llt Olu NEW iptul'ib
used to have, before it grew into the
manufacturing place that II Is now.
New Bedford's wealthy sons Of. indeed,
there are any lcfO might well follow the
example set by Burlington's. a walk of
n few steps, mp University Place, brings
me to the Billings Library, a most bcauti-
full building, planned by the Architect
Richardson, and considered by him his
choicest bit of work. This was presented
to the University of Vermont by the man
whose name 1t bears. The citizens of
Burlington. as well as students. are gem
erously allowed the use of its reading
rooms. and even to borrow its books.
Next to this beautiful structure is the
Williams Science building, built and equip
ped at cost of a quarter of a million, and
presented to the University by an honor
airy aumnus. now wealthy citi-
zen Of Philadelphia. In this, in one
case alone is "A splendid array Of forty or
moro objective microscopes. each of which
must have cost at least fifty dollars.
Farther away from the lake, on Col
chester avenue, on an emincncc that
affords commanding view, stands the
Fletcher Hospital, built and supported by
II fund given by II wealthy woman, now
deceased whose invalid condition made
her heart open to the needs of others.
\ fund left TO the town by the same
Mary Fletcher, increased by money glver
by her mother has furnished Burlington
with the Fletcher Public Library.
1t needs but IL walk through the streets
of Burlington to realize what wealth tn,
city contains. Prospect street, with tn,
magnificent residences OF lie Grand Il
Cannon and \. \, Buell. Mt one end. and
"tcrn HIN" once for "A time the residence
of Mr.. Cannons deceased son at the
other, South Willard, Maple, vii
liams, and College streets arr
.s.l N.l.I
each surrounded by extensive grounds
having closely cut lawns and ornamental
shrubbery. Pearl street contains the resi-
donce OF Ex-Gov. Woodbury., who last
year entertained President Mckinley, Their
spending his vacation at Hotel Champlair
across the lake, while the Hon. Il. j
Phelps owns a fine residence on South
Willard street.
About week ago the thoughts of Bur
linSton people were directed, and not fol
the first time towards "A house on Colleg,
street, still showing evidences Of former
greatness. The occasion of this Interest
was the death of its owner. Mrs. Lucia Il
Peck. widow of the late John II. Peck
For more than forty years she has live,
in secluslon on her estate, once classet
among the finest in the city. The hous,
was built on an ella boratc scale for the
times, Mrs. Pecks boudoir alone costing
two thousand dollars. About two months
after the house-warming, Mr. Peck suffer
ed a million-dollar failure. Mrs. PECK
withdrew from the world. the house was
closed, and Mr.. Peck went away to re-
trieve his fortunes. Only once in all these
years has its occupant opened its doors t
visitors from the outside world. The sac
occasion of this was the funerai OF Mr.
Peck, Il few years since. In all thes,
years the house has remained the same
save for Times ravages. Mrs. Peck's owi
death last week ended this q;:.5; out Gu
/ rious life history.
one feature of burlington life is missed
/ this summer: that Is. the weekly drills u
! Captain Dodd's crack troop. Company f.
Third L. s., Cavalry. Fort Ethan AllcI
| Is only twenty minutes trolley ride from
! the centre of the city, and the presence o
| the soldier boys adds life and picturesque
\ ness to the town, as they canter back an,
| forth, when they are not fighting in Cuba
| Many pleasant trolley trips can be takei
! from the city. The longest Is to Essex
through "A charming bit of country, witt
view of Mt, Mansfield and Gamers ruml
! in the distance.
! The road passes through Winooski,
! thriving mill village and crosses thu
| Winooski river, whose falls serve to maxi
the scenery more picturesque. Furthe
| on, on the left we pass the substantial
| Fort Ethan Allen barracks, while beyond
I
rush by, of Twin Bridges. which span
wild gorge. All along are charming bit
Of landscape, high hills and roof dotte,
valleys, with a ribbon of water winding
| in and out.
For longer trips, there is always tn
lake, with choice OF going up to histor
| Ticondero9a Cor I'll" as they call it here,
or down to North Hero. Then there ar
shorter lake trips to Bluff Point, wher
President Mckinley summcred last year
and to other points
! charming drive is the one to Rocl
| Point whore Bishop Hopkins schools 70
girls and boys are situated. The boys
school Is used in the summer vacation a
a boarding house and no more charminj
/ location could be found for Il summe
outing, as the house has IL wide view o
Lake Champlan. and woods close a
hand where. as one sits on the rocks fort,
! feet above the water and looks down upol
young pines growing up the rocky sides
the effect Is too Japanese-y for any
thing so one of our party thought The
for longer drive one can go to Appl
Tree Point, which forms with Rock Point
the two horns of "A little bay.
But best of all the short drives Is tn
one to Red Rocks. Beautiful Red Rocks
Think of the generosity of "a man who Sc
cures magnificent tract of woods jut
ting out on a high promontory into tn
lake, C'the lake" is always Champaign,
LAYS fine roads through II in the mos
natural" manner. puts up rustic summe
houses where the view of the lake is fines
rails in the most dangerous cliffs wit
rustic ratings, and throws II all oper
freely and unreservedly to the public
Such Il man is Mr.. Il. r, Hatch of tn
firm of Lord & Taylor of New York,
Burlington boy in his youth, who summer
at the Van Ness House,
| Yours, w, s, /.