Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-04-13

and is only few rods west of the divide,
about 2io0 feet above sea level which
separates the valley of the Hudson from
the valley of the Connecticut Between
the Big pond and the height of land on
the main highway a road turns north at a
right angle and leads up through the Big
pond property TO the Hagar clearing. and
onward to the Little pond club house, the
distance from the main highway to the
Glastonbury line being about two ana II
half miles.
A MAGNIFICENT VIEW.
The view from the Hagar clearing is one
of surprising maRniticencc. The elevation
is a little below 900 feet and Is one OF the
few high elevations in southwestern Yer
mont sufficiently devoid of forest to give
an unobstructed view. The Little pond
secluded and entirely surrounded by for
est, is just beyond and is a trifie lower.
Its waters flow into the Deerfeld river,
and thence to the Connecticut Rising alb
ruptly from it on the north, and included
in the Little pond purchase. is one of the
numerous peaks in the vicinity, $500 feet
high. Its summit is boldly visible from
the ItIgar clearing, as Is also Stratton
Mountain in Stratton, nearly 1000 feet
high, and Haystack in Wilmington, 800
feet high. Indeed, mountain peaks
may be seen on every hand, for
the spot is on the main range
Of the Green Mountains. which Is 10
or II miles wide In that part of the
State. The range at that point is pretty
nearly forest covered. only here and there
n clearing or a farmhouse In sight. 1t Is
practically, in appearance at least, the
mountain forest prlmeval of which the
poet Whittier in his Song of the Yer
monters" OF the days of Ethan Allen thus
sang;
And ours are the mountains which awful
~ riso
Till they rest their green heads on the blue
of the skies"
The view to the eastward from the
TIagar clearing takes in Mount Monad-
mock In New Hampshire, to the south
ward Greylock, the highest mountain in
Massachusetts, and to the westward
Mount Anthony and Bald Mountain, in
Bennington, and the picturesque valleys OF
the Walloomsac and the Hoosac In Yer
mont and New York.
A POPULAR RESORT.
In Woodford Hollow is the Camp Com
fort property, III acres, part OF the
Summer Home companys possessions
now the property of Mr.. Stone. 1t !s about
a mile Oft the main road which crosses
the mountain. and is about five miles from
Bennington, on a constantly rising grads
of about 125 feet to the mile. Camp Gem
| fort has been a popular and well known
summer resort for the last 10 years, being
patronizcd largely by New York people
1 The buildings on the property which Mr.
Stone has purchased include two hotels
barns, club house and II cottages.
From the Little pond club house gooC
carriage road toward Camp Comfort
Z about four miles distant, was partly built
! through the woods to connect these two
parts of the company's property. There
! is a hill on 1t, however, too steep for car
rage driving. but another but no Longer
route is entirely feasible The highway
across the Green Mountains from Ben
nington to 'Brattleboro. drive of 10 miles
! is a part of the old stage route from Dos
| ton to Troy, the Erie canal and the West
1t was the shortest route, too, that thu
traveller could take for his western jour
ney. In the i0's, when the tide Of western
| emigration was at its height, the daily
stage coaches on the line were numero Us
and often rival lines carried passenger
at ridculously low rate. 1t was a wilC
| section of country then across southern
Vermont, and long stretch OF the noun
tain road is hardly less SO now, 1t IL o
this that Rudyard kipling at the time o
an early visitto Vermont writes: Invent.
or 80 miles Orom Brattleboro), across tn
hills on the way to the Green Mountains
lies abandoned farms land
beyond are woods, where the bear ant
deer still find peace, and sometimes ever
the beaver forgets that he is prosecuted
and dnrcs to build his lodge"
Just what Mr., Stone intends to do witt
the property is not known at Bennington
though it is probable that necessary re
pairs and improvements will he made thi
season, and the camp opened to the publ