Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-02-05
OLD FORT ~TICONDEROGA.
It's Purchase and Reconstruction under
Government Auspices Urged by
j. t.. Milholland.

Thu following letter of particular in.
tercst To the inhabitants of the Champlair
valley has been published by the New
York Post;
Sir;-Governor P~ennypacker's inaugural
message is disappointing in many things
nut there Is ono passage which patriotic
c~ltizens Will read with satisfaction. | re.
fer to his recommendations for the preser.
walton of Revolutionary battleiiclds and
camp grounds. These are excellent, hui
they would he really more appropriate In
our W state than over here. for Penn.
syINtnid Is an example, as regards this.
to the rest of the country.
foNcrnor Pcnnypacker's attitude inspires
the wish that New York might be favor.
cd occasionally. with a governor who
would manifest an equal practical interest
in these matters. ! say. manifest, for. of
course, | do not deny the existence of this
feeling TO Mr.. Odcll or his predecessors
but ] do insist that in the IL or 20 years
tiat a few of us nave been trying to per-
Stlide the federal government to acquire
the site and surrounding territory of old
rort Ticonderoga we have never been able
TO secure an official expression from any
governor on the subject. They all profess,
ana un1uestionahly are. favorable to the
propositions. but not one of them. to my
knowledge, has ever mace n single sugges-
tion to the legislature calculated to give
erect to this widespread desire. II | am
| wrong on this point will accent correc-
ton without n murmur.
Perhaps ] should note II quasi exception
IN behalf OF Mr.. Morton. He did offer,
while Governor 70 ,roo tho s,,.a g., $50.
chas" the grounds. but the objection was
raised that Fort Ticondcroga belongs to
tho nation rather than To inc state. And
Ibis is true. Vermont is ~. ,jncrlv inter.
cstcd as New York. so Il all Nor Englnrd.
so is the entire countrv Tho subject il.
even moro than int rstotc. il &c intcrna-
| tional. for tho history of three GREAT ma
tions touches it-France and england sc
we'll as the I-nitcd states Ncvrrthnless
IT belongs to Now York 70 load thn move'
mcrt.
| Put. really. there is no debate nm tho
subject. Everybodv. annarentlv &c in "a
vor of his acduiroment and preservation
and vet. after nearly N vca,s' agitation
nothing practically has boon accoun1ish-
ed.
1t might he thought that sor,n loca, NJ
legal difficulty stands fl, tho voy PM
there is none, rho owners tho pom es-
tate. are willing To- cell and AT \ reasonable
figure. Tho nrouertv consists OF hot ven
sO and 700 acres. 70 privotc nartios tho
price is S-opn. but Mr.. pel1 nrnrnieed soy.
cral wears AGO that if i, co,,IL no eol1 d.
rectly to the government and rron,rlv
cared for. he would accept $40 Or0 and +
fled letters 10 that effect in the way de-
partmeut at Washington. While. thera-
fore. il is "A large proposition as regards
public sentiment if is a comnorotivnI
small affair from , Gnancial nnint of ,ievy
Tho ruct of rebuilding the old fort So as
to have II arpcar MS i, aid on the morninr
OF its surrender ia AUe, and Arooi1 l.. -
question for tho army .rpjranrs ia dc,or.
mine. but lam assured that mis- would nor
involve n serious outlay.
Certainly the property Is desirnhIc. Back
from tho hluf unon which thn Cor, stnnds
and the wooded n heights vhcro tho battIa
letW cen Montoalm and Aborcromhic r.god
fert civ. there is a snIardid .wcnn NJ ,,o,d
ow TO the shores of Like C~h,r,la;n ~
mirah]v sdontod for riNo rango nnd nor,do
work. As a s,,mmor cann If l.. almost
Ideal. for. l,inu a, tho patow,v If the Alt
irondacks. it presents a cnmbinat,on of
lake view mountain econory arI COLI.
brious surroundings -, once doIiphtf, ami
inyiporafin~ lie value to ,,crnnut Ell
di.rs from trouic,I battlefield. would 10
difficult ia ovnrostim.to rrba Doiau.ro
and Hudson r,ilro.d b,e , ct,,inr ,;,ht
on ,hc pro,,,dc Of Il, irno,ira ,i.h g.
Vermont branch limo ~ va
7, is unncceseorv if NOT ;rro1oy,u+ %
dwell unon its vnIi,e .,i1i for stra +nrio da
fence in case of an ;n,.,s,a, fran 81.
north. but nc an oEioc, ,,ssn, II, u.nr a.
cbitocturo of tho oidon ,lmo as au o,i
dcncc of o,i- roparl for bornir i,o,,,iso ma
achievement and above ali - 49,, = " ain
stimulus tn tbo ,.o,,th "u.i,n = i,".I
INC yoore ., ,ho "ornr a ""n a. ~ t ,n.
fled in tho cxnendituro Of tnn ,imos ~
omniint jnvoIycd '' "'
It.L.. at. h.
oxccrt tho in,hWu"! 'e''dhs