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collins, New HistOry ef vermOnt.

Collins New History of Vermont
The recently published history of
Vermont. Edward D. Collins, Phi. d,
author, CHM and Company, publishers,
has been somewhat severely criticised
by the state press. The Banuer finds
some errors that other journals do not,
and naturally enough too. Only peo-
pie of Bennington and vicinity could
know of some of these For instance,
a half-tone of six venerable citizens of
BENNINGTON, taken from daguerreo
type of then, procured through the in
strumentality of the late George W.
Robinson, is designated as Toe Last
Surviving Veterans of the Battle Of
Bennington. " Three Of them were in
the battle. Two of them certainly were
not and those that wera in the BATH
could hardly be pronounced, last sur
vivors' with certainty, for New Hamp
shire, Massachusetts, and Vermont also
may have haG survivors at that
time. The name of one of these in the
half -tone is given as Kingsley Kins
lev lie the true name.
The half-tons of the San Coick Mill
called "San Croire" illustrates much
more than the old mill fr m which
Baum wrote his delusive letter to Bur
yne. The central binding of the
three represents that mills the other
two, one on each side, are later addi-
tons All were burned in 1896, not
"a ne SINCE as the history has it.
The bridge near by is not ''the
bridge over which the Hessia"s
marched to the Battle of Ben 7inpton. -
1t is a much later structure, Our for
ces destroyed the bridge # that day
and thereby hindered the advance (
Baum. His forces were obliged to con
struct another before they. could pro-
coed.
Probably rot all Of Vermont knows
that the town to the west Of BenniDg-
ton in the state of New York is Hoo
sick, not Hoosac, as the author has it,
The river there is also of the same name
as the town. The mountain 10 the
main range of the Green Mountains
through which the railroad tunnel
passes in Massachusetts is Hoosac
Mountain.
Il IL Ant,l,klauga ~uall lrnntun Ia
either state that the town Of Hoosick
and several other New York towns at
one time belonged to Vermont, and
further, which is of more Importance,
the inhabitants of these and other
towns OF New York, to their credit be
it said, were not in sympathy with
their swn government curing the con-
troversy between the two communities.
Tney realized the soandalous charac-
ter Of their own government in this re-
spect and support d it only in half
hearted way when it attempted TO en-
force its alleged rights in the New
Hampshire grants. A mere staten ent
of the relations of the bulk of the
jewellers on both sides of the line to
one another would have given an added
value to the authors history.
The half tone of the Catamount Tav-
ern is from a photograph of the build
ing and is correct, though the oata-
mount panther, felis concolor) was
not "reared aloft upon a pole" but was
placed above the Green Mountain Tav
ern's sign. Not all Of the pictures Of
this building are correct
The author says that during the
"troublous times Of the Revolution,
the Council of Safety met here. 1t al
80 met elsewhere, but it is common
belief that Councils of Safety met
here and elsewhere before the estab-
lishment of government of Vermont,
called 1.-The Vermont Council of Sale
ty." The terms Council of Safety and
Committee of Safety seem to have been
used INTERCHANGEABLE by many writers,
but there was never but one Vermont
Council of Safety. 1t would have been
well had the author told Us how this
remarkable body came to be created,
given US the duration of it's existence,
and also, what his abilities as a writer
show him eminently COZ petent to do
a few lines Of virile description of its
yirile character.
With the correction of errors d tho
supplying of omissions, all of which
should he car"f'lly attended to, thii
new history of our state will be thC
best yet produced for the purposes the
aUtnor intended it.
TO CURE A COLD IN ONEsDAY.
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