St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-09-13
Y. M. @. A. Work.

". M. @. A. Work.
The quarterly report of State Secretary
F. S. Morrison of Burlington, read at
recent meeting of the state executive
committee of the Young Mems Christian
Association held in Burlington, brought
out some interesting facts concerning the
work of the association throughout the
state from March 1 to July /.
During this time general secretaries
were supplied for the associations in
Brattleboro, Rutland, St. Johnsbury,
and Burlington. Since April the state
committee has carried out the state con-
vention at Rutland a conference of
Woman's auxiliaries in Rutland and of
students and paid officers Institutes in
Ludlow, Montgomery Center, Richford,
Sheldon and Swanton.
The camp for boys at Silver Lake
Franklin, July to Is, for boys of Mont
peller, st. Johnsbury and Franklin
county was reviewed and the report
stated that a subcommittee had been
appointed to consider the wisdom of
installing one or more state camps for
association boys.
The development OF the work at Fort
Ethan Allen had progressed to the point
where little over $1,000 had been
secured for the work, when Colonel
Wallace informed the association that,
owing to the crowded condition of the
buildings, they would be unable to fur
nish the association with more desk
room, but if the association would pro-
vide its own building they would be
welcomed into the reservation. A new
building not being possible the work at
the fort was dropped.
During the three months the state
secretary made torty-hve visits in the
interest of the work, giving twenty-one
addresses. He also attended information
al conferences at Niagara Falls. In con-
clusion the report suggested very decided
action to the finances Of the work at
once.
In accordance with the suggestions
made in the secretary's report, the fol-
lowing committees were appointed:
Committee on the state convention,
which will probably be held in April in
st. Johnsbury, Frank H. Brooks of st.
Johnsbury, G. F. North of Burlington,
W. S. Dillon of st. Johnsbury, and State
Secretary Morrison; committee to rep
resent Vermont on the Lake George
committee, F. H. Brooks, G.. F. North
and F. S. Morrison. 1t was voted that
the state secretary should attend the
twelfth annual conference of the Railway
Y. M. c. A., to be held in Detroit,
September % to October /.
Finest Lens In Existence.
Lundin of the Alvan Clark Company
of Cambridgeport, Mass, has finished
the installation OF the largest telescope
| owned by private owner in the world.
The glass measures nine inches in diane
ter, and is installed in an ideal little
observatory in ex-Gov. E. c. Smiths
private grounds at st. Adams. The lens
is said to be the finest OF its size in exist
ence, and was loaned to the Carnegie
Institute at Washington for a time. 1t
was afterward loaned to Prof. Hussey Of
the Lick observatory, and was carried
by him to various points of the globe to
locate the most favorable positions from
which to observe so-called double stars.
Prof. Hussey used it with much success
in his work. The lens was eventually
turned over to the Alvan Clark Com
pany, and Mr.. Smith seized the oppor-
tunity to become the owner of it. The
observatory is 16x16 feet in dimension,
and is located where it has an advan.
tageous field of vision on three sides. The
glass, which is one of exceptional power
and accuracy, will be used simply for the
private uses OF Mr.. Smith and his family.
ASH ZOO, 900 Hotel.
The effort that has been made for the
last year or two to interest capitalists in
building a summer hotel in Bennington
on a grand scale is meeting with unex-
pected favor, and it is believed that the
scheme is likely to assume definite shape
before long. 1t is proposed to erect a
hotel that will cost not less than 81 000,-
900. Those who are quietly pushing the
matter state that are three wealthy men
in Bennington who will subscribe $780,
900 each toward the enterprise. A New
York physician, who has been in Ben
nington from time to time, during the
last summer, said he could be counted
upon to subscribe 100000 also. Should
the scheme materialize the hotel would
probably be located at Bennington Cen
ter, on the farm that was owned for a
long time by the late John Wool Girls
void, of Troy, NY. 1t is now owned by