Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-04-27
HONOR CHAMPLAIN.
Movement to Celebrate 300th Ami.
versary of Discovery of Lake.

Three nations-the United States.
Great Britain and the French repub-
lic-will take part in the celebra-
ton to commemorate the discovery OF
Lake Champlain and adjacent terri
tory, in July, 1909, if plans which
now are being perfected by the legis-8
lature are carried out. The celebra-
ton will mark the three hundredth
anniversary of the event.
A commission appointed at the last
session of the legislature under con-
current resolution introduced by Sen;
ator Henry Wayland Hill Of Buffalo.
and consisting of Governor Hughes.
Lieutenant Governor Chanler, Speak.
er Wadsworth, Senators Henry w,
Hill of Erie, John C. Taylor of Or
ange, Assemblymen Alenson T. DOM
my and James A. Foley, former col.
lector of United States Customs
Frank S. Witherbee of Port Henry.
and Judge John H. Booth of Platts-
burg has just Issued it's report to the
legislature.
In this report the commission asks
for the appropriation of 100000 for
the celebration, this amount to cover
also the cost of suitable monument
of the discoverer somewhere in the
picturesque valley of Lake Cham
plain. The enactment of bill pro-
viding for the appointment of cele-
bration commission, to consist of five
citizens OF the state, to be appointed
by the governor, three senators to be
appointed by the president pro tenn
of the senate and three members of
the assembly to be appointed by the
speaker, is recommended in the re-
port.
Vermont and the dominion of Can
ada have organized similar commits
sions, to cooperate with the commits
sion to be appointed from this state.
If the plans tentatively made are
carried out the celebration will be
one series of grand pageants on the
blue waters of the lake, as well as on
the islands and shores. The lake
before its discovery by. Samuel Cham
plain in July, 1609-two months be.
fore the discovery of the Hudson
river, the tercentenary of which
event will be celebrated with elahorr
ate exercises in September of next
year-was the battle-ground of the
savage and warlike Algonquin, HUI
ron and Iroquois Indian nations, who
people its many islands and the ad.
jacent shores.
According to Senator Hill the cell
ebFations will consist of pageants
with the lake and surrounding coun-
try as stage for the different pc
irods in the history of that section.
The first periods when the canoes OF
the warning tribes formed pictures
que fiotillas on the lake. and the
smoke curled from thousands of te-
pees on its islands will be represented
in a picture Respondent with the pic
turesque colors of Indian costumes
and Indian panoply of war.
Other pageants will picture the
stirring events from the days of the
French occupation which followed
the Indian sway, only to be succeed
ed in its turn by British dominion. In
that period, from the discovery of the
lake in 1909 to the battle OF Piatts-
burg in 1914, the lake and the adj
jacent country furnished the scene
for many sanguinary battles. The
proposed celebration will also COM
memorate many of these conflicts.
A subcommittee of the preliminary
commission recently called on Secre-
tary Of State Elihu Root with a view
to interest the federal government In
the proposed celebration and to sug-
gest that representatives OF the two
foreign governments which played
such prominent part in the history
Of the Lake Champlain section be in
vited to participate. The suggestion
has been favorably received by the
federal authorities. and il is likely
that large detachment of troops may
be dispatched TO Lake Champlain te
help out in the warlike pictures that
will form part Of the great pageank.