The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-03-17
ISRAEL PUTNAM CAMP GROUND IN BAD SHAPE
PRESIDENT OF STATE CoMMIs-
 SION COMPLAINS.
Trees and shrubbery mItilated- Fires Built, Wood piled There,
 Trees Infected.

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 To the Editor of The Courant:- I Our state forester, Samuel N. Spring, visited the Putnam Memorial Camp
 Ground last week, and after thor ough study of the situation presented the following suggestions:
 "As there are several acres above the camp ground that are treeless, it
 would be a good place to set out for l suitable for the growth of pine, and | it would be an excellent object lesson
 to those who visit the camp as place of historic interest,"
 MT. Spring found a number of chest
 nut trees killed by the fungus and It is a matter of concern and deep re- gret, that some party or parties have piled many cords of wood on the camp | ground; some of it diseased and liable to infect the trees in the vicinity. Fires have been built on the gra ss plots injuring the turf and giving the camp very unkempt appearance.
 Trees and shrubbery have been cut or trimmed by incompetent hands, often
 marring the symmetry of the plant by crude work.
 be enhanced or destroyed by the skill, or lack of it, in the hand of him who WleldS the blade. Never has the ne cessity of following MT. Parkers plans closely, been 50 apparent as at the present. These plans which were un- animously adopted, after the commits slon found the keeper preparing to lay out ball ground for the Rogers & Peet boys, between the monument and soldiers graves, called for a compe
 tent man who should live on the grounds in the house erected by the state for that purpose, at a cost of more than $3,000. The superintendent must report daily of his work and the conditions at the camp.
 There has been full meeting of the commission since November IS, Messrs. Rockwell, Bartram, Hill and tram has suggested that inasmuch as the keeper is incompetent his (the senator's brother, who lives near should be employed as superintendent does not appeal to Colonel Pickett. MT. Keith or myself. Whatever qualifica- means a. divided responsibility, and the state has provided ample accom-
 modations for the party in charge.
 That the work of the commission might be performed in a systemat and business like manner. that would commend itself to the public, a set of by-laws were adopted in October. The bylaw relating to expenditures is as follows:
 '.Au bills or other indebtedness to be endorsed as correct and properly vouched for by the auditor, after which they may be ordered paid by a tWo- thirds vote of the members pres ent at any properly called meeting; except that the. commission may at it's annual or subsequent meeting order the wages of the superintendent and other regular employees to be paid at stated times without formal vote each month";
 There is a petition to revise the above and other tanglefoot laws. Some 500 has been paid out since the last meeting, and the latter part of the clause has never been acted upon- There is a strange disposition on the
 part of the public to question when the f'bars are let down where the pas ture is green, and the future can safe 1y be entrusted to my neighbor and me-
 MT. Parker is our landscape archi-
 tect He is entitled by the bylaws to make suggestions as to the restora tion
 and beautifying of the camp. but mo D an shall be executed without a vote no compensation.
 The call for the meeting calls for the restriction of his powers The terrifying power vested in MT. Parker is the privilege of suggestion.
 It may seem, and is probably danger
 ous to a person who cannot tell a beech from oak, and would make cord wood of everything, to have his work inspected by a landscape arehi-
 tect, who might make a "suggestion.' D
 The people all over the state are to- day as never before interested in this historical place, and are entitled to a first class business adrninistra ton that will be a credit to the state. w H. BURR. William H. Burr of westport is pres- ident of the Israel Putnam Memorial Camp Ground Commission and the other members are Charles E Kieth i; Bridgeport; William H. Hill. Bedding; George L. Rockwell, Ridgefield; Fiber A. Hodge Danbury; Isaac N. Bartram Sh ron: Charles w. Pickett, New Ha- ven. The camp grounds comprises 102 acres and is located in Redding and Bethel The railroad station is Bethel, and it is two and one-half miles from the station to the camp