New-York tribune., 1912-01-14
S. II. P. Pell Is Busy Collecting
Guns of the Period with
Which to Embellish This
Revolutionary Relic.

TT has remained for a member OF New
York firm of bankers and brokers, =
II H. p. Pell. by name, TO select as MS
hobby the restoration of fortihcatlon ol
historical interest and the gathering OF
guns of the appropriate periods for H.
Through inheritance he chances TO be the
owner of the point jutting out into Lake
Champlain at the inlet of Lake George on
which arc the ruins of Fort "Ti." as the
people in the locality style Ticonderosa He
is also the owner of the point opposite
which sets out from the Vermont shore,
still further narrowing the lake at that
place, and on which is Mount Independence
and the remains of other revolutionary
works. He expects that his project viii
keep him occupied a considerable part of
his life. and he is still on the sunny side
of middle age.
Mr.. Pell, to use his own words, came into
the possession of the site of Ticonderoga
and became interested in what has become
his hobby. in this wise:
"In 1S02 my great great grandfather,
Benjamin Pell. of Pelham, Westchester
County y. Y, who had been forced
TO leave New York owing TO the persecu-
tons to which all Tories were subjected
during the Revolution, and had settled in
the inland water route. Lake Champlain,
Lake George and the Hudson river. He
was accompanied by mis- son. William Fer
ris Pcll, a young man of twenty At that
time the portage between the two lakes
started near the present boat landing,
under the Grenadiers' Battery (at TiCOn-
dcroga). Young William Pell was very
much impressed with the beauties Of the
property. and a few years later, in 1906,
after his marriage, he returned, leased the
land and built house. which he occupied
each summer until 1873 when he succeeded
i'm buying the whole estate. known as the
Garrison Grounds and containing about 100
acres. from Columbia and Union Colleges
10 which IL had been ceded by the State of
New York. Why he waited twelve years
TO buy. ! have never been able to dis
cover. Either ne did not have the money
or the colleges would not sell.
"In 1926 the first house was destroyed by
fire and the present building, known as the
Pavilion. was erected. My ancestor con-
tinued to spend each summer in Ticonde-
roga until his death in 1910, after which
time the house was used as a hotel and
boarding house, and for fifteen or twenty
years as a farm. and had been allowed to
fall into an extremely dilapidated condition.
''In September, 1908, 1 visited Ticonderoga
for the first time I'm twenty-five years and
was greatly impressed with the possibilities
Of the place, just as my forbear had been
one hundred and seven years before.
The property in the meantime, had always
remained in the family, but no meober
had taken the slightest interest in il.
Immediately started in to repair the Ta-
vuion, intending TO use il as a camping
place in the summer. Later my fathcr-in-
law, Colonel Robert NJ. Thompson. became
interested in the project and ne is the one
who is undertaking the restoration Of the
Fort itself"
Before the work OF restoration was begun
careful study was given to the appearance
of the old fort when it was in its prime
and an effort was made to have the west
barracks, the remains of which comprised
the best preserved piece Of masonry, in
readiness for the celebration Of the Cham
plain Tercentenary. in july 1903. The ex-
terror was practically completed but the
interior was still in it's rough state This
was the barracks in which Captain Della
place was surprised in his night clothes
when Ethan Allen appeared and demanded
the surrender of the fortress I'm a bombastic
phrase.
At that time. also, tho bastion overlook
ing the lake toward the south was. restored
and 1agpole and guns placed in II. This
angle was the scene of an incident on IN,
morning Of the Champlain celebration at
Ticonderoga which had an amusing side.
The Indians participating in the pageant
OF 'Hiawatha, who We're on the pro-
gramme to fight sham battle with the ma
tional guardsmen of New York, stole a
march on the guardsmen and scared the
spectators when they dashed up the south
orn slope Of the hill climbed into the has
tion, scattering the spectators right and
left, and pulled down the flag. accompany
, ing the act with a series OF rousing war
whoops They had won ground in the
, neighborhood of the spot where their ances-
tors bad suffered defeat three centuries be-
fore at the hands Of the Algonquins aided
b. Champlan's "hrestlck." in as bloodlcss
a fashion as ever Ethan Allen obtained pos
session of the fort, and at the same time
squared themselves for the defeat of the
previous day at Crown Point at the hands
or the guardsmen. When the latter an
nounced themselves I'm readiness for the
joint number on the programme they re-
ceived word that they were too latc-the
battle was over
since then more attention has been given
TO the surrounding grounds and the colIec-
ton of the guns required for the walls Mr..
Peli is now giving his spare time TO the
guns. Fifty pieces OF American, French
and English artillery win glare menacingly
from the rebuilt walls upon the peaceful
waters OF the lake and the canoe carry 10
Lake George. There will be none of the
ncw-fangled disappearing guns in this
work The horridness Of war will be blat-
anuy displayed TO the tourists sailing past
il on their way up or down the lake he
WICKED muzzles OF the iron dogs of war of
other days Will be plainly visible
In truth, the armament Of the old fort