Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-08-07

ton contained herein.
He mentions, particularly among the active
work of the post, the branch of the Y. NJ. c. A.
conducted by Chaplain Edmund B. Smith, the
classes for enlisted men and the drills supple
mented with the more picturesque music
drills silent manual
The military student finds at present little to
interest him. for the island is not fortified, being
in way a part of the scheme of Notifications.
which embraces Sandy Hook and the mouth OF
the harbor Fort Jay, for 100 years known
Fort Columbus, but originally named for John
Jay, was during the Civil war manned with heavy
guns, although not even threatened. When Fort
Lafayette too crowded with prisoners at that
period Castle William took charge of the
flow and at one time housed over a thousand
prisoners. Among the noted prisoners who have
been confined there was John Yates Beall the
Confederate spy.
Castle William was completed in 1911 and is
built oil bed rock. In one Of the departmental
reports it is described "a stone tower with
ffty-two AZ and 81 Founders maintained on two
tiers under bomb roof and a terrace intended
to mount twenty-six 50-pound coumbiads." In
several other reports Castle William is referred
to example CT outgrown science"
In the museum the island is Sheridans ia
nous horse Winchester. who bore his master in
forty-seven battles.
In place of regular army chapel Trinity Cor
pOration has provided the Chapel of st. Cornelius
the Centurion for the use of the post. It is
charming Gothic structure of granite. built near
the old frame building. erected in 1917 by DR.. Nc
Vickar, who taught ethics at Columbia college
during the week and Sunday preached in the
chapel he built and presented to the island him
self. Garlanding the chancel are several upright
posts connected with heavy chain and bronze
tablet explains that they canrsCns used in the
several battles of the Mexican Over the
choir. double of tattered battle flags hang
One is a mere cobweb and the light from the
stained glass window shows fringe of blood
red threads and smash Of biTe where
were once woven. This is the last flag pulled
down in Cuba Another of peculiar interest is
the one under which Major Reilly died and which
carried from Tien Tsin in the Boxer uprising
in China.
Chaplain Smith is about to publish a book on
Governors Island. for with the exception of a
monograph two and some scientific articles on
technical subjects the place has practically been
overlooked by chronicers. The book is to be
illustrated with several prints and engrav-
;Rgs besides modern work, and contains
data that have never been printed in this coun-
try and represent years of the most untiring re-
search the part of the author.
Situated near what is considered today
Of the most valuable pieces of real estate prop
erty in the world Governors Island pur
chased (1630 by that shrewd old barater. Wouter
Van Twler director general Of New Neither
lands, for some heads string of beads and
a few nails from two Indians whose names
Cakapetejon and Pehwas, would indicate a great
err mentality than they seem to have possessed.
Across Buttermilk channel, to the origin. naming
and history of which Chaplain Smith devotes two
chapters of his book. Sara, the first Christian
child to be born in the Dutch colony daughter of
JorlS Janson de Rapalye was taken in a tub at
very early age of her career and furnished the
only thrilling narrative of the place for some
time.
For several years it furnished convenient
landing place for the settlers cattle and the first
building was erected (l69S) by Van Twier and