The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-02-05
FROM W. S. CARPENTER


sue of the Banner for Februa y 3 you
published an editorial criticising the
luempers OF the Bennington County
Forest Fish and Game Association
for what you represented as an at
tempt to hinder the building of The
Long Trail, projected by the Green
Mountain Club, In Bennington Coun-
ty. This editorial is so entirely mis-
leading that request the privilege
OF replying to ii directly through
Your columns.
The building of The Long Trail
through Bennington County is OF the
utmost Importance TO the county as
whole. and particularly so TO the
village of Bennington, where more
actual users OF the woods and noun
tains are congregated, both winter
and summer, than in almost any 9th
er part of the state. 1t was in
recognition of this fact, and in entire
sympathy with the project, that the
Forest Fish and Game Association
took the first steps, last spring 10
build the section Of The Long Trail
in this county. This is the method
followed in other sections. The trail
over Cancels Hump was built by the
Camel's Hump club, and other sec
tons are being built by still other
local and co-ope rating organizations.
The matter was first considered at
a meeting in the County Court House
on March "a, 1913. The report OF
this meeting appeared in the Banner
Of the following day. as follows:
1T was voted to Incorporate the
club us the Bennington County For
est. Fish and Game Association. and
TO take steps to put a fish and game
patrol into Bennington County. it
was also voted to admit ladies TO
membe ship, and to combine with the
Green Mountain Club in building the
Long Trail from the Canadian border
to the Massachusetts line
In pursuance of that action the As
ISOLATION was duly incorporated by
filing necessary papers in the Office Of
the Secretary OF State. These papers
were drawn with special reference 10
the large, sphere of activity of the
Association, and specially provided fol
cooperation with other organizations
The intention of the Forest Fish
and Game Association to build this
tail was fully known to those respons
ible for the organization cf the local
section OF the Green Mountain Cub
| personally corresponded with Mr..
James =. Taylor, OF Burlington, ana
ASSURED him of the cooperation OF the
Forest Fish and Game Association.
The Association thereupon proceeded
to make its plans for this work.
You are quite right when you say
in your editorial that there is a psy-
Geological moment for most things,
and that this is the proper time fcl
the completion Of the trail. The AS
sociation realized this. and we were
planning to make this our big work
this year. as better facilities foi
stocking the streams was the big
lhing last year We were according
ly much surprise dwhen steps were
taken to organize section of the
Green Mountain Club here, when d
good going organization for the work
already existed. | was first approach
al ~, h. I Erte
void Of the organization committee,
and have had several conferences
with him on the ACCESSIBILITY OF put
ting the energy necessary to build up
new organization into the work
planned by the Forest Fish and Game
Association.
Through him those interested IN the
new section OF the Green Mountain
Club were cordially invited and even
! urged. to take up the work tn ough
the machinery which the Association
already offered. | pointed out to him
that il was as logical TO have all OF
the closely related, and really practi-
cally inseparable, work OF develop
ing the recreational facilities of Ben.
nington County carried on by one or.
| ganization as to have the varied &C.
tivities of the Civic League under
one head. stated further that the
annual meeting of the Association is
to be held shortly, when this ques-
tion viii come up. and suggested that
all those interested in the trail build.
ing be present TO take whatever act
ION seemed proper after the discus
sion. In other words. the Forest
Fish and Game Association, which
has already taken steps TO build this
section OF The Long Trail. endeavor-
ed TO welcome the others. in the
words OF your editorial. "as partners
and fellow workers in the great
lodge OF the forest, the field and the
mountain" Its invitation was rcius
ed. and the local section of the Green
Mountain Club was organized Tues
| day night
The persons responsible for this
| organization are accordingly the dis
senters. the ones who have refused
to work with those already engaged
on the project. For myself and fol
other members Of the Forest. FISH
and Game Association with whom
have talked since the publication o.
your editorial. ] accordingly wish 1,