The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-10-17
COPELAND GIFT DECLINED
Board of Control Advises Against
Acceptance

acceptance.
| One of the much discussed topics
during the session of the last legis-
lature was the proposal of H. C. Cope
land of New York to donate a farm
| In the town OF Middletown Springs
as the site OF a state home for desti-
tute children. AS the state is much
in need of an institution of this kind
! the proposal was given considerable
consideration during the session and
was eventually referred to the board
of control with power to act.
| After making an investigation the
board of control has made a report
diverse to the acceptance of the gift
n this connection the correspon-
dence between the governor and Mr.
Copeland will be of interest:
Montpelier, August 10, 1917.
H G. Copeland, ESQ.,
242 West l01st St, New York.
Dear Sir:
The Board Of Control, to whom
was referred the matter of your pro-
posed gift visited your farm at Mid
dletown Springs yesterday afternoon
and looked the property over THIS
board consists of the governor, state
treasurer. auditor of accounts, direC-
tor of state institutions and one other
member. The Board took no action
with reference to this matter but
after looking the property over and
talking the matter over among them
selves informally, suggested to me
that | write you at my earliest con
yenience and ask you to state to us,
for the Board, what your proposition
would be going into the matter as
fully and particularly as you care TO :"
Yours truly,
Horace T. Graham,
Governor"
New York, August 10, 1917.
Hon Horace f. Graham,
Governor OF Vermont and
Chairman of Board of Control.
Dear Governor Graham:
Il found your letter on my desk,
upon my return from trip to Yer
mont, last night In Vermont learn
ed YOU and the other members of the
Board of Control had visited my
farm and also Miss Ross with two or
three OF her friends. was quite
surprised as | had thought all plans
involving my farm were indefinitely
postponed or given up altogether Ii
seems now, however. this scheme
has taken on new life
Since | do not know the scope of
the plans You are considering | can
only assume they are such as will do
credit to the state and to the men
who have these matters in charge.
You doubtless remember a former let
ter | wrote you in which | outlined
the proposition | made at the time
the matter OF an agricultural school
was before the legislature. am pre-
pared to make about the same OFFER
again. II is as follows:
To deed my farm at Middletown
Springs to the State of Vermont, sub
ject TO conditions named herein
LIST. The State shall expend $50.
600 in new buildings, fittings and
shall expend $4,000 per year for
maintenance for twenty-five years.
I'd. Work on new buildings to be
begun on or before one year and be
SOhlpitttu OH OF ueIOIe Lnfeg years.
Sd If $4,000 is not employed in
new buildings, fittings and furnish
ings within the first three years, the
deed to become void and the property
to be reconveyed to me and a pay
ment made to me of $4,000 as
liquidating damages.
4th. The deed to become absolute
at the end of twenty-five years if the
conditions are complied with.
Il deem these conditions necessary
to insure the prompt and faithful
completion Of adequate plans and
their efficient execution.
One of the principal objects |
have in mind to accomplish in giving
away my farm is the link that con
meets me with the town is to benefit
the town and every citizen in it and
to build monument more useful and
more lasting than one built of stone.