The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-06
LOWERING its snowcapped head
more than a mile above the

more than mile above the
level of. the sea, Mount
Marcy. the highest mountain in
the State Of New York and called by
many scientists the Oldest peak in
the Western Hemisphere. is to be
made into a memorial to commemorate
the sacrifices and bravery of Ameri
can soldiers and the victory OF the
United States and the Allied nations
in the European war. A committee
IL handle the plan has been. formed.
its membership consisting of hundreds
OF men prominent in the political,
civic and Industrial life of the State.
and 1t Is proposed to acquire the noun
tain and adjacent territory. all of 1t
lying in the heart of the Adirondacks.
and to call this great tract Victory
Mountain Park.
The members Of the Victory Noun
tain Committee feel that Mount Marcy
will be a perpetual monument to the
dead of the American Army and an
inspiration to those who passed
through the hell OF, shell and bullet
and gas and came out alive. The i'm
pulse and aim OF the American peo-
pie from Maine to California is to
establish some imperishable and fit-
ting memorial to attest their remem-
brance Of the victory and the deeds
that earned the victory. This impulse
and aim, It is felt by those who arc
behind the Mount Marcy project, will
he realized by Victory Mountain Park.
As a memorial the massive granite
snob of Victory Mountain will be
both beautiful and impressive, and in
addition to that 1t will be useful, a
third and most important element Of
value.
Tho Victory Mountain Committee
has in mind a very different sort
Of memorial from the tablets and the
arches and the monuments and tho
thousand and one memorials of archi-
tectural or sculptural form which will
be erected in the various cities and
counties. Thus Il cannot be said to
compete with them or in any way at
tempt to supersede them. but on the
sontrary It will supplement, and be a
memorial to the soldiers Of the whole
Empire State.
General Subscriptions Wanted.
The general plan OF the committee
Is to acquire the tract by widespread
popular subscriptions Of 81 and up
ward. The title to the park would be
held as q public trust by an organiza-
ton of such form as may later be de-
termined. The creation of the me-
- al en-
land already forming part OF the State
Forest Preserve Is analogous to the
enlargement OF the Forest Preserve
near Lake Placid. where the State
Conservation Commission has already
taken steps TO acquire 1920 acres OF
wooded mountain slopes Of Mount
Mackenzie and Saddleback Mountain.
which were in danger OF denudation
by lumber interests. This is being
done with the aid of private contribu-
tons, as the commission felt that the
State could not afford to pay the en-
tire price asked by the owners OF the
land. II is hoped. however. that the
subscriptions for Victory Mountain
Park will come from many small con-
tributions all over the State. SO that
II will be a popular memorial and not
the gift OF a few generous and wealthy
persons.
The committee has set as a mini
mum the acquisition OF 1000 acres,
which would secure for park purposes
the summit OF Mount Marcy and the
slopes adjoining the State land. This
I tract would give to the people OF the
State a park two and a half times as
: large AZ Central Park. which contains
s43 acres and is half a mile wide and
swo and a half miles long. These
1000 acres can he purchased, with the
anzbe.@ on them, for about 32S, 900, and
sken in conjunction with the ad-
D1scent State land the whole would
comprise park of some 5.323 acres.
Hope to Raise 100000.
II is hoped. however. that it will not
~ necessary to limit the project to the
1000 acre minimum. Adjacent to
Mount Marcy there Is a total area OF
10000 acres available for purchase.
but with its valuable timbet> rights
khight cost close to 31.oo0,o6o. The
esfnmittee believes. however. that the
acquisition of this tract Ia not too
sreat an enterprise for the purpose of
the memorial. and II IL not impossible
that the State might lend its aid. and
N cooperation with the Victory Noun
tain donors aid In the carrying out OF
wight be acquired. It has been sug-
&ested that to achieve this the State