Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-10-28
OLDEST LAND ON EARTH
Biologists Give Western Wall of
Champlain That Distinction
AXE Discovered BY Intrepid French Er-
piorcr n Natural Highway for All
who Trnvel-vermonrs Recre-
RtiOnnl Shooting Ground
winthrop Packard in Boston Tranaor,,,


bluebills, whistlers, redheads and all Nv
ing. resting, feeding and flying again
have some wonderful highways from tho
cold tundra of northern Canada to tho
warm winter refuge Of the Gulf Strean
None of these Is more wonderful than that
between New York State and Vernon.
the Lake Champlain route. One wonder
OF 1t is that 1t skirts the Oldest land in
the world.
According to tho biologists, The vast
ern wall of Lake Champlain is the oldest
land on earth. Before the Alps or the
Andes had broken the surface of the
deep. before the Himaiayes had reared
their heads to become supreme among
the mountains. the rocky peaks Of the
Adirondaoks had pierced tho dreary waste
Of waters that covered the earth. Taha-
was. as the Indians called Mt Marcy.
with it's proud and lofty head. splitting
the clouds within full view Of Burling-
ton, first rose above the waste at the
beginning of the wonderful work that
carved the earth's crest and divided the
surface into seas and continents
Then came ages of upheaval and sub
sdence and the outline of the Champlain
valley was completed IN the lower Siurian
period when the Green Mountains with
Mansfield and Cancels Hump towering
above their fellows, came slowly up from
the depths. From Archnan times to
Quaternary, millions of years passed.
Then the ice age, shearng SUBMITS
spreading plains Of debris of sand and
silt and broken rock, but leaving the
mighty peaks, east and west, still lofty,
cloud beset and wonderful in their beauty
and grandeur"
There Is hill In Burlington, crowned
by the buildings of the University of Yer
mont, where one looks eastward over fer
tile land and sweet valleys to the peaks
of CamePs Hump and Mansfield and all
the lesser submits OF the Green Noun
tans, or westward across the wonder
blue OF the lake to the softer nobler blue
Of Tahawas and the Adirondacks. a place
where no man who loves beauty and
worships nobility can pass without paus-
ing for time in silent alteration. WILL
lam Dean Howels once said burlington
is the most beautiful city in the world"
Standing on this hill on clear day one
knows that he spoke the truth.
A NATURAL HIGHWAY
Lake Champlain is a natural highway,
not only for migrating ducks but for all
who travel. At night its narrow silver
ribbon Of light leads the night migrants
surely through the all surrounding murk.
Those which fly and feed by day find its
surface at once a guide. refuge and de-
light. Nor Is Il birds alone that are thus
served for the lovely lake is n highway
for man as we'll go long as man has tray
eled north and south, from the aborigine
to the present-day pleasure seeker. These
last find 1t pathway of peace and plenty.
which II has not always been. Cham
plain was the first white man to see 1t
and of all the beauties and wonders OF
the great New World-and he first saw
many Of them-chose this lake to receive
the honor of his own name. In his day
It was indeed a highway and the only
one. for tho trackess and all but impen-
etrable forests mighty in mountains.
held both shores. Then 1t was by no
means a peaceful highway. Murder and
rapine marked 1t for their own and man
who could elude the passing Indian war
parties. dwell on its shores and keep
his scalp. was lucky as we'll as cease
lessy vigilant.
Civilization has changed all that for
man, whose scalp at least is safe. IL his
purse is sometimes in danger from the
seductive hostelries which line the shores
Of this grand old lake. The ducks too are
safe during a good part of the year,
though In the fall migration time when
the open season sets the hunters heart
to beating high. 1t is another matter.
Wherever river empties into Lake
Champlain there are sandy shadows,
reedy marshes and flats filled with duck
food in which local black duck, mallards
and wood duck dwell and breed the sum
mer through. while outside these in the
open lakes the divers-redheads, buffle-
heads. soaup and goldeneye-play about,
above and below the surface. The water
k,a -
migrant duck, the land margin with the
host Of duck hunters.
A SANCTUARY ON CHAMPLAIN
Vermont welcomes both along her side
OF the ancient highway. wants to preserve
and increase both while leaving all as
free as possible to life. liberty and the
pursuit OF happiness Hence, a rather
delicate problem In bird protection and
hunters license, both of which are in
care of Linus Lsavens. commissioner OF
fisheries and game for the State. The
commissioner thus says Of II
The intense public interest in wild life
conservation became clearly evident on
the eighth day of December, 1915, when
ratifications were exchanged between the
United States and Great Britain at Wash
ington, d. c., TO the convention resulting
in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act ap-
proved July g. 1913. That this forward
step might bring its full measure of ben
EFT to Vermont and this State contribute
It's quota to the international effort to-
ward wild life conservation. II was de-
clded TO establish on Lake Champlain a
Wild fowl reservation or sanctuary sit
ueted on the direct line of migration from
north to south.
The preliminary steps included a sur
vey and recommendation by the United
States Bureau of Biological Survey and
necessary LEGISLATION authorizing it's pur-
chase through the General Assembly of
1919 and the approval of the State Board
of Control. Vermont sportsmen who pro-
vide the funds for the work OF the State
Department of Fish and Game are enthu-
sastic in support OF all progressive ideas
for tho conservation of our wild life re-
sources and on April 2. 1920. the State,
through the Department of Fish and
Game, acquired the title to over 1000
acres of marsh and upland bordering on
Lake Champlain in the towns Of Milton
and Colchester, Chittenden county, in
Guiding the estuary of the IAmoile river
and the island at It's mouth. The tract
consists chiefly of an alluvial marsh sur
rounding a series of 10 generally parallel
ridges rising In a few places 10 feet above
the water and covering from one to 10
acres each. These ridges are covered with
a stand OF young timber 30 to 80 years
growth, mainly swamp white oak, soft
maple. willow, poplar, etc, with char
acteristic underground and bordered BY
WILLOWS and button bush There ara nj