Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-03-18
STATE PARK AND
RECREATION GROUND
Forestry Department Has De-
signs on Mount Mansfield and
Is Taking Steps to Carry
Them into Effect by Purchas-
ing Land on Eastern Slope

To make Mount Mansfield great
State park and recreation ground is
the aim of the State forestry depart
ment. w. G. Hastings of Montpelier.
head of this department. was in the
city Saturday and announced to Free
Press representative the completion of
a transact ion whereby the State of
Vermont has bought from the Cham
plain Realty company, an organiza-
tion having It's principal place of busi-
ness at Corinth, n. Y, small tract Of
land lying on the east side Of Mount
Mansfield. close to the chin and almost
directly above the big spring in Snug
glers Notch, and about 40 rods from
the top of the mountain. This little.
! long shoe-string piece of land" as it
Is described by Forester Hastings, is
the connecting link which unites the
land owned by the State with that
owned by the University of Vermont,
10 that the State and the University
now own practically the entire east
side of Mount Mansfield
Although this recent purchase by the
State. for which Mr.. Hastings received
the deed Friday, is very small in size.
being not more than three or four
acres, 1t is a valuable acquisition from
the standpoint of the State. the Uni
versity, and the nature lovers of YER
mont, for it makes possible tho carry
ing out of a policy in regard to Mount
Mansfield which has been contemplated
for some time. 1t is understood that the
land just acquired contains the Cave
of the Winds and good permanent
water supply. 1t Is on this land that
the proposed site of the Elihu r. Taft
AN-..-
Green Mountain club, will probably be
located.
This brings to the front the co-opera-
lion which is being effected between
the State forestry department and the
Green Mountain Club to open up the
forests to the people of the State and
make the natural resources of the
mountains serve the double purpose of
timber forestration and recreation for
the people of this and other States.
with the State and the University of
Vermont In possession of all the land
on Mount Mansfield. with the excep-
tion OF about 1000 acres on the west
side. which his owned by the Cham
plain Realty company and l. s. Morse
Of Jeffersonville. the people who love
the natural scenery of Vermont and
who take the trail to enjoy II, may
through TO the top Of Mount Mansfield
and travel on nothing but State and
University property.
And. It being the purpose OF the State
Forestry Department and the university
authorities to open lip this highest peak
In Vermont for recreation purposes. II
- practically certain that much greater
development will be forthcoming along
this line during the next few seasons than
have ever been seen there before
Mr.. Hastings. in giving the reasons WHY
this property has been acquired by the
State at this time, said that one Of the
chief reasons was that the State might
gain possession Of the most desirable
camp site on Mount Mansfield for the
benefit OF the Green Mountain club and
the State in their erection of a camp for
mountain climbers.
THE State department should take the
lead in this kind OF work." said Mr.. Hast
ings. 1.-THE men whom we have in the
forests watching for fires might as we'll
be working on a permanent camp as on
temporary one, and on permanent beau
tiful and scenic trails from which the
traveller may see the beauties of the
mountains. as upon mere trails careless
ly constructed to serve the purposes of
the forestry department"
''The forestry department will work
hand in glove with the Green Mountain
club" declared Mr.. Hastings II am per-
fectly in accord with the Monroe idea OF
a skyline trail. believe in such a trail
from Massachusetts TO Canada, with 10
or Is men patrolling 1t and working upon
It 70 make it as beautiful and picturesque
as possible"
NJ actin M nm n a
for carrying out his double plan of for
est protection and recreation He called
attention to the fact that more people
coming into the state to travel over the
mountain trails will mean more fire
hazards For this reason, the Green
Mountain club should be ready to CO.
operate with the State forestry depart
ment and with the timber owners, to pre-
vent fires.
Il would then be good business for the
State, the Green Mountain club and the
Timber Owners association to cooperate
on this plan. each bearing one-third OF
the expense and each reaping 100 per cent
value from the services Of the men who
protected the forests from fire and helped
to build the trails These trails should
not be wagon roads or bride paths, bu,
simply cleared enough for the traveller tc
make his way through and see on the
way the most beautiful spots in the
mountains. Mr.. Hastings advocates the
. basing of this system Of trails upon the
present Long Trail. with de-trais u
waterfalls, ponds and other spots OF
interest.
The present force Of the forestry de
partment for preventing fires would b.
4 good nucleus with which to start thi,
system, thinks Mr.. Hastings This force
includes FIRE wardens in each town il
the State. who have general supervision
Of fire prevention in that town. Their
there are 10 regularly employed lookou
watchmen and II regularly employed
patrolmen who are on duty most OF thu
time from May l to October /. The look
out men do not 20 far from their posts
They are tied up with civilization by tele
phones. in order that they may give tn
alarm quickly in case of fire. Tn
patrolmen cover about II miles of terri
tory. going over this beat" at leas
once a day.
Starting with this force as basis. Mr.
Hastings hopes to see the entire Gree
Mountains patrolled by a body of en-
thustastc men whose duty and pleasur
It Is to keep the forests Of the State FIRE
from fires and to build trails which sha
he of Invaluable assistance In introducin
Vermont and her wonderful beauties I
nj the world.
HORSE LEADS TRAIN