The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-11-09
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
TO MAP VERMONT
Plan to Use Burlington As Home Base
and Map Region From Barre to
Canadian Border.

Realizing that aerial photography has
attained undisputed reliability, United
States army officers attached to Fort
Ethan Allen at Burlington, Vt, have
notified the commander of the First
Corps area that for military purposes
the northern section Of Vermont should
be mapped from the air, says the Bos-
ton Transcript. Lieutenant Colonel J.E.
Abbott recently went to Boston from
the fort and to-day presented the sub
ject in detail to Major Edwin B. Lyon,
air officer Of this area, who readily
agreed that Photographic section
should be sent to Vermont and should
use Burlington as a home base from
which to map the 5000 odd square miles
from Barre to the Canadian border
According to Colonel Abbott there
are great tracts throughout the Green
mountains bordering Lake Champlain
and even eastward, which have not
been mapped. The result is that during
manoeuyres troops would be handi-
capped, as was proved recently when
military trucks held several efficiency
tests. If Colonel Abbott's plan is
carried through, it will be the first time
in New England that such an enter
prise has been undertaken. A few
weeks ago two army men, Captain Al
bert W. Stevens and Lieutenant Leigh
Wade Of Dayton, o., took a series Of
photographs of the White mountains,
but their work was of an experimental
nature, with view to choosing the
best cameras, etc. Major General
Clarence r. Edwards has shown an ac-
tive interest in the project and per-
sonally favors the proposition.
Working from Burlington the men,
who will map the country, viii have a
number Of good landing fields at their
disposal. The municipal airdome at
Burlington is of course excellent, while
there are otherr fields at st. Adams
and at Newport. Barre is planning to
establish field and If the present en-
thusiasm of its citizens continues
through the winter, that city should by
spring rival Burlington in offering
aeronautieal facilities to pilots. In fact,
Vermont seems to be leading the New
England states in advancing the devel-
opment of aviation.
Owing to the limited personnel of the
air service here, 1t will be necessary to
receive outside aid for the work. Ar>
rangements have been made whereby
an observation squadron and photo
graphic section station at Mitchell field,
New York. may be called upon to do
work in the first corps area and it is
this Photographic section which may
next spring invade the Green noun
tains. Captain Stevens and Lienten-
ant Wade report that under propitious
conditions 400 square miles can be
mapped day. At this rate it would
only take little over week TO com
plete the Vermont proposition. How
ever, in order to perform experimental
work at the same time. the pilots as
signed to the work will probably spend
at least month in Vermont.
Fort Ethan Allen Is used as train
ing centre for cavalry and field artil-
lery ad may be used for infantry in the
near future. More than one thousand
men can be accommodated at the bar
racks, which at present houses por-
ton OF the third cavalry.
Major Lyon recently wrote to Major
Thurman II. Ba9e of McCook field,
Dayton, O.. requesting that II possible
Captain Stevens be directed to map
Vermont. His letter, in part, reads;
"Haye you authority, and if you
have. win YOU send him Captain
Stevensl TO Fort Ethan Allen for few
days. TO take pictures to advise them
on landing field therel None Of our
planes are equipped 70 take pictures,
and the commanding officer at Ethan
Allen Is very DESTROYS OF some pictures
Of the surrounding country. II the
surveying stunt has turned ont to be
a success. that would be Just the thing
he wishes
Owing To other duties. II was impos-
sible for Captain Stevens TO undertake
the work this fall.