The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1946-03-15
Legion Letter
To R. I. Ingalls,
On Fort Park

mittee drafted letter to r. l.
ingalls,, ST., relative to Mr.. In
gals offer to give $4,000 for the
restoration of the Old Spanish
Fort and its grounds into a pub
lie park.
The letter, drafted by a COM
mittee of attorneys who are Le-
gion members, was dated March
8 and carbon copies were sent to
ingalls, executives here, city and
county officials, and the the
Chronicles and Advertiser
with a request to publish it in full
as directed by the drafting COM
mittee.
The letter follows:
Jackson County Post No. 100
American Legion
Department of Mississippi
Pascagoula, Mississippi
March 8, 1916
Mr.. r. l. ingalls,, Sr.
The ingalls, Shipbuilding
Corporation
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Dear MI. ingalls,:
At a special called meeting of
Jackson County Post No. 160,
the American Legion, held in the
court house at Pascagoula on
Friday evening, March l, 1916,
for the purpose of considering
your pledge of 100000, and
the matters connected Herewith,
for the restoration of the Old
Spanish Fort building and the
improvements and Identification
of the grounds that the same may
be converted into a. park for
general public benefit, the matter
was discussed at some length by
the Legionnaires who practical
ly filled the seating space of the
court house.
Recommendations advanced at
the meeting for the Legion to
surrender the property to the
City and to the County, that
these two governmental agen-
cies might take legal steps, if
possible, to make available your
pledge and disburse it for the
purpose intended, were voted
down.
The membership of the Legion
present, however, were unani-
nous in their desire to have the
suggested improvements to the
grounds and the restoration of
the Old Fort accomplished, with
the aid of the money pledged
by you; but were not favorable
to a proposition which would re-
suit in the Legion surrendering
its rights acquired under the
deed from Ford g. Ford and un-
der the resolution by the Board
of, Supervisors.
Following general discussion
of the proposition pro and con,
a motion was adopted that a COM
mittee be appointed to draft a
letter to you, with carbon copies
as indicated hereon, advising you
that the American Legion would
accept the $10,000.00 offered by
You in your speech at the Pas
cagoula-Mos Point Chamber OF
Commerce annual dinner and as
confirmed by letter from The
ingalls, Shipbuilding Corporation
of February IL, 1916; provided
there were no strings attached to
this offer. After conversation
with members of the city Off
cial family and with members
of the Board of Supervisors, the
Legion membership could get no
assurances that the maintenance
of the "City Park" would be
provided for by either govern
mental agency.
The Legion Post is of the opin-
ion that its five Trustees, who
are custodians of the property,
are sufficiently qualified to prop
erly, wisely and honestly handle
the matter. You personally know
each of the Trustees and will
undoubtedly agree that they are
not only qualified to handle the
matter of honestly disbursing the
funds, If you provide them, for
the restoration of the building
and the identifying of the
hounds, but that their interest,
the Legion, with your aid,
might increase the facilities of
bathing and recreation which ii
has furnished the public on these
grounds for the last several years,
Mould exceed the interest of any
other committee which might be
selected to s~upercede them from
a cross section of our better citi-
lens"
This letter is to advise you
that the Legion Post, through
its Trustees, will gladly accept
the fulfillment of your pledge
I'd give 100000 for the above
proposition, and to assure you
that the disbursement of such
funds will be properly handled
with complete accountability to
the Legion, TO the public and
to you.
If you really meant that you
wanted to spend the money