Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 85, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1909 — EDITOR HEALEY WRITES OF HIS EASTERN TRIP. [ARTICLE]

EDITOR HEALEY WRITES OF HIS EASTERN TRIP.

y Tells of the Tercententary Celebration—Yiews the City of Rensselaer, N. Y., and Compares It With Our Rensselaer. Plattsburg, N. Y., July 10. Rensselaer Republican: Since my previous letter I have traveled from Newport, R. 1., to Crown Point, N. Y., and a week later to this city. My son and I came via Boston, Mass., where we had a short stay between trains, thence to Albany, N. Y., where we also made a change of cars and where we remained over night, thus having an opportunity to see the quite beautiful capital of the Empire state. The New York town of Rensselaer is just across the Hudson river east of Albany and we viewed that town with much interest because it bears the same name as our city. The county is also Rensselaer county. It was laid out by the same Dutch family of Van Rensselaers as our own .town and the large estate of the founders is largely intact. The Van Rensselaers were identified with the early history of much of the country surrounding Albany, and I am informed that not far from there an estate of 5,000 acres still belongs to a family bearing that name. It is surrounded by a high stone wall and is one of the best kept estates in New York. Rensselaer is a railroad and manufacturing town of about 10,000 population, but its Indiana sister has it beaten for beauty. Being near Albany, which has a population of 100,000, most of the business goes to the latter place, which is a very attractive city with broad winding streets, fine business blocks and several beautiful parks. Cities are thick in that section of the state, Troy being only 6 miles up the river on the Rensselaer side. It has a population of 65,000. The Hudson river from New York to Albany and further north is lined with beautiful cities, of great commercial activity. Plattsburg is about 350 miles north of New York, on the Delaware and Hudson railroad, which follows the Hudson river and Lake Champlain from New York City to the Canada boundary thence follows the Richilieu river a short distance before it passes across to Montrael on the St. Lhwrence river. ' In 1659 Samuel de Champlain, an intrepid French explorer, discovered the lake that bears his name, and this week was celebrated as the 300th anniversary of the discovery. New York State appropriated almost $200,000 and Vermont appropriated $25,000 to make the celebration a success. At various points on the shores of the lake where the natural conditions gave a commanding view of the lake, forts were built during the years that marked the struggles for supremacy the discovery of the lake by Champlain. The ruins of these old forts still stand and it was our pleasure to see old fortq St. Frederick and Amherst, which occupy a neck of land called Crown Point.-To the left of the point is Bulwagga bay and the quaint mountain side town of Port Henry, N. Y., while across from it and less than.half a mile away is the chimney point of Vermont, so called because when a fort and village were destroyed there many years ago, the chlmneyß remained standing for several years, telling a mute story of the Indian depredations during the early struggles. It waß never rebuilt as a town, but a small summer hotel does a flourishing business there. The Tercentenary celebration began Monday at Crown Point, and as we were therewith the 10th New York infantry, we witnessed the initial day of the big event. A floating island on four large barges, was covered with Indian wigwams and a stockade and about 150 Indians were brought from Canada to produce the Indian play “Hiawatha,” do a few Indian dances and make a bow and arrow attack on the 10th Infantry. They were repulsed by a few volleys from our modern Springfield rifles in the hands company of militiamen and withdrew from the conflict after a spectacular sham battle. Out in the lake at aneftof lay a sailing vessel, which had been built to resemble Champlain’s ship, the Don de Dleu, while three government torpedo boats

and several government yachts were anchored near by. Crown Point, where the forts are located, is a deserted place compared with its importance of two centuries ago, and a few farmers and a government light house keeper are the sole occupants of the point, where in years gone by thousands of French, English or colonist troops were quartered. About 10,000 people were out to see the celebration and were entertained by the sham battle, speeches by Governor Hughes, Low and others, and later a review of the 10th regiment by Governor Hughes, and after night by fire works. The next day the celebration took place at Fort Ticonderoga, and Wednesday at Plattsburg, Thursday at Burlington, Friday at Isle La Motte, and concluding today at the nortbermost point on the lake, Rouse’s Point. We came here Monday evening and took in the celebration at this point, where Plattsburg barracks are located and where the 2d regiment of infantry of New York was in camp. The history of the struggle for supremacy on Lake Champlain is very interesting and is closely allied with American freedom. Champlain proclaimed the lake and the land bordering on it the property of France and for more than a century following his discovery the French held undisputed sway. After a few conflicts with the Indians they adopted friendly relations with them, and after the erection of Fort St. Frederick, which was named after Frederick Maurepas, then French Secretary of State, quite a settlement sprang up under the protection of the fort, and the lake was the avenue of trade between Albany and Quebec. It was a rendezvous for maurading Indians, and the French had much trouble with them for many years. In 1742 the fort was regarded as the strongest fortification in Canada outside of Quebec. The French were enjoying a profitable trading business with the Indians aud the English were looking on with, eyes of greed and finally in 1855 began a war that four years later resulted in the defeat of the French by General Amherst, who at once occupied Fort Frederick, strengthened it and then © • built Fort Amherst at a cost of $lO,000,000. The fortifications were magnifleient and the stone wqlls still stand although the roofs have caved in and all the frame parts have long since decayed. The old fort had played its part-and its ruins are now regarded as among the handsomest in this country. The victory of the English over the French was to give but short supremacy to the country of King George, for the spark of free-dom-was being fanned to a blaze in the colonies and in 1775 Seth Warner captured the fort without bloodshed. The American troops later evacuated the fort and went south to Ticonderoga, which they released two years later when Washington was congregating his patriots for the final blow that was to cast off the shackles of British oppression. I have wandered somewhat from the original intention of my letter, but it may be interesting to some to have their minds refreshed on the subject of American history, and it might be of general benefit to give an occasional thought to those sturdy ancestors who have provided this land of freedom that we now enjoy. As I said above, the celebration was held one day in each place and reached Plattsburg Wednesday. This city is only 25 miles from the Canadian boundary, and quite a part of its population is French. President Taft, Governor Hughes, Secretary of State Ellhu Root, Ambassadors Bryce and Jusserand and Cardinal Gibbons, as well as notables were present. A parade of considerable proportions and great Impressiveness took place. It was largely a military parade, the President having an.escort of three troops of cavalry from Fort Ethan Allen, near Burlington, and the carriages being followed by two battalions of the sth Infantry which are stationed here, a regiment of colored troops brought here for the purpose and the New York 2nd regiment, which was encamped here. All were In full dress, the officers wearing the gold braided uniforms and the enlisted men wearing the blue dress cords over the blue es. But they were very plain looking

soldiers compared to the royal foot guards to the governor-general of Canada and the still more flashily uniformed Royal Canadian Highlanders. The former wore the British red jackets and high fur caps, and the Highlanders wore the Scotch kilties of plaid, red blouses with a long plaid cape hanging from the left shoulder, the high caps, and plaid stockings, which come just above the calf of the leg, and all wearing white gaiters over their shoes. It impressed me that this outfit would be mighty poor protection from blackberry briars and poison ivy. They made a fine spectacle on parade, however. Following the military parade came several tfloats depicting events of Champlain’s experiences in America; the discovery of the lake, the fights with the Indians, his later friendly relations with them and his religious zeal in planting the Catholic cross in this new country. This city is largely of French ancestry and principally Catholic, and that church took great pride in paying tribute to the memory not only of Champlain but of the brave fathers who came to this new land and aided in converting many of the Indians. Over the principal street of the city at one end of the bridge over the Saranac river, a great arch was spread and on it was inscribed “To Samuel de Champlain, who carried the cross into the chartless unknown, and discovered this matchless sea.” Many Catholic orders were in the parade and following these was an mistrial parade, < in which the farmers’ grange, now very popular here, took part. We viewed the parade from our lodging house window and as it passed by we recalled the history of these three centuries, and thought of the foes who alternately held title to the lake, and then of the peaceful assemblage now held in its celebration, and in which all of the foes of the past were taking part, the French, the English, the Indians and colonists. Appropriate to this change of conditions were two othei arch inscriptions, one being worded “To pioneers, soldiers and sailors, whose courage and devotion to duty won an empire,” and the other “To artisans, craftsmen and tillers of the soil, whose skill and industry developed this fair land.” The speaking that followed the review of all the troops by the President took place on the parade ground at the barracks, where 25,000 people bowed their heads in reverence as the aged Cardinal Gibbons invoked the blessings of God on our fair land. President Taft did not speak long, but Governor Hughes spoke at considerable length and the people drank in his words with great interest. He is, according to New Yorkers, the great coming man, and I have taken pleasure in telling several that Indiana agrees with them. V I have been delighted with this climate, a cool breeze coming off the lake makes it much better than Newport, which was always, hot and dirty and where there was a constant odor of fish that was sickening, and the great mansions were not sufficient to offset the aroma from the fish wharfs.

I have extended my letter far beyond a respectable length, hut as there was nothing for me to do this afternoon while the 2nd New York was breaking camp and the Ist New York was entering camp, I have taken great pleasure in sitting here in the shade and I could do it almost day in and day out were it not for two things—the knowledge that I would be tiring my readers and the ever present necessity of my working diligently for my employer, who was kind enough to make this trip possible for me. We will be here until next Thursday, going from here either to New London, Conn., or to Washington, D. C., thence to Mt. Gretna, Pa., and later to Farnham, N. Y., near Buffalo. Trusting that my frequent letters shall he sufficient excuse for their great length, I am, very truly,

GEO. H. HEALEY.