should be devoted to the care and maintenance of Letchworth Park. In our last Annual Report we stated that the personal estate inventoried $98,493.05, including books, pamphlets, live stock, carriages, harness, farm implements, Museum contents, household effects, farm produce, and stocks, bonds and mortgages; that from the foregoing were to be paid individual bequests amounting to $19,650, the sum of $6,000 for the publication of Mr. Letchworth's biography, Mr. Letchworth's funeral expenses and personal debts, and the expenses of administration. We have received from the administrator of the estate books, pamphlets, live stock, carriages, harness, farm implements, museum contents, household effects, farm produce, etc., valued at $14,134.41. We have also received in cash the sum of $17,000. The estate, however, has not yet been settled, and the amount of the residuary estate is therefore not known to the Society. Following is a classified statement of cash receipts and disbursements from the Letchworth Legacy up to December 31, 1912: 2 teams of horses, house and table furnishings and other perma $3,640 64 2.984 14 Manor Hall Fund, Cochran Gift. The Manor Hall Fund, Cochran Gift, consists of funds given to this Society by the late Mrs. William F. Cochran and her son, Mr. Alexander Smith Cochran, for the restoration of the Philipse Manor Hall at Yonkers, to which are added the proceeds of the sale of the book entitled "Philipse Manor Hall." In order that the generosity of the Cochran family may be more fully understood, it should be recalled that Mrs. Cochran first gave $50,000 by means of which the historie Manor Hall was bought from the City of Yonkers and given to the State, to be in our custody. That sum was paid directly to the City of Yonkers and did not pass through our treasury. Subsequently she gave to this Society $5,000, and her son gave $11,650 for the renovation of Manor Hall, steam equipment, etc. And in the account of the General Fund we have recorded Mr. Cochran's gift of $865.04 for the publication of the Manor Hall book. In view of the fact that Mr. Cochran reimbursed the General Fund for the expense of the Manor Hall book, the Trustees decided that the proceeds of the sale of the book should be placed in the Manor Hall Fund, Cochran Gift, for the issuing of future editions. Following is a statement of the condition of the Manor Hall Fund, Cochran Gift, on December 31, 1912: DEBIT. Received from Mrs. W. F. Cochran, previously reported.. $5,000 00 11,550 00 100 00 79 21 $16,729 21 CREDIT. Disbursements previously reported 37. William Booth, materials and labor on radiators.. 38. Youmans Electric Co., burglar alarm........... 39. National City Bank, exchange.. Total credit Total debit Balance December 31, 1912 $16,400 77 36. Westchester Electric Equipment Co., wiring and fixtures for janitor's cottage.. 76 20 25 40 100 00 20 $16,602 57 16,729 21 $126 64 STONY POINT BATTLEFIELD STATE RESERVATION. Maintenance and Improvement. Stony Point Battlefield State Reservation consists of thirtyfour acres of land on the peninsula of Stony Point, on the west shore of the Hudson River, twelve miles south of the United States Military Academy at West Point. It lies entirely cast of the deep rock-cut through which the West Shore Railroad passes. Adjoining the State Reservation on the exttreme eastern end of the point is the United States Lighthouse Reservation, consisting of nine acres. At the western end of the foot and carriage bridge spanning the railroad cut, upon an acre of land belonging to this Society, stands the stone memorial arch erected by the Daughters of the Revolution of the State of New York. Westward from this, for a distance of about 1,900 fect, extends the right of way to the public highway. Stony Point is famous for many incidents during the War for Independence, but particularly for the daring exploit of the American troops under Gen. Anthony Wayne, on the night of July 15-16, 1779, when they captured this almost impregnable position from the British. The State Reservation was created and placed in the custody of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society pursuant to chapter 764 of the laws of 1897. The reservation may be reached in three ways: First, by private or excursion boats by way of the Hudson River (it is not a stopping place for the regular Hudson River steamboats); second, by the public highway through the village of Stony Point; or third, by the West Shore railroad. Visitors by way of the railroad during the summer time may take certain trains which stop directly at the reservation upon notifying the conductor that they desire to disembark at "Stony Point Park." Otherwise the trains stop at the regular station at "Stony Point," about three-quarters of a mile south of the park, necessitating a walk along the railroad right of way or a drive by a longer route through the village. (See plates 43, 44 and 45.) At a very small expenditure of funds, the park has been maintained and kept in good condition during the past year. The aim of the Society has been to keep the property in as nearly a natural condition as is consistent with accessibility, attractiveness and the necessities of public use. The keeper's house, summer houses, and other necessary structures are of rough stone and natural colored wood which harmonize with the rugged scenery. The marking of the sites of fortifications of the War for Independence by means of small stone monuments, small flag-staffs, and cannon, aid the historical student in tracing the events of that war. The roads and paths are few and simple. During the past year the right of way has been improved, especially in the vicinity of the causeway at the site historically known as the Mud Bridge, where retaining walls have been built, the grade of the roadway raised and some unnecessarily sharp curves eliminated. More filling at this point could be done to advantage. The other drives in the park have been kept in repair by careful attention to the beginning of gulleying by the rains. Glazing, painting, carpenter work and tinsmithing have put the keeper's house and the summer houses in good condition. Weeds and brushwood have been removed from the forests so that there are no lurking places for nuisances and misdemeanors. Near the summit of the park, south of the rough stone fountain which is about midway between the fortifications designated as Works H and O, in an inconspicuous place, has been built a stone public comfort station, with its necessary reservoir for water supply. At the steamboat dock, the retaining wall has been repaired, and the dock resurfaced with broken stone. Adjacent to the landing place there is a small sandy beach which is a favorite place for bathers. Here some unpretentious accommodations for privacy in putting on bathing suits are maintained. The special needs of the reservation at present are funds for mounting four unmounted cannon on the sites of fortifications identified for us by United States military engineers; for building a loop drive which shall connect with a drive authorized by the Federal Government on the Lighthouse Reservation; and for building a retaining wall to stay the crumbling of the bank behind the bath houses, in addition to the general requirements of maintenance and repair. Designation of Revolutionary Mortars Changed. In the museum in the keeper's house, among interesting relics of the Revolutionary Period, are two bronze mortars which were captured by Wayne at the time of the taking of Stony Point and which were loaned to the reservation by the United States military authorities in 1905. At the time of our application for these pieces, there were at West Point ten mortars and cannon and at Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh two mortars which were captured at Stony Point. All but three of those at West Point were permanently embedded in the walls of Memorial Hall. Under date of September 28, 1905, the Government authorized the loan to us of one of the West Point trophies, and under date of November 28, 1905, one of those at Newburgh. Under date of West Point, September 7, 1912, we were advised by Lt. Col. W. H. Tschappat, U. S. A., that one of these pieces had been incorrectly designated as a 24-pounder instead of 48-pounder in the receipt which we signed at the time the mortars were loaned, and at his request we signed a new receipt for "One coehorn 12-pdr. bronze mortar; English trophy taken at Stony Point, N. Y., July 15-16, 1779; "One royal 48-pdr. brbonze mortar; English trophy taken at Stony Point, N. Y., July 15-16, 1779." The smaller of these, which came from West Point, is 13 inches long and 4% inches in diameter of bore, and is inscribed as follows: "TAKEN AT (Crown*) THE STORM of STONY (G. R.*) POINT JULY 16 1779. Museum No. 285." On the trunnion is stamped 108. O. N. J. 7." The larger mortar which came from Newburgh, is 2514 inches long and 814 inches in diameter of bore and is inscribed: TAKEN AT THE OF STONY POINT (Crown) W. BOWEN FECIT, 1759. *The crown and initials of Georgius Rex are part of the original ornamentation of the mortar. The remainder of the inscription, of course, was added after its capture. |