18. 19. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 20. 21. John H. Cook, paid for labor, teaming, etc... John H. Cook, paid for labor, etc. John H. Cook, superintendent, May.. 28-30. John H. Cook, paid for labor and supplies... 43 26 83 33 78 34 83 34 8 57 46 72 83 33 160 76 183 59 83 33 421 99 $1,335 56 Balance with State Treasurer, December 31, 1916..... BATTLE ISLAND PARK Improvement Begun Battle Island Park is a tract of about 200 acres on the left bank of the Oswego River in the town of Granby, Oswego County, N. Y. It was given to the State in 1916 by Mr. Frederick A. Emerick of Oswego, and was accepted by chapter 308 of the laws of 1916. By the terms of the act of acceptance, .Mr. Emerick retains his tenancy and use of the property and right to make improvements thereon for a period of two years from the date of the conveyance. The conveyance is dated April 8, 1916, and the act accepting it became a law by the Governor's signature on April 25, 1916. The law provides that the lands shall be forever dedicated to and used exclusively for the purpose of a public park and natural scenic reservation, and the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society is given control and jurisdiction of the park for the purpose stated. At pages 705--723 of our Annual Report for 1916 we have given an account of the particular historic event because of which the park has been named. The property includes an island in the Oswego river upon which, as well as upon the adjacent mainland of the park, a battle was fought on July 3, 1756, between colonial troops led by Capt. John Bradstreet and a party of 700 French and Indians, in which the colonists won the victory, after losing 20 men killed and 24 wounded. The enemy, who were in superior numbers, were reported to have lost above 100 killed. In addition to this particular event, the property, situated on one of the principal water routes of the colonial period, and located at a point naturally eligible for camping, is attractive both on account of its associations with the past and its opportunities for present and future use. It has been frequented for many years by picnickers and campers from that vicinity, and it is the purpose of the gift that the park be made even more useful as a place of wholesome recreation and health-building The donor retained his tenancy and right to make improvements on the property in order that he might carry out certain generous plans for the benefit of the public. These plans, in the execution of which some progress was made in 1916, include the scientific treatment and planting of the soil of the open area under the advice of one of the leading grass experts of the country; the building of a driveway through the park; the construction of a fence of his own devising, consisting of reinforced concrete posts with substantial wood-fencing attached to the posts in an ingenious manner; etc. During the season of 1916 there was the usual number of campers and picnickers in the park and its use by the public promises to increase rapidly as time goes by. TAPPAN MONUMENT PROPERTY Description The Society owns a circular plot of land fifty-one feet in diameter at Tappan, N. Y., upon which stands the monument erected by Cyrus W. Field and dedicated October 2, 1879, to mark the place where Major John Andre of the British Army was executed. The Society purchased the place November 13, 1905, in response to public sentiment for its preservation expressed in a New York newspaper just prior to that time. The monument erected by Mr. Field cost about $1,500, to which we have added, at a cost of about $100, a tablet commemorating Washington's fortitude at one of the most critical periods of the War of Independence. The circumstances of the erection of the monument are briefly narrated in our Annual Report for 1905 at pages 85-88 and our Annual Report for 1906 at pages 67-70. The deed by which the property was conveyed to the Society, together with other facts relating to the chain of title, are given in our Report for 1916 at pages 113-121. Our standing committee in charge of this property consists of Hon. Thomas II. Lee of Stony Point, Chairman; Mr. Frank R. Crumbie of Nyack, Mr. Gordon H. Peck of West Haverstraw, Mr. Eugene F. Perry of Nyack, Mr. Van Wyck Rossiter of Nyack, and Hon. Stephen H. Thayer of Yonkers. SHAKESPEARE TABLET DEEDED TO SOCIETY On May 13, 1916, this Society became custodian of a tablet erected on the New Weston Hotel, on the northeast corner of Madison avenue and 49th street, New York, to commemorate the founding of the Shakespeare Society of New York. As this is the first instance of a tablet's being placed in our custody by deed of conveyance, we give the text of the instrument herewith: This indenture made this thirteenth day of May one thousand nine hundred and sixteen between The Shakespeare Society of New York party of the first part, and the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, a corporation incorporporated by Chapter 166 of the Laws of the State of New York of 1895, and the acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto: Witnesseth: That in consideration of the services as Trustee to be rendered by the Party of the Second part, the Party of the First part herewith gives and conveys to the Party of the Second part a certain bronze Tablet erected by the Party of the First part on the Twenty third day of April nineteen hundred and sixteen upon the building at the northeast corner of Madison Avenue and Forty ninth street in the City of New York known as The New Weston Hotel, which Tablet commemorates the founding of the Party of the First part, the said Shakespeare Society of New York, and was placed in connection with the Celebration of the Tercentenary celebration of the Death of William Shakespeare and bears the inscription to wit: Near this spot was founded, April twenty-third, in the year MDCCCLXXXV Its founders and first officers were Appleton Morgan This Tablet was placed in position April Twenty-third MCMXVI And the Party of the first part attaches to this Deed of Gift and makes a part hereof the Licenses or Permits heretofore made to the Party of the first part for the erection of the said Tablet by respectively the owner of the fee of said premises at the north east corner of Madison avenue and Forty-ninth street in the City of New York; and of the tenant thereof, and of the holders of the first and second Mortgages thereon. To have and to hold the said Tablet herewith given and conveyed to the Party of the Second part in Trust for the People of The City of New York in perpetuity. And the Party of the First Part hereby covenants and agrees to execute and deliver to the Party of the Second part such covenants and conveyances of further assurance of Title to said Tablet as at any time said party of the second part shall devise, advise, or request. In witness whereof the Party of the first part hath set hereunto its hand and seal and caused the same to be attested by its secretary the day and year first above written. THE SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY OF NEW YORK by Appleton Morgan President ALBERT R. FREY Attest ALBERT R. FREY Vice President & Secretary. Secretary. |