Maintenance and Repairs The Society maintains, upon the right-of-way and the reservation, a mile and a quarter of roads; various foot-paths; one keeper's house and museum of stone and wood; one old wooden cottage; five open pavilions or summer-houses of random rubble and unpainted wood which, like the keeper's house, harmonize with the scenery; ten old cannon mounted on carriages on the sites of Revolutionary fortifications, in addition to one at the memorial arch and two trophies in the museum; a row of eight concrete bathhouses on the beach; a steamboat wharf of piling, concrete and broken stone; one modern public comfort station of stone with running water; several hydrants and fountains of drinking water in different parts of the park; and various other minor accessories. During the year 1916 only $1,381.83 was spent in maintaining the reservation. The disbursements were for the salary of the keeper; for labor in keeping paths and roads in order and patroling the beach and grounds during the summer season; the repair of the keeper's house, which was struck by lightning July 13, 1916, and removing trees which were blown down in the storm of December, 1915. Visitors The estimated number of visitors to the park during the year 1916 was 16,439. The largest number in any one month was 6,282 in July. A number of large picnic parties landed from steamboats and enjoyed the attractions of the reservation. The number of visitors would have been larger if the Society had granted the application of the manager of a summer camp for boys to have his encampment in the park. Heretofore he had had his camp on the Jones property adjoining the park, for which he paid a rental, and the boys, who were well-behaved, had the general privileges of the park. The owners of the adjacent private land not desiring to rent the camp-site in 1916, application was made to us for permission to camp in the park. The application was refused mainly for two reasons, first, because the State does not make sufficient appropriations for properly policing the park if continuously occupied by campers, and the permit for one camp would establish a precedent for others also; and second, because there are adequate camping opportunities in the larger Interstate Palisades Park near by. Wayne Day Celebration The most notable gathering during the year 1916 was on Saturday, July 15, in commemoration of the 137th anniversary of the capture of Stony Point from the British by the American troops under command of Anthony Wayne. This was the fourth annual celebration under the auspices of the Stony Point Village Improvement Association; and we desire to compliment that society on the great success which rewarded their painstaking labors. The exercises on the reservation were preceded by a procession which formed at the Four Corners in Stony Point Village at 1 p. m., and marched to the battle-ground in the following order: Grand Marshal, Hon. R. I. Odell First Division Aide, C. C. Mayall Junior Aide, Richard M. Marks Detachment of United States Army Detachment of U. S. Marine Corps Detachment of U. S. Navy Second Division Aide, Fred O. Marks Junior Aide, Miss Geraldine Goetschius Cheyenne Tribe, I. O. R. M. Float: "White Ribbon " School Children Citizens Daniel Tomkins Lodge, I. O. 0. F. Historical Float Third Division Aide, Harry W. Rose Junior Aide, Roy Herbert Stony Point Dramatic Association Band Float Boys Brigade (Wayne Camp) Historical Committee American Scenic and Historic Society Daughters of the Revolution Carriage The members of the Independent Order of Red Men in their Indian costumes; the Campfire Girls in their outing suits sugges tive of Indians; the historical float bearing a typical 66 Uncle Sam" and Continental soldier; the old time stagecoach with its complement of young men and young women in Colonial costumes; and the soldiers, marines, Grand Army veterans, Odd Fellows, etc., made a picturesque procession which was reviewed with enthusiastic interest by about 1,500 spectators. The order of exercises on the battle-field was as follows: Music, by Glassing's Band. Salute to the Flag, by the School Children, under the direction. of Miss Lillian V. Lilburn. Music, by Stony Point Drum Corps. Address of Welcome, by Frank E. Wiles, President of the Stony Point Village Improvement Association. Invocation, by the Rev. W. C. Timbrell, Pastor Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church of Stony Point. Music, by Glassing's Band. Salute of 13 Guns, by Boys' Brigade. English Folk Dances, by young ladies of Stony Point and Tomkins Cove, under direction of Mrs. Herbert Quaife. Solo Dance, by Miss Hope W. Barry. Music, by Stony Point Drum Corps. Address, by Hon. William S. Bennett of New York City, Member of Congress. Song, "Wayne Day," by Audience, accompanied by band. Address, by Dr. George Frederick Kunz of New York, President of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society. Address, by H. K. Bush-Brown of Washington, D. C., a Trustee of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society. Poem, "Wayne's Assault of Stony Point," by the author, the Rev. W. R. Kiefer. Music, by Glassing's Band. Benediction, by the Rev. George A. Hill, Pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Stony Point. The folk dances by about thirty girls, who wore white dresses and green sashes, had garlands of flowers on their heads, and carried flowers in their hands, were a most attractive feature of the exercises, and the applause which they evoked was an interesting illustration of the universal appeal which pageant dancing makes to people of all kinds, and to residents of country and city alike. The Chairmen of the various committees were as follows: Program, C. T. Allison; Music, E. O. Rose; Publicity, Sidney White; Parade, C. Clinton Mayall; Speakers, B. J. Allison, Jr.; Grounds, E. D. Keesler; Finance, F. E. Wiles; Badges, Miss Sarah A. Gilmor; Historical, E. D. Keesler; Reception, William B. Cavel. Other members of the committees were: Carl Blume William L. Bulson James Clark A. H. Ellis Albert Holt C. Hubner David Hurd Hudson M. Hurd Matthew B. Hurd William J. Hurd Mrs. R. I. MacBride Mrs. William Quelch Alexander Rose Harry W. Rose Mrs. Harry W. Rose E. J. Sengstacken Dr. J. Sengstacken Miss Georgena Springsteen Elbert Stalter E. A. Thompson Miss Lydia A. Wiles United States Lighthouse Reservation On the outer end of Stony Point peninsula, and comprising about 9 acres, is the United States Lighthouse reservation, adjoining the State Park. Upon its summit is a picturesque old-fashioned lighthouse, standing on the site of the Revolutionary powder magazine. Near the water on the extreme tip of the point is a tower and fog-bell. There are several distinctly traceable earth works of the Revolutionary period on the Federal reservation, and it has long been the desire of the Society to have the United States government improve it by roads and paths connecting with those on the State reservation. By a public act No. 217, approved June 17, 1910, Congress authorized "a park road and approaches thereto and footpaths and other improvements on the lighthouse reservation at Stony Point on the Hudson River, New York, at a total cost not to exceed $7,500," but as Congress made no appropriation for the purpose, the construction of roads and paths on the United States Reservation in connection with those on the State Reservation has been held in abeyance. The local lighthouse inspector has recently recommended that the lighthouse on the top of the hill be abandoned and a new one be built near the bell-tower on the extreme point near the water, and in October, 1913, our representative conferred with Hon. George R. Putnam, Lighthouse Commissioner, in Washington, with reference to our assuming control of the unused part of the lighthouse reservation if the projected plan is carried out. Commissioner Putnam expressed himself in favor of turning over to this Society the unused portion of the Federal Reservation either by order of the Commissioner of Commerce or by deed to be authorized by Congress. On October 18, 1916, Mr. J. T. Yates, Inspector of the Third Lighthouse District, called at the headquarters of this Society in New York in regard to the new lighthouses proposed to be erected at various points along the Hudson river. (See pp. 256259 of our last Annual Report.) He said that the one proposed to be erected on the outer extremity of Stony Point would be substantially like that at Rondout, which is built of yellow brick, but that as it would be built on the mainland instead of on an island as at Rondout it would not be |