- November 1, 1918 – Jim Cawley to JSA-
Dear Apperson:
As you know I was so rushed that I didn’t have an opportunity to adequately thank you for your hospitality during my stay in Schenectady. It certainly was mighty fine of you to put me up at the Mohawk Club and I want to assure you that I was made mighty comfortable there and enjoyed it very much.
You will remember that I told you about Tyson writing to Pratt of the Conservation Commission. Well the enclosed reply was too good to keep from you so I am sending it along as possible ammunition in future developments.
I have six of those large screw top cans that you wanted and will send them up to you shortly.
Perhaps you know that the American Canoe Association was organized in 1880 on Long Island in Lake George. My father suggested that the association erect some sort of a monument commemorating the fact on the site of the original camp.
While on the Lake last summer we looked the island over in order to get a line on the possible cost of a bowlder marker and other details. In the narrow passage between Long and South Islands there are several bowlders large enough to answer our purpose. Now the big question is this: who owns the islands, what sort of a fellow is he, and would he give the Association permission to erect the marker. Also if the project develops will the Conservation Commission cooperate to the extent of placing the bowlder in position for us?
My idea is to have a bronze plate suitably inscribed placed on the stone which would give practically an indestructible monument. If you have any ideas on the subject we would certainly welcome them.
Thought perhaps you might know who the owner of the islands is and where he could be reached or could tell me of someone who might know.
Another thing I thought you could help us out on was some information as to whether the Canoe Islands were tied up in an Estate or if they are owned by an individual and how they could be reached.
One of our older members used to know the original owners that is to say the man who owned them twenty-five years ago and he is of the opinion that we could get perpetual camping privileges on them and possibly have them given us.
All the above is asking for a lot of information I’ll admit but if you can help us out in any way we certainly will be duly grateful and I know you will gladly do so if possible.
Tyson and I were talking over the possibilities of some publicity work in connection with the islands in Lake George following the talk you and I had along the same lines. He seems to think a write-up in a few of the outdoor magazines would be the thing to start the work. In the past he has written articles for Outing and we can get a good deal from Forest & Stream also. Tyson said that if you thought we could do some effective work along these lines that he would be glad to write up anything you might suggest. Of course you would be called upon to supply the real photographs as we haven’t anything that would do for magazine work.
Hope to hear from you regarding the above proposition, I am
Sincerely,
Jim Cawley