Re[2]: [at-l] Sense of Wilderness and Town Stops

[Bob Cummings <ellen@clinic.net> (Bob C.)]

"...folks keep making claims regarding the writings or other views of some
individual (MacKaye envisioned this, Baxter wanted that)" mutters Ron M.

 Some of us don't quote our sources directly because out filing systems are so
 screwed up we rarely can find the documents. But somewheres around here I have
 copies of letters between MacKaye and Myron Avery, in which MacKaye chided
 Avery for damaging his vision for a wild trail and claiming it would be better
 not to complete the trail than to compromise.

 Avery replied in effect by calling MacKaye a blowhard, who was great on talk
 but pretty p*ss poor when it comes to action.

 It seems from the context of the letters that during the years that MacKaye was
 in charge of trail lay out and construction, not a mile of new trail was built.
 These letters, coupled with the fact that MacKaye bowed out of Appalachian
 Trail matters for years and turned instead to founding the Wilderness Society,
 convinces me that MacKaye had more thoughts about the trail than are recorded
 in his initial article and that these thoughts called for a far wilder trail
 than Avery managed to build.

  Someday, perhaps when people stop forcing me to reply to this thread, I'll
 find time to organize my piles of materials, find the letters, and post the
 details.

 As far as Baxter goes, he devoted his life to assembling Baxter Park and giving
 it piece by piece to the state. Each parcel was accompanied with a message to
 the Maine Legislature urging the land be kept "forever wild."

 His theory was that by forcing two dozen different legislative sessions to
 accept his gifts, future legislatures would be less likely to betray his trust.
 Unfortunately, each message was slightly different and used slightly different
 words, leading politicians to conclude that Baxter didn't know what he wanted
 and therefore they can do anything they wish with his gift. If anyone doubts
 the accuracy of this statement, let me know. I can post a small book of quotes.
 A word of warning. His messages are recounted in EXCRUCIATING detail in a
 history of the park and in a biography.

  Weary