THE LARCHMONT YACHT CLUB SCRAPS GUNS; DRIVE LAGGING

Civil War Cannons To Go To Uncle Sam - Ceremony To Take Place Next Saturday - Much More Scrap Is Needed.

With a salvo praise from Governor Herbert H. Lehman and from Undersecretary of the Navy James Forrestal, the two old civil war cannons now gracing the seawall of the Larchmont Yacht Club will join the nation’s mounting scrap heap Saturday in a ceremony open to visitors on the club grounds

All Larchmont’s civil, fraternal, and religious organizations will be represented at the celebration Saturday at 4:00 PM when the Larchmont Yacht Club formally turns over two old civil war cannons in answer to the nation’s call for scrap to keep war industries humming.

Letters were sent out yesterday by Mayor Harry E. Goeckler to 32 local innovations, asking that they send representatives to the half-hour ceremony at the clubhouse, to which all residents have also been invited.

Music for the celebration will be provided by the W. P. A. orchestra of White Plains, it was announced today by Mrs. Frederick G. Barnett, chairman of the Womens’ Participation Committee of the Larchmont Civilian Protection Forces, who was arranging for the ceremonies.

The civil war relics, donated to the 62-year-old club at the turn of the century, will be formally presented to Mayor Harry Goeckler, acting in the capacity of chairman for the Larchmont War Council. The presentation will be made by Commodlre Leroy Franz in behalf of the club membership.

Expressing “sincere appreciation of the Navy for this manifestation of patriotism” by the club (whose roster includes army and navy officers active during the Spanish American War, World War One, and the present conflict), Undersecretary Forrestal’s letter, said:

Mr. Vincent Cullen has informed me that the Larchmont Yacht Club is donating to the vitally important scrap pile of the Village of Larchmont the old civil war coast guns and the old round cannonballs which for some time decorated the seawall of the club. May I extend to you, and ask to pass on to the members of your club, the sincere appreciation of the Navy for this manifestation of their patriotism.

I know that these historic pieces have come to be an integral part of the club and a reduction of them to scrap represents a genuine sense of sacrifice on the part of your members. I am sure that you share with me the thought that these old cannons, converted into material from modern use, will be rededicated to the purpose which they have long symbolized, the preservation of the basic principles on which our country is founded.

Again, on behalf of the Navy may I add my congratulations and thanks to the members of your club for this valuable gift.

On behalf of the State War Council of which he is chairman, Governor Lehman called the club’s gift of cannon and cannon balls “inspiring.” His letter to Vommodore Frantz said in part:

In view of the tradition and history surrounding these old guns, I am very glad that there will be a ceremony in connection with their presentation.

The fact that the club is willing to sacrifice these historic pieces makes the gift even more inspiring than would usually be the case.

May I ask you to express to the officers and members of the Larchmont Yacht Club my very sincere thanks for their fine cooperation in this vital undertaking of collecting a sufficient amount of scrap metal for our war effort.

A statement from the club today said:

The two cannons were given to the club at the turn of the century. Among the interesting archives of the club are old photographs of the landing of the cannon alongside the seawall of the club.

The two cans were relics of the Civil War and a grim reminder of the days when this country was divided in its loyalties and our coast was in need of protection against its own citizens. Today the Larchmont Yacht Club gladly sees its old cannons depart to the scrap heap to hasten the end of the present world conflict.

Scrap Drive Lagging

It’s going to take a lot of digging between now and October 17 if the Larchmont postal area is to meet its 700-ton scrap quota, it was pointed out today by the Lee H. Burton and Mrs. John Sweedler, co-chairmen of the salvage campaign committees for the Village of Larchmont and the unincorporated town district respectively.

The total for the combined Larchmont-town area stands today and 124 tons, representing only a little over one-fifth of the quota.

At a recent meeting in Mamaroneck, attended by Mayor Harry E. Goeckler and other Larchmont and Town War Council Members in charge of salvage activities that in view of the fact that the Larchmont postal area is comprised of homes for the great part, it faces a more difficult task when compared with municipalities where commercial establishments have contributed be blunt damages of scrap.

Nevertheless the local scrapheap will be greatly enlarged in tonnage value on Saturday when the Larchmont Yacht Club is slated to throw from nine to ten tons of war scrap into the heap, in the shape of two civil war cannons, a small rapid-fire cannon used in the Spanish American War, and a number of cannon balls. These articles are to be formally presented to Uncle Sam in a special ceremony.

Also adding materially to the tonnage totaled, but not figuring within the October 17 national newspaper drive deadline, will be approximately 100 tons of rail scrap coming from the tracks of the New York and Stanford Railway Company just deeded to the Village of Larchmont, but which cannot be removed until a Federal agency has let a contract for tearing up the rails on Chatsworth Avenue.

Co-chairmen Burton and Mrs. Sweedler pointed out today that the time has come for going over the ground again with an eye to "sacrificing" metal articles and implements for the war effort, if residents of the Larchmont postal district hope to meet the 700-ton quota by October 17.

The salvage officials and urged residents in this area to call on Larchmont Village Engineer Arthur Richards or Town Engineer J.E. Foote for street department trucks and crews to aid them with any heavy articles which they themselves are unable to handle.

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