While we are on the topic, I might as well copy the rest of the thanks relating directly the creation of the course. Of the members, he thanked the following:
For aid in the original purchase of the land and in the laying out of the course we must thank Mr. H. J. Whigham and Mr. Devereux Emmet. Since then Mr. James A. Stillman and Mr. Joseph P. Knapp have been most deeply interested in the development of the course, and have expended much time and energy in helping to bring it to perfection. In this connection we must also thank Mr. S. L. Schoonmaker, Mr. Urban H. Broughton, Mr. Howard Page, Mr. Daniel Chauncey and Mr. R. C. Watson for their advice and help in obtaining and developing the accessories of the course.
CBM was profuse in his praise of Raynor, even recommending that he be given lifetime privileges to the clubhouse:
It is but proper, too, that I should say a word of thanks to those outside of our organization who have aided the undertaking. I cannot speak too strongly of the work of Mr. Seth J. Raynor, civil engineer and surveyor, of Southampton. In the purchase of our property, in surveying the same, in his influence with the community on our behalf, and in every respect, his services have been of inestimable value, and I trust that the club will extend to him the courtesies of the clubhouse during his lifetime.
And as I said there were many thanks to those involved in other aspects of the project as well.
A few comments about this.
First, the statement seems to fly in the face of the image sometimes promulgated here that CBM was an arrogant Ogre who took credit for everything and never gave credit where credit was due. He may or may not have been an arrogant Ogre, but he was rather profuse in his thanks and praise of others in this instance at least.
Second he makes no mention whatsoever of what (if anything) Travis actually contributed to the project. This is consistent with Scotland's Gift, where he wrote that while Travis was originally attached to the project, he was dropped from the project and the course was laid out by CBM, Whigham, etc. using the information CBM had obtained abroad. It is also consistent with the reports that it was CBM and Whigham who first road the land, then went over the land in detail to determine the locations of the holes.
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I see Mike Cirba has again pronounced that Travis was "significantly involved" throughout the design and construction of the NGLA. Ironic given his efforts to cut CBM out of all recognition at Merion, despite substantial evidence that CBM was significantly involved from the time he helped chose the land until he chose the final layout plan. Were Cirba to apply the same standard of proof to Travis at NGLA as he does to CBM at Merion, then he'd have to advocate that CBM's name be added to Merion's scorecard.