Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-02-13

ll.k-hlr..l standard
Tue STATE IIoUsr The proclamation OF
Gov. Fletcher, calling n special session of
the Legislature to act upon the question Of
erecting or repiirins the State House, ne
ceS-arily brings the subject Of location again
before the people; and to my mind this is a
matter OF much importance to the State: and
one worthy Of the grave consideration Cf the
people ct Orleans County, especially 10 the
representatives. who are called upon to soon
take part IN the settlement of questions.
calculated to nave an important bearing
upon the interests Of the State for long years
to como.
Upon the question of location have my
own opinions founded on what appears to
he conclusive reasons why the location
should he changed from Montpelier to Bur
lington.
entertain no feelings of hostility - the
intarcStS OF Montpelier, and have NJ inter
est in the question other than such as are
common to the people Of this County, and
without attempting to argue it, simply
design to call attention 10 the subject by
stating Il few IF the reasons which present
themselves to my mind in favor of During
ton.
When Montpelier was fixed upon for tie
loCationof the State House whichhas been re-.
Gently destroyed it was not without strong
feeling in various parts Of the State that the
location should have been at Burlington,
and ii | rightly remember the fact, the
majority in favor of Montpelier was very
small, and even some of those who favored
a location a that time, admitted that there
were in their own minds strong objections
to overcome, among which was the circum-
scri5ed position Of the place. ever difficult
pf e.. bD
contracted in its limits, shut in 10y the
surrounding hiIls-the atmosphere cold and
humid in winter, hot and oppressive for the
want OF "a free circulation of air in summer
-chNngcable with an atmosphere loaded
with fever miasma in the fall, making the
place unhealthy, causing much sickness
among the unlcclimated members Of the
Legislature.
But notwithstanding the humorous natu-
raj and physical objections, sympathy for
the interests of the people Of Montpelier and
the plea of its central locality prevailed;
and an expenditure of Sl2i,0O0 or more
made to erect the building, which when
completed evidently disappointed the cxp'c-
tltlonS OF the warmest advocates of the
Montpelier location, not that the building
was not well designed AMI well executed,
bntlts symmetry was destroyed and thewhoie
supcrstructure dwarted in appearance by
Its close proximity to the surrounding hills
which oyerSAadowed it.
Since the location OF the capitol at Mont
peIler, important changes have been going
on and now the center of business and the
leading points Of travel seem to designate
Burlington rs the pointat which = Majority
of the population Of the State would he best
accommodated.
It would appear that Chittenden, Frank
lin Addison, Rutland, Bennington, Grand
Isle, and portions OF WinlMm, lAmuille
and Orleans Counties, would hc better a.
commolated by Il location at Burlington
than at Montpelier, and it isnpw s1pp, sd
by mlny that the aggregate mileage OF mem
hers of the Legislature would hcrclucad
rather than increased by the proposed
change,
Then, again, nature has fixed marked
contrast between the two places At Mont
pe!ier, state House must ever he shut out
from view from the surrounding country or
looked down upon from the top Of the sur
rounding hills while Burlington seems to
have been fitted by nature to be the seat OF
the capitol, its broad area and gentle slope
towards the waters of Lake Champain, its
lake navigation and its railroad facilities
must ever make it "A conspicuous point pre-
senting natural facilities over any other
place in Vermont for the erection of State
House, which would, when taken in connec-