Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-11-21
RUTLAND HERALD.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1867.
The Governors of Vermont-10,
ERAsrUs FAIRBASKs.

Ersstus Fairbanks, the nineteenth
Governor OF Vermont was born at Brim-
field, in the County OF Hampden, and
State OF Massachusetts, on the 28th day
OF October 1902.
After he came TO Vermont, he mostly,
II not entirely, resided at St. Johnsbury,
in the County Ct Caledonia, and was
extensively engaged in the manufactur-
ing business, He was the senior part.
ner and principal business manager, of
the widely known firm OF "E, and 7.
Fairbanks and Company" Their manu-
factory Is situated on the stream known
as Slefper's Rtrr, in St. Johnsbury, and
has been principally devoted to the
manufacture OF cast iron plows and
patent balances. "EaUJaNLs' Scales" are
known and extensively used throughout
the United States and in most OF the
European States, possessing the entire
confidence Of the public" These scales
are extensively manufactured by them,
at their establishment in st. Johnsbury,
being variously modified and adapted to
all the various operations required to be
transacted by weight, from the small
counter scale used by country retail
traders and merchants, to the ponderous
Railroad scales from fifty to one hundred
feet and even longer, for weighing
heavily loaded trains Of cars. The F0y-
JaHlS improvement, so called, has been
patented in the United States and Eng
land, and was for q long time used to the
exclusion OF all other scales and is now
in extensive use. This business was q
source Of great prof to Governor Fair
banks, and in it be amassed 4 large pri-
vate fortune,
1t was chiefly through the instrument
aIity OF Erastus Fairbanks that the
Connecticut and Passumpsic Rivers Rail.
road Company was enabled successfully
to construct their Railroad from White
River Junction, on the Connecticut River,
to st. Johnsbury. or this Corporation he
was the first President. While under his
supervision, the affairs Of the Company
were better ard more successfully man
aged than those OF any other similar COM
pany in Vermont. On the first day of
Dece mber 1856. on account OF the emhar-
rassment OF its finances, the manage
uent OF this Road again passed into the
hands of Governor Fairbanks IS one Of
the Trustees OF the Mortgages on the
road. So ably and economically did he
manage it's affairs, that it recovered from
its embarrassment, and on the 10th day
of October 1857 it again came under
the control OF the Directors OF the Com
pauy.
Gov. Fairbanks represented the town
of St. Johnsbury in the General Assem-.
bly, OF Vermont in 1886, 1887, 1888 and
1889.
In 1848, he was appointed by Gov.
Coolidge, in cOnntc ction with Hon. Chas.
K. Williams and Hon. Lucius B. Peck, a
Commissioner "to digest and prepare y
general law regulating and governing all
Railroad Companies in this State" AS
the result OF their labols they prepared
and presented a General Railroad Law
and a General Law in reference to Manu-.
featuring Companies-botho OF which in
their main features were adopted, and
still remain laws OF the State.
In 1852 he was elected Governor OF
Vermont, by the Legislature. He was
again the candidate of the Whig Party,
FOR re- election to that c1lCe in 1858, and
although be received 8 greater number
OF votes than any other candidate, he
was defeated in the Legislature by a
coqiition of all the opponents Of the Whig
party.
During his administration was passed
IAN act to prevent traffic in intoxicat
ing Liquors for the purpose of drink
ing" better known as Tie Iaine Liquo
Latg Of Jamo1t. This Jaw, for the frs
time in this State, authorized the seizure
and destruction Of intoxicating Liquo1
if found under circumstances warrant
ing the belief hat I was intended TO-
sale. This law forms he principal
groundwork OF our present liquor law
IL having been from time to time altered
aud amended, to dispose Of doubts il
reference to its constitutionality and t,
increase its efficiency, butiD all essentia
aarllculars it remains the same. Two
0to,r very important alterations wer
IL. in orr code OF avs during his ad
nlnlstration. One allowing insolven
debtors to make an assignment of al
their property for the equal benefit OF a.
their creditors. The other, providin
that "No person should be disqualine
IS witness in any civil suit or proceed
ing, st law or in equity, by reason OF hi
interest in the event o; the time, as
party or otherwise"
Previous TO the annual election /
Ea5A Governor Fairbanks was extensive