Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-09-16

church.
REV S. W DKE, Of Randolph. gave an excel
lent discourse ut Bethany church, last sabbath
moning-Dr. Lord being absent at the Profile
House, White Mountains, where he also preached
A GREATLY NEEDED IMPROVEMENT is being
made on School street.-the laying Of a brick walk
upon the northerly side, The one walk ON the
south side has become entirely insufficient Tor the
tide Of school children and the rapidly increasing
amount Of other travel
NEARLY one hundred gallons Of whiskcy has
been seized during the past week-a half barrel Of
T. Morarty, and the balance at the depot with a
disguised direction. That belonging to Moriaay
has been condemned and turned over TO the town
agent and the other advertised for an owner
TIW HAND or IMPROVEMENT is not idle on SEM
mary Hill The last Of those unsighty old ward
buildings have been removed and shaped around
for residences ON new street, designed " con-
meet with the Barre road The fill Is also being
made for the erection Of another residence on
State street extension little labor now in fitting
up and adjoining the public grounds in front Of the
Seminary building, will render the place exceed
ingly attractive
MAiS STREET witnessed demonstration Of one
horse power the other day, far exceeding that set
down in the books The horse OF Mr.. H. Fales
while standing in front Of the Union House, in
fighting flies, caught one rein beneath his tail and
becoming frightened and uumanagable ran across
tho street and struck his breast violently against
the iron fence near the entrance Ia Bethany church
undertaking out Ave Of the iron bars, and
seriously disturbing the large granite gate-post
Strange to say the only other injury resulting
was the sudden unloading Of Mir. T. upon the side
walk the breaking Of a shaft to the wagon, and
some slight bruises on the breast Of the horse
" ANY oNE Is DESTROYS " knowing what an In
dfidua citizen possessed Of enterprise and energy,
may be worth to the town, let him go down To
Middlesex street just
where the turnpike rad
begins To struggle up The hili H."
and there he will see the last Of three fine resi-
dencos going up during the present season besides
such Improvements in the street and adjacent
grounds as Rip Van Wrinkle never dreamed Of
And there will be seem ALSO, the grading begun
for another good residence, 10 be erected the
coming season Isn't 1t about time the easterly
end Of the town was looking for the safety Of its
iaurels7
A MEETING Of all those men, women and
children who will aid in forming society for the
instruction and assistance Of children in form
Ing true temperance habits and principles will be
held at Village Hall, saturday afternoon next, at
four O'Clock with ;" No intoxicating drinks" for
a motto, We would enlist many Of the young OF
our village as possible believing that among that
class much good can be done in encouraging them
to form habits Of strict temperance, and throwing
around them all possible influences to guard them
from the terrible evils Of incompetence. Let all
come and aid in this enterprise for the good OF the
rising generation: they cannot be too early taught
the evils u mtempennoe, and we cannot too
quickly nor too earnestly move in doing the duty
we owe TO secure them from the countless sorrows
which will follow the forming Of incorrect prin-
| ciples Let Us be up and doing, and not stand
idly BY spectators OF these dire evils, when
we can, by simple methods, do 50 much 20 prevent
them
We LElRN THAT GENERAL PTKiS, ON Saturday
evening last while ON visiting excursion, accom-.
panied by his wife, her father and sister, had a
narrow escape from most serious accident
through the insufiicency OF the highway. A.
they were passing out Of East Hardwick village
on the Greensboro road, it being quite dark they
came upon section Of the highway which had
been ~ badly washed and quilted as To be ren.
| dered impossible To accommodate travel unit
repairs could be made, the authorities had imprr
yised a new road around the spot, and set ur
guards to direct travel thereon These guards, il
seems, had in some way been remoy ed and placed
in close proximity to the dangerous washout. Ii
the darkness the Generals horses were driver
upon the old road until they came upon thu
guards when they sprlng Suddenly 10 the new
road, which was Immediately alongside Of thu
old, but some three or four feet lower. of oours'
| the carriage thrown Violently over, and TIL
occupants unloaded without ceremony TIT
catastrophe was unquestionaby iightened by tn,
| fact that the horses came 10 a standstin they
struck the new road. The carriage was sadly de
moralized but we are happy to learn that none o
the parties sustained very serious injuries a
now appears-thongh three OF them were more o
less hurt. The old Doctor escaped unframed.
survey Of the road has been made by competen
parties, and doubtless the damages, such rs the,
may prove to be, will be promptly adjusted-a
we are informed the authorities Of Ilardwiek d
not deny their clear liability
The CASE OF BErsEY c. MARTIN against tn
town Of Montpelier, tried before the county court
the Chief Justice presiding, last week, excite
more than usual interest among our citizens, 70
the reasons that we are justly proud Of tn
excellence of our sidewalks and that il wa
the first time that the condition in which the
are kept has been impeached before lega
tribunal, That the decision in favor of tn
town was just, we think all fair minded peo
pie must admit II Is usual in cases of thi
kind for people to allow their sympaties with tn
injured party To prevent just consideration @
defendants claims TO justice aud certainly /
this case the plaintiffs claims for commiserltio
were peculiarly great. She was nearly three scor
and ten, widow, and her injury was undoubt
eddy incurable. These are strong points in tn
hands OF skillful counsel, and they were mad
the most Of as it was right and proper they shout
be. The towns defence consisted almost who'll
in presenting TO the Jury the condition OF tn
side walk Just subsequent 10 the time of the ace
dent Plaintiff $ account Of the accident was,
substance, that on December %, 1873, she cam
from Fayston with her son-in-aw, Wilder !
Drew and put up at Bishops hotel, in this yiag,
After dinner she went out to do some shopping
having on no rubbes, but merely thick-sole
cloth boots On her way up street, when opposit
OF the eastern end OF the Episcopal church, she sa
! two men coming; in endeavoring to step one side
50 us W iciii
ing the neck Of her right thigh bone. She wa
picked up and carried back To the hotel an
thence home. II was claimed by herself and b
her witnesses, that the sidewalk WAS very slil
I perry and that II was browning" in the middl
! to the height Of about three inches. This mad
the sidewalk defective in plaintiffs view. III
town put Judge Nelson A. Chase ON 10 the stan,
who testified that he had surveyed the sidewal
in question, very soon after the injury and take
4 a profile view Of il at several points, and III
G greatest curvature he could find was two and on
. half inches. The other witnesses for the tow
5 were the Hon. John A. Page, Hon. Whitman
ferrin, General T. 7. lftIin, Joel Foster, Jr., :
W. Ellis Hon. Joseph Poland, Theron o. BAILEY
!, Arson Davis, James T. Thurston, Fred 4. Smitl
| Col. j. ii. Bostwick, Samuel NJ Walton H0l
| Chas Dewey, Col H. II. Jewett and Samuel Well
, These gentlemen all testified 10 the pains that ha
been taken to keep the sidewalks in good cond
ton, and to the TACT that they themselves ha
q been in the habit of walking over the place Of ii
I accident every day, Chief Justice Perpoint in h
charge To the jury said that the first question Il
Y them to consider, was whether plaintiff was guilt
q OF negligence in going upon the sidewalk az 81
d did-without any rubben. II she was, then 81
could not recover, even II the road was out of n
It pair II she was not guilty Of negligence, the
+ came the question Of the sufiicency of the higl
+ way and in regard 10 that the court said that III
It nature of the climate, the storms OF winter, an
z the impracticabity OF keeping the sidewalks con
h pletely bare of snow must be taken into conslde
y alton. The jury, 1t IL reported, found that pail
q tiff was plilty of negligence and therefore fOun