Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-04-02
T. the Editor 0: the Free Press and Times.
Reform School.

Reform School.
WATERBURY,, March %, 1875.
| In the WafchmGn Of March 81 is an edi-
torial which clearly demonstrates that
Reform School building. if erected at Ver-
| gennes. will cost the State at least $40 coo
more than like structure would cost IT
built on the State farm at Waterbury. The
foundation walls, the large cisterns, drain
pipes, cess-pool, besides the grounds graded
and laid Oat with gravel walks and set with
trees at considerable expense. the fences,
and especially fine spring of pure water
irom the eighooring hill. that Will furnish
good supply for ordinary purposes, and
sufficient to deluge the buildings in case ola
| fire. and these advantages all ready for use,
but which would be utterly irorthiesS to the
State in case Of removal ; certainly these
things deserve some attention. The report
Of 1866 made by the Rev. \. g. Pease,
commissioner, shows that this fine spring
of puro water was one among other reasons
why they decided to build the school at
Waterbury. after having searched through
out the STATE. east, west. north and south,
for suitable location. Nearly ten years
trial has demonstrated at least the health
fuln5s- Of the place for, among about five
hundred boys that have been sent to the
school-an average OF eighty boys for the
whole time-only ttree have died from
disease. Oue boy was drowned in the river
while bathing. making four deaths in all.
The best that Nergennes can afford will be
river water, more or less riley, and fiHcfur-
cd. of course, with the Se,rnaye of all the
valley abose 1t may be lust as healthy,
bat the most Of a., for our own personal
drinking, would prefer the pure mountain
spring However, the boys will be obliged
t. drink slch water a the majesty of the
law Sec ht to give them Forty thousand
dollars would seem to be an item worth cor
-ideriny certainly. when there Is no especial
reason tor great haste, low that the boys
are well provided Tor in the place prepared
for them since the fire. Mr. Pease's report
further shows. that the h1st commissioners
took time tu examine several institutions IN
tae ntiL LhbIrluL States before they began 10
BALD. I.ey took time 10 examine every
point that appeared = he ior the interest OF
the Sm;,. aui they report among other
tain.- that they have become fully cons
WINGED thttit wA- impracticlhlc 10 take
ear of lns boys aul girls at the same in
s.itution, which is the uniform testimony
Of all VIM have had any experience 10 this
line When the school went into the hands
Of trustees. with the Hon. Cha-. Reed for
chairman. they carefully considered every
-rc, iu th,ir proceedings. Ihey were IN
n, Yarticu!ar Ldsfs in taking an important
-tel NJ. Reel -lw tha; repairing I'D
nui.dirg< With additions and cJntlnua-
ti.n~" - tbc numbers increased. was
waste ot money. aut therefore be addressed
himself toa u.au Tor a more permanent
structure Att le vas in 80 great hurry.
He saw that not only the cheapest, but the
ga. .ss, way 10 Ee. tne building was by
ti, ;,ocien. matf, O. q. hasten slowly" The
Trustees first bli.t the western wing, ana
tac next Year the 'front.' and another wing.
lb. third year tie Whole wa completed and
suitably furnished. making ON ot the finest
Re.orm School bindings IN New Eagland.
-.tu4rtl I'D lA4l view nt one of the largest
railroad ifn.- I'D the land. " hen m l-92
The lrlI-iat4re apprlpriat5d s. 600 iOT q
gr-enbou. l1d Slj 600 Tor workshop,
tat trg-tec- TX time u look the subject
over. au J., after careiul consideration 81
the refuses. thev ciacluded u wait until
the utx- session ut the legislature. And
tl,ir course was approved by that hOnora-
... h..iy when tl,y met IN lS-f. Il l. one
uf tie beauties a~ wei a. the strength ot
our system ut government, that the prdcfl-
lql operation ni all legislative enacIments
Is regulated hy a board ct mea carefully
thtt.r4rps-e. All general laws are in the
hands OF the judiciary. while special ac,s
t-e. r.i- ia-.. the hart- ot trustees who can
D,v,u better oap8rturity o. learn the real
..afa.,i the cas-. than men can possibly
r,va d.,ier IA. hrtt. excitement, hurly-
I,-IC and nfa-iuu OF the legI-lAtiye pro-
ce.!in-- And although they are not al
v,y- c.urh.t with discretionary powers to
4,,,h,-i- f,r the interests Of the people,
,et tt,y ALWAYS have the power to iraif un-
I'd t-,. f-ip statement of the case can 20
b-f.r.. .,s.. legislature. rne people have
r,.,t, p. Eo.,,, wh.. i. beiu, done with their
money and have thc privilege Of giving
their apgr5ral ur df-appruval OF the pro-
,r.ltnF. E-nc.ai.v wnerc 500 900 l. to
Do. ,yr.uiel The people uayea right 10
know .lr.-. iu-ah,ut it Nlw II cannot
h.. s.,.i... ,,a- fbs legislature were not falIy
informed ~ - the matler~ IN manu-. lheS
.,,n,s,..l the were {, have land that had
uratsced f,ftv ton. oi hav IN one season.
when lt actually produced only Igt tons.
They supposed it WAS good land iOr tIllage
ana ,y,t,.d furnish the emplaymeut 80 much
,.,.iej ~ fbe bny> whereas the land /
',.,i ,..r r.,-hs,l- ,.,r cultivation butonly tit
tr.-ft~- NV then. have the people a
r,,br' T., bav, ANYTHING t. -lv about these
tlir.,.. are they 10 De caught. trapped.
d,-rir.d. by q ftw designing men like the
p,o,.e a., -l.ao al onr sister States
.,-,,,. ,,,p,r ,hat the people have a
,..'.,f, tl,i- m,ttere Snail they not have
,.... ',.,..i.ie- ard give expression to their
,,.y-. wbcn iheir hard-earned money Is to
b.,.-,.i ta h1il5 an institution that l. to en-
t,r.. nerbat, for centuries Bat the mass
~ ftt.-pc.i'!e Lave never had any voice in
49, ,.,o,rf,,nr ca-.. The men who have To