Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

aoter Hon. L. p Poland's reading Of the Declaration
ofIndependonee rendered In an effective manner,
and the music by the chorus was in keeping with the
spirit Of tho occasion. or the GRAFTON Of Gov. Cham
boran Of Maine too much cannot be said in praise.
II was mastery plea for politics. and delivered With
all the earnesness and finish thorough patriot and
satesman-scholar. For full hour and half he held
the attention Of audience numbering between 1000
and COCO and frequently received the warmest APP
plause. We venture the assertion that no better
ton was delivered in New England on that day. Tho
singing Of America IN which the whole audience par
tcipated and the pronouncing Of the benedction by
Rev. Mfr. Drastow, formerly Of 81. Johnsbury, COM
pleted the exercises under the tent
drsnchng and steady rain setting in at about six
O'Clock, the illumination and display Of FIRE works for
which extensive and elaborate preparations had been
made had to be abandoned. This, Of course, was a
disappointment TO the visitors who had come from far
and to witness them. The concert in tho evening
was well att,adcd, about 5000 being present. The
programme, however, was cut short on account Of
leaks In the And just here II becomes our
disngroeable duty to mention the rude boor sh unap-
prcciative manner in which large part of tho audi
ence received some Of the finest and most artistic
strains Of music To laugh at and mock what one has
no soul TO feel or talent 10 appreciate is the nvarable
sign Of rowdy.
Many estimates have been made as to the number Of
persons who were here that occasion. Each train
brought fresh recruits, fifty cars having been
smptied during the day. We should place the number
at from 10000 to 1900 II source Of qualification
that the crowds contained scarcely any dsorderly or
drunken elements. Everything indeed, barring the
weather, seemed TO unwind without ontanglem ent and
much praise is due to the thoroughness and efficiency
| Of the general management. Among the buildings
tastly decorated might no mentioned the Athonanum,
tho store Of Hall Fletcher and tho house Of Mr..
Wright on Main street. Celors aboundod at the depot
as we'll as in tho principal streets
Destructive Fire at st. Johnsbury Center.
The village of st. Johnsbury Center was visited by
disastrous fire last Saturday. The fire originated in
Bacon, Ranney Co.'S straw board mill and spread
six Of the thicy settled portion Of tho
village. The straw board mill, grist MILL mill, all
tho shops and stores excepting Bacon Idos store TO-
gether with ~ dwellings and tenement houses, the
schoolhouso and Universalist church destroyed
The flames spread rapidly that very little personal
property saved. Over twonty families arc rem.
dered homeless The estimated loss is about $4,000 OF
which one-thrd may be covered by insurance. The
following is list OF losses together with the insurance
thereon Buffers MILL loss 5000, no insurance; L.
S. wheelcrs grist MILL loss $4,000, no insurance; Ba-
con, Ranney Co.'S straw board MILL loss $4,000, in
insurance $4,000 in the following companies Vermont
Mutual, $3OOO Builders Mutual $1,000 Lycomng $780,
Patterson $780, and s2l0O elsewhere dwellinghouse
and store owned by Mrs Kimball, loss SGOO partially
insured Bacon 4 Ides house. loss 5000, no assurances
L. II. stones shoe shop and grange store loss $780,
insurance. Mr.. Bowkers mil inery shop loss $1,000
| fully insured in the Royal Mrs Roberts dwelling
loss $l0OO insurance Universalis church, e 1900
insurance Ira Armingon's dwelling, loss 5000, In
surance $500 in the PhGnn OF Hartford E. s. Wheel
dwelling loss $780, insurance $3.50 in the Vermont
Mutual; NJ McLary's dwelling, loss $500, insurance
500; J. Clarks dwelling loss $500, insurance $lO0
in the Farmers Mutual Eli Brooks's dwelling, loss
$780, insurance $1,000 in the Farmers Mutual; William
Halls dwelling, loss 5000, Insurance Alb el Shoreys
dwelling, loss $500, insurance. +. Haetrs DWELL
ing loss $780, insurance $1,000 in the Farmers Mutual
E. Andrews dwelling loss soOO. insurance 500 in the
Farmers Mutual Charles Harris's dwelling loss s7Oo
insurance $3.50 In the Farmers Mutual schoolhousc
loss $1,000 insurance $500 in the Vermont Mutual Hi
weeks's house, loss 5000, insurance 5000; L. 81.
ldes dwelling loss $780, insurance $500 in the Far
mers' Mutual f. Scots dwelling loss 1900 insurance
| $500 in the Vermont Mutual r. Bckiords dwelling,
loss s2OOO insurance SllOO in the Farmers Mutual.
In the above estimates are not included the losses
of personal property, little Of which removed, all
of what was taken being destroyed account Of
rapdity with which the re spread In less than two
hours an area OF 900 rods was burned over. Had
| there been wind nearly every building in the vii
lage must have been consumed. The most careful
estimates place the entire loss, including barns per-
sonal property ETC., at $4,000. Many people were
left homeless and pennies. One man having refused
to get his mortgage deeds registered, lost thom with
other valuable papers. William Hall lost $500 in
money, which he hid under rug. 1t only by the
most effort and great hazard Of life shat the
store of Bacon Ide, Main street, was saved. The
Are was so widespread and the fire department Of ST.
Johnsbury inefficient, that pals and buckets were
called into service II IL doubtful whether the vii
lage will be rebuilt many Of the victims being old
| and having lost their all.
The fire caught from sparks from chimney. With a
forty ladder at first the village might have been
saved. Relief promptly rendered 10 the sufferers
by Horace Fairbanks who ordered provisions to DO dis
patched at once from the bakery OF Gross Bradley.
The full extent ofhis generosity in.ths case will not
be known except IA It may be ascertained from the
cpents We understand that the receipts at the Con-
cert Tuesday evening, hardly exceeded the expenses.
Little relief therefore, may be expected from that
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