Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-02-26
Orange Go. Commissloner's Report.


= cept two--Orange aud Strafiortl
Having u communication that n.
agent was wanted IN those towns
they were not visited then.
Only live towns asked for agents
during the year; these were Chel
sea, Newbury, Randolph, Topsham
and Washington.
Early in May | received u request
y to re'appoint the agent in Chelsea
y At my first visit after spending con
. siderable time in examining his
books, cOnversing with the select
men, and temperance men Of the
place, decided not to give him IN
appointment; but adjourn the mat
ter until some future time. At my
second visit gave him an appoint.
ment thinking lie would perform
the duties of the Office as we'll, or
) better than any other individual
! that could be obtained.
This agent reports his sales forty.
five gallons less than last year.
| Newbury was without an agent
until August 4th, when s. ID. Swa.
!, zey was recommended, and receiv.
, ed Oh appointment. He has filed
the Office it is believed to the salts.
faction of the temperance people,
as l have heard no complaint OF
him. ..
In Randolph there seemed to he
very little opposition to the old
agent, and he was re-appointed.
The sales are large, but there were
no agents in the adjoining towns,
and large proportion of the liquor
sold, has gone to other places.
This agent reports his sales sixty.
one gallons less than last year.
l was frequently solicited to reap.
point the old agent in Topsham, be.
fore my visit in May; but at that
time l found a strong party that
were opposed to him, and SO decid-
ed not to make an appointment
consequently they were without an
agent until June 10, when they
wished me to appoint Blanchard 9.
Jones, informing me that they had
agreed upon him to sell their liquor.
1 gave him III appointment which
he held until October 2, at which
time he sent in his resignation in
consequence Of sickness in his fam.
lily. Warren Bowen was then
agreed upon, appointed: agent, and
has held the Office until the present
time. and bellows he has tried to
do his duty, having reduced the
sale materially.
At this place an effort was made
in one instance to obtain liquor by
false representations; but the law
was promptly meted out to the Of
fender, successfully l think, as
have not heard of any attempt to
repeat the offence.
At the commencement Of the
year the authorities had on hand a
few gallons Of whiskey, which they
feared was not good, and therefore
destroyed it; seeming to think this
a better course than to allow any
one to take poisonous draught. l
believe if all were thus considerate
1t would do much to improve the
quality Of liquor offered by agents.
l received an official report from
the president of meeting held in
Washington May 9, 1876, number.
ing some sixty persons. The main
topic OF discussion was, whether an
agent was wanted to sell liquor.
At the close OF the meeting a vote
was taken, and all but three voted,
no agent. l again received a short
communication from this town dat
ed May 81, signed by the first select
man, aud two Of the leading citizens,
saying that some of the leading cit
liens were anxious to have an agent
and requesting that l
come and see what could be done
about it. Accordingly met the first
selectman at the Office of II. A.
White, May 26. After spending a
short time at this place we repaired
to the church where a delegation Of
ladies awaited us who seemed anx.
iOus that l should make no appoint
ment, and presented a remonstrance
signed by about seventy of their
number, mostly being married Ia.
dies Of the place.
After the reading of this paper Il
very lively discussion epsusd the
first selectnan and others contend.
ing that an agent should be appoint
ed to provide liquors for medicinal
purposes, claiming that during an
epidemic which prevailed in town
the previous year, liquor was need.
ed to suppress the disease, and it
was thought best to provide against
a recurrence, and have liquor SO it
could be obtained lawfully. It was
held that We should set aside the
reno insurance ON the ground that
ladies did not vote. and took no