The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-27
CAsTLEToN's TR1BULATIoNs.

The annual report of the auditors and
other officers of the town of Castleton
shows that Notwithstanding the town ex-
penses have decreased nearly two thousand
dollars during the year, yet that the town
appears to be in debt two thousand dollars
more than it was year ago. The total
amount of orders drawn on the treasurer
this year is $6,2S7.59, against $s,052. 90
last year, showing that the expenses, ordi-
nary and extraordinary including support
of the poor, ore $l,764S1 less than last
year. But when we come to examine the
total liabilities of the town, including all
orders unpaid, we find them reported last
year at $5,276.59, while this year at &c.
sos So, or 1851. 90 in excess of last year
in other words, the debt has increased
about as much as the total expenses have
decreased.
The explanation of this appare Mt ano-
maly is simple, and the invention seems to
have been the handiwork of the late over
seer of the poor of the town of Castleton-
strange how these overseers of the poor
contrive to complicste p'Ik1
follow Beecher's "policy> r. e
town officers are required Y e
amount of orders drawn by them, ahsst.iis
the selectmen did last year, but it would
seem that the late overseer of the poor,
like certain other overseer, drew orders
right and left, and then, instead of attempt
ing to justify his course by screaming
tramp tramp! TRAMP! simply kept still
and neglected to report that any such Or
ders had been drawn. When, however,
the overseer had been thrown overheard,
the "policy of silence" was of no further
avail, and the orders came in with the re-
suit as stated. We shall miss our guess if
another year does not find Rutland in the
same boat whether we change drivers or
not, but sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof.
But Castleton has another grievance of a
kind which, fortunately or unfortunately,
Rutland has had no experience Of. The
good people of that town, being law abid-
ing to fault, cannot purchase any rum
without coming to Rutland or going to
Hampton for it. AS Castleton is healthy
place, perhaps this 10 no particular hard
ship, but the financial aspect of the affair
the eelectmen seem TO think is another
thing. The county commissioner, "mak-
" ing rum selling legal not being to his
"taste," and not believing Castleton to be
a" central and convenient place." discon-
tinued the agency there in May last, and
the late agent now reports to the town that
there has beea a "loss by evaporation,
etc., on the liquors on hand to the
amount of $1,000. What that convenient
" etc." stands for is left entirely to infer
ence. If we did not know that the peo-
pie of Castleton were law abiding, moral,
and strictly temperate people, we should
be led to guess that it meant that the liquor
had been-well, never mind.
The selectmen seem TO be fearful thai
the rest Of the liquor will "etc.," and 20
they call the attention of the town to the
matter as follows: "By law the selectmen
are required to make all Purchases in the
"name of the town for the agencies. We
had on the first of May quite fair stock
of goods on hand which by evaporation
"and leakage has greatly deprecated in
value and has cccasioned loss to the
town, aud now having on hand an Gle.
"phant which we cannot handle, the prob.
lem is yet to be solved as TO whether an
equal division among the taxpayers or a
distribution of the property is preferable
to well regulated and safely conducted
"agency. We are of opinion that the lat
"ter would be legal" Castleton is to be
pitied. She can't sell her rum, because the
county commissioner and the laws of the
state will not permit Of 1t. What a sight
IL would be to see the town of Castleton,
attempting to sell this liquor, prosecuted
under the nuisance law and sent to the
county Jail for three months! The only
way out OF the scrape that we can see is,
TO take the liquor out of the late agency,
carry 1t to the town hall, on the day Of
March meeting, and then and there sand
SO forth" 1t. 1--WE are of opinion the
"latter would be legal" Rutland once
tried to shut up her agency but 1t was nc
20, but Castleton wants to keep hers open
but cant do it-that's the difference In
eleven miles. We trust she may have Q
hsppsrdeliverance out OF all Of her tribula-
lions.