Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-02-15
Reliable Testimony. and - Good Pre-.
cedent.

GfNfhNs
To T.r.PlYrts-Our town debt. nearly $50 0oO.
our village debt nearly tlO OOo Loss Of population,
1877. III, Property Milestone brook not en-
ployed, costing $3.50 0oo Fifty tenement' TO s' our
fore the per cent will be much increased Shall We
vote additional debt Of $4,000 In the interest o.
few, wiihou, any prospective equivalent say NO.
Above is the copy Of a circular which was
scattered broadcast by the opponents Of the
Brattleboro and Whitehall railroad ON the day
Of the town meeting. held Jan. 26th. Let MS
examine its statements and see if a valuable
lesson may not be drawn therefrom.
Our town debt of S37, 900 above stated
which sb0uH read SOS, 440. s2-was mainly
created while the tax payers were paying the
taxes of the principal industry Of this place
and that concern was exempt. Thus the town
was then doing exactly what is asked now Of
it in this railroad project. 1t paid man.
ufacturing company's tax to enable that COM
pany to grow up to be strong enough to pay
its own. and help the town reduce It's taxes by
the increased wealth arising from that indus
try. The theory undoubtedly was correct
although the result may have been to some
extent source of disappointment. During
that period the money which the present
town debt represents WAS expended for new
roads and bridges which were very largely
called into existence by the active cxertious Of
the firm alluded to. One of the projects urged
upon the town was the improvement of the
highway up the West River valley. For this
Brattleboro paid over 100000, and We were
told that the business of those upper towns
demanded it of us True. it did demand it
Al. prlv
ping stone for this still more important pro-
ject Of to-day. The improvement: Of other
sections of our country. which can furnish the
same class Of products that are abundant and
sleeping in this valley, has made their proc
drcts so much more available that the West
River valley products cannot be hauled TO
market and pay the expense Of carting. The
same statements made in town meeting at the
time referred to by those who demanded the
building of n better highway mp the West
River valley exist to-day with even greater
force The highway furnished partial out
let the railroad will bring them wealth from
their hills and enable them to procure money
to spend The highway let them out into the
world but they came out naked, as it were ::
the railroad will furnish them board and
clothes. and those little additions will make
them worthy and advantageous auzilinries to
this town. If we could afford to pay $50, 600
for the child, cannot we afford to eXpend SO p
600 to dress and improve it; Any candid
mind will readily perceive that the very same
arguments and chain of reasoning which were
used III the case of the highway, apply with
ten-fold force to a railroad up the West River
valley
Brattleboro steadily grew from the time the
| Vermont & Massachusetts, railroad commence
ed to run here February. 1919, until So ;
and no very important special industry was
| the principal cause Of it; it came from the
natural impetus of general business fostered
by being able to reach the rest Of the world,
and from our back trade Our grand list
then stood (1SG5) S14,G43.37. 1t then began
to increase, until in 1877 it reached S23, 469..
GS. This year it shows some signs Of de.
crease the above circular places it at % pei
cent, but that is probably an exaggeration.
| We have certainly started on the down hill
side-and cannot we stop: Manufacturing
of various kinds has been tried, and it is found
n poor staff TO lean upon alone The intro.
duction of the railroad system sent us from
S1l, $50. &c in 1919 TO Sl4, G43.31 in 1850, by
furnishing US q way out. 1t enabled us &c
gain 80 per cent. and will it not be safe tc
say that we can hold our own if We can put
into existence railroad facilities entirf'y foi
our local benefit, of far more importance il
some respects, than all the railroads now cen
tering in this town; Precedent would seen
to guarantee it. Is there any trade up thai
valley? We find 1926 inhabitants and {
grand list of 81, sol 713. OO-twice the popu
lation of Brattleboro and - per cent. more
than her equal in valuation. Allow this val
ley to make the same increase that Brattle
boro made after railroads commenced run
ming here, and we find that valley in 1s9;
valued at 50, rs. 1862 - viii this benef
Brattleboro? Or if the valley is not assisted
will Brattleboro be hurt The grand list o
these towns in 1877 was 50 o64, 1890; in So:
it was put down at 50, 4l+, 323.0O; therefore
the valley has grown backwards lG per cent
Follow this decrease until 1893, and In
valley stands -. 3s7. 2GO.S4. Its materil
growth by increased facilities, TO enable it t.
live, would make it in Il years S3,7js, 1862. -
It's ratio of decrease if not aided with thi
slstenance makes it -, 3s7, 26O.s4 a differ
ence of 1871, 1Ol. 7l-almos; the entire val
uation of Brattleboro in 1866. Would it Lur
our merchants and farmers TO have Br,ttlc
boro sink into comparative nothingnesS
Refusing to stop the decay Of West Rive
valley will do this. Voters, pause and think
This is not idle talk, because this man has al
axe to grind, or that man wants to get the ad
vantage of his neighbor it is an array o
startling facts CLEANED from reliable statistics.
a Gordid Argument.
For a specimen Of short-sghted selishness