Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-09-27
THE --LATEST PROM THE BA1LuoAD.

THE --LATEST PROM THE RAILROAD.
At the meetingofthe director, OF the Brat
tleboro & Whitehall r. r., held at Fayetteville
last Monday, all bids Of contractors forthccon-
struction of the road were rejected with the
exception Of four or five. II was voted 10
authorize the executive committee to ncgo-
tate with some one Of these contractors, or
with any other parties they may see TT, and
report their action to an adjourned meeting
to be held at Fayetteville on Monday, Sept.
80. A route for leaving the Brattleboro sta
ton. now under consideration and being sur
yeycd. passes southwark aud around Royal
Woods farm. aud crosses South Main street.
on burymg ground hill near Pine street 1t
reaches this point AT q grade not exceeding
100 feet to the mile, and strikes thence in a
northwcsttrly direction with slight grades,
through Esteyyile to point nearly opposite
the Lnmsou saw-mil so called, crossing
Milestone brook and the highway at the mar
rowcst point, 10y bridge and trestle-wofk.
This line crosses Western avenue at a point
"a little cast Of the first survey 10y way Of
Centroyiile avoiding the curve and deep cut
back Of Mrs. Gainos's. aud reaching the height
of land north Of Mr.. Knapp's at a much cast
er grade. BY this proposed route the more
Objectionable features Of the original Centre
vile route arc avoided, and the road comes
into the BrattlcbJro station entirely independ-
ent Of any other corporation. The distance is
increased but little. and the comparative cost
Of construction is materially diminished.
Mr.. DoENAN b. EAToN's REPORT or THE uNIrA-
RAN NATIONAL CONFERENCE.
At the Unitarian church last Sunday
morning Mr. Dorman b. Eaton gave the con-
| gregation a spirited and entertaining account
Of the Biennial Conference Of Unitarian and
other Christian churches held at Saratoga last
week. and which Mr.. Eaton attended as one
Of the delegates from the Brattleboro society.
This conference was the eighth Of the kind
which this denomination has held. The at
tendance, which has always been large was
| larger than at any previous one; the number
of delegates was greater, and ten per cent.
more churches were represented than ever
before. Through the courtesy Of the Metho-
dist society in Saratoga, their fine and commo-
dious church, which has a seating capacity of
! 1900 persons. was used for the meetings Of
! the conference. During all the four days of
the conference the delegates and others in at
tendance left all the attractions of this famous
resort to attend the sessions, thus showing
their deep interest in the proceedings. On
some occasions the attendance in the church
was not less than 23OO. The opening sermon
on Tuesday evening was preached by Rev.
Brooke Herford of Chicago. At . o'clock
each morning devotional meeting held,
and following this came the regular sessions
of the day. Wednesday morning an essay
on The New Theology" was read by Rev.
James Freeman Clarke, D. D., Of Boston
! Thursday morning Rev. c. c. Everett. D. D.,
OF Harvard University. discoursed on The
New Ethics and Friday morning the essay
was by Hon. George William Curtis. on Nor
ais and Politics'-the leading topics Of the
conference thus covering the three great points
of reli gion, morality and practical life. or the
duty of the citizen to the nation. Each of
these essays was followed by discussions by
well-known clergymen and others-1Ir Eaton
taking part in that on Friday morning The
other sessions of the week were devoted to
the reports of the various associations and To-
cal conferences. the discussion of practical
topics, ard routine business. At the meeting
of the conference two years ago, the work of
raising $50, 600 among the Unitarian church
es of the country, to be put with an equal
amount to be given by the Washington soci-
ETY., for the purpose of building church at
the national capital was undertaken with
great enthusiasm. At this conference the
gratifying announcement was made that this
work has been completed. and that a fine
| 10.
at Washington, and is now regularly occupied,
free from debt or inculnbrance. 4 leading
project decided upon at last weeks session
was the raising of 200 in aid of the theo-
| logical school at Meadvlle Pa. This session
of the biennial conference seems to have been
in all respects one of the most satisfactory
and inspiriting ever held.
oBITUAET-rHE LATE MRS. Z. T BILLINGS.
The death of Mrs Elizabeth Tyler Bill
ings on Friday, the 10Th inst, occasions be-
reayement deeply felt not only by a large cir
Gle Of relatives, but by all who knew her.
She was the daughter of Rev. Edward r. Ty-
Ter, distinguished Congregational minister,
and granddaughter of Hon. Royal Tyler
former Chief Justice of Vermont. Her an
cestry on both sides belonged TO the true no.
bility of early New England.
She was born in Colebrook, Conn, and
many of her earlier years were spent either in
her own home or that of near relatives in
Hartford, Aiddletown. New Haven, New Mil
ford and in this village but in whatever
place, she was always under the most genial
influences, and was ever susceptible TO their
moulding power Her education was mostly
completed here, in the home Of her grand
mother whose simple presence was an inspir-
alton to everything gentle and good. Here
she united with the Congregational church,
during the passionate of her uncle, DIR. George
p. Tyler, and enjoyed its ministrations. Her
early womanhood was passed in the family of
her uncle, Rev. Dr. Thomas p, Tyler in Bata-
via, n, Y, where, in 1862, she was married TO
Capt Cornelius c. Billings, of regiment l5l,
n. Y. Vols. Her husband was killed in the battle
of The Wilderness" at the same time that
her cousin, Col. John S. Tyler, was mortal
ly wounded, Three or four years afterwards
she came to Brattleboro TO assist her aunt,
Miss Amelia S. Tyler, in conducting her
school for young boys, and was thus efficient
ly employed till disabled by fatal illness.
Mrs. Billings became a commandment of the
Episcopal church while in Batavia. She was
a devoted Christian, a sweet and lovely char
.acter, ever to be remembered with admira-
ton and love by all who were so happy as to
know her. One-not relative of the fam
ily-who knew her well in childhood and
youth, in carly and mature womanhood, takes
delight in recalling the bright promise of her
opening life, and the consummate fruitage of
her doTc!uped character. In her sweetness
and light We're blended. Her friends follow
her ilto the invisible world, not as a vague,
misty spirit, but as distinct personality,
whom they love with undecaying affection.