The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1880-03-26
Bennington Locals.

/. The floating debt of Bennington
: which consists of selectmens and over
seef's orders outstanding-was
FEB, IS, 1872. gross s7ieso 9
: Feb. Is, 1880, gross S7s,sOi 0
l The assets applicable to meet t6is debt we're a
Feb 2S, 1872, s2l257
: Showing the net debt as follows;
March /, 1879, So, 1876 8
, Feb, 49, 1880 S56,070 9
Such assets consist now of cash IN
treasury, and assessed taxes nhands ofcol
, lector, while ten years ago plank and
timber also were classed as assets fol
payment of floating bebt. Collector Rob n
son thinks thatthe taxes due Feb. IS, can
be collected; the lists in collector Powers
hands in 1879 were subjected to large
abatements. Plank and timber are no
longer classed as assets, neither are the
new town buildings. Thus it appears
that our floating debt is in better shape
than two years ago, though there has
been no heavy Taxation to release it. 1t
is now on low interest basis honest
and economical management will gradu-
ally extinguish it without oppressive tax
alton for the purpose.
Mr.. A. ii. Halliday is now the gentle
p. Childs.
Prof. Harpending's private school is
constantly open to students, and for the
admission of men scholars. The regular
spring session begins Monday, April 18th.
1t is noted that this school is in flourish
ing condition.
Selectman Huling has done as much as
any honorable man could do in an official
capacity to promote the welfare OF the
taxpayers of Bennington. He has served
the town honorably, faithfully, intelli-
gently and economically. He obeyed the
Instructions of the town implicitly in
contestng the validity of the railroad
debt, which debt our people, regardless
of party, believe to be an unjust IMPOSE
ton. 1t has been decided by the courts
that the bonded towns are legally holden
to pay the bonds issued to aid the Leba-
non Spring r. r. enterprise. Mr.. Huling
submits, as any law abiding citizen
should, to the decree of the courts, to
whom the questions were referred. If
unity and harmony of action be desirable |
to deal with the grave question of our |
pubic debt, Mr.. Park should not pro
woke discord by suits against the select |
men for doing their duty in accord with |
the towns instructions. This railroad
debt-involving a tax Of from fifteen to
thirty dollars more or less upon each
dollar of the grand list-was never such
sacred obligation upon our people that
the payment OF fifty cents on the dollar of
the grand list in costs to determine the
matter should be ondemned--especlally
by Mr.. Park. The town at least will
save faithful instructed, official harm
less, and Mr.. Park VIII be wise not to
make the town further expense.
Every order given by the ousted vii
lage trustees for expenses in defending
against the "quo WdrrdntO proceedings"
will he given up to clerk Morgan, for col
lection. The removed village officials,
many of whom were not present at the
last annual meeting, have paid over if
teen hundred dollars in costs which ought
to satisfy those who began the proceed
ings.
Subscribers to the REFoRMER can rest
assured that this paper will be published
for the full year-shd that it will be
promptly delivered at their post offices
as early as Saturday Of each week.
The REFoRMER will be wide awake,
fearless, independent paper, replete with
the news of the day, enterprising in get
Ting the news, aud telling the truth about
Joshua Mattison dropped dead at his /
home in North Bennington, after attend 8
ng the funeral of Mrs. Judge Millington {
asst week. 3
1t shows well for the outgoing board OF t
'electmen, that they paid the ordinary Z
own expenses of 1879, over twenty thou
sand dollars interest, and reduced the to- ,
,al debt of the town about three thou
sand dollars.
The total iebt of Bennington March !, 1879: !
I; S. deposit fund, $l2,j59 AZ /,
Floating debt consisting OF outstanding ]
orders OF selectmen and oyerseer of
the poor, 77l65 SO
R. r. debt principal payable July 1897 l2500 90
Accrued interest to March ], 1879, R49si Al J.
Total Indebtedness, s2s7OO9 SO
The total debt of Bennington, March L. 1880:
J, s. deposit fund, $12.S59 43
floating debt consisting of outstanding
orders of seectmeH and overseer of
poor. Feb IS. 1880, 1881 0S
R. debt principal payable July l, 1897 1l2,5OO 90
to March /, 1880, so,467 9s
Total Indebtedness 1884, 18l 40
Decrease during the year, s2,S77 81. n
To the above may be added the corpo- n
ration and school debts which would q
swell the total somewhat above $500, 900.
The creditors of the town of Benning- c
ton should not hold the treasury of the c
town, nor prevent that much larger class I
the debtors, taXpayers-from saying c
word about the amounts due on settle
ment. q
Some of our citizens have got the Col {
orado fever badly, and purpose join t
ing an emigrant party soon to leave North
Adams. Stephen A. Douglas once said 7
that Vermont was a good State TO be
born ia If you emigrated soon after birth,
but we note that the frnition OF the
western fever has sent many an emerant
back to the Green Mountain State for ,
that contentment which Unstable border
life does not afford.
Rev. DIR. Garfield will probably close
his lsbo1s al St. Peters church soon after
Easter, if another rector can be secured
the Easter services have been interest
ing and protitable-the music, under
Prof Squire's, direction has been of the
usual hlgh order.
Payments on account Of subscriptions,
or Advertising in the REFoRMER can be t
made to A. p. Childs, at Bennington.
"It is rumored that no Democrats can
be elected to office hereafter in Benning
ton" Such nonsense is not worthy Of Sc
ri0uS thought. Inc safest ana BEST rule
is to elect honest, capable men TO Cfiice,
and iaxpay ers-regardless of party-will ,
enforce the rule. We need less of party ,
and more of principle in the sd ninistra- :
tion OF public trusts.
Judge Mllington has the sympathy of
the people of this county in his recent
severe aff1 lotion.
The open winter of 70 and 80 will long I
be noted for the prevalence OF sickness
and epidemics. Snow is greater health
prom ter than mud in winter. {
Post Custer is to be congratulated {
up ~ clear profit of nearly one hundred
dollars from the recent exhibitions, and :
the reproduction of army scenes and life,
music and tableaux was highly c)mmen- i.
dable. !
The great plumber of citiz ms OF Ben !
ningtou county, who get The REFoRMER
postage prepad-tbs week, and who
like the style and indt peIdence Of the
same, will please hand their subscriptions
TO A. p. Cnilds of Bennington.
Fifty cents will pay for three months, q
81 so cents for full year if paid in ad-
vance, postage paid by the publishers.
Two hundred cents will be the invariable