Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-04-27

WATERBURY.-The general health OF the vii
lage has materially improved There have been
no new cases Of diphtheria, and no deaths during
the past week. The few remaining cases are
convalescent and their recovery well assured
In French family, that Of Joe Acker, living in
the tollgate house beyond Colbyvile, there are
reported eight cases Of canker-rash but the dis
ease is not generally prevalent. planting
is becoming quite prevalent. Several large elms
have been set out round the park, and a number
OF citizens have followed Mr.. Warrens example
and transferred to their yards elms OF goody size
from the neghborng fields. The ultimate sue
cess of these experiments will be watched with
interest. George f. Moody has been appointed
organist in the College street church. Burlington.
Mr.. Moody has furnishing classes In piano
instruction in this village, In Richmond and in
Burlington. :. The Methodsts, being without
pastor, worshiped with the Congregatonalists
last Sabbath. :. Horace Meeker, with his daugh-
ter Nellie, has moved on TO his place on the Dux-
| bury side where the family lived prior to their
occupancy OF the Sommerye farm, -localties
| unpeasantly associated with the persecution and
murder OF Alice Meaker year ago. "A new
version, not exactly of the story OF the foolish
virgins but OF foolishneas exceeding the folly of
| the parabolic females might be told Of our expe-
| rience with our street lamps. At considerable
expense of money aud OF individual exertion these
lamps were placed at various points In the village
| late last fall they were great public benefit;
| they were lighted amid much fecitaton and
| the enterprise was complacently regarded kero-
| sene was cheap and was lavishly burned In the
| luxury OF lighted streets the venerable lamp
lighter impatenty touched off his burners before
sunset rs hint 10 old Sol TO duck his head behind
the Duxbury hills and let our new lamps do the
| shining; even on moonlit nights and nights when
the starlight reflected from the snow rendered the
most devious ways clearly discernible at least d
| mortas whose vision was In its normal condition
the lamps In rivalry with the moon and starr
blazed away "all night till broad daylight" and
were sDutfed out In the morning As n natural
conseq uence, when the moonless slushy, muddy
| evenings of spring came on we found ourselves In
very much the same dilemma az that In which
the foolish virgins In the Scriptures became in
| yolyed,- the oil barrel was empty, the treasury
| exhausted, and the lamps were rayess, so thai
pedestrians were again obliged to trim the prim.
eyal lantern, or pick their way in the Egyptian
darkness through slush and mud. The spruce
amp-posts had been left In their native light
wood color and, having some OF the Illuminating
properties popularity ascrlbed To white beans,
were partial substitute for the extinct lumn
aries which they supported but some enemy Of
the public safety has recently painted these the
color Of the darkness thus obscuring their feebl,
radiance and exposing them TO the risk of COLI
sions with unwary pedestrians who should chanc,
TO deviate from the straight and narrow way
which our sidewalks pursue But seriously now
will not our people, after having incurred all The
expense OF putting up very creditable street
lamps, devise some systematic and economical
means Of maintaining lights in them, and at sea
sons when they are most needed2