Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-11-08
A Ref0rmatOry Jumbo.


the legislature was humane and philan-
thropic. Large sums Of money were voted
for buildings, for land, for furnishings and
for the expenses of the school. In course of
time the modest wood buildings in which
the institution was Graded in its infancy
became too contracted for the wants
of the school, or for the ambition of
its guardians, and new and spacious brick
buildings with fine grounds were projected.
In the year 1871, as appears by the re-
ports of the state officers, S29,270 was drawn
from the treasury for the school in 1872,
s3sOsO; in 1873, s29,3 in 1874, s26,5sS.
At each session Of the legislature the chief
officials of the school were seen fitting
around the corridors and committee rooms
of the state house, engineering some new
scheme to draw money from the state for
the apparently Unsuitable NAV Of this insti.
tuition. Having persuaded the state to make
large appropriations for fine buildings and
splendid facilities for the work of reforma-
ton, that body was importuned to buy a
large chair factory in which the superin-
tendent was personally interested and which
had been run chiefly by labor furnished at
merely nominal prices by the reform school.
Before this scheme had succeeded the entire
material portion of the institution disap-
peared in smoke. For its expenditures, ag-
gregatiug since 1866 nearly $4,000, the
state had $4,000 insurance, small farm, a
mass of debris, some one hundred fifty house
less boys, and few other assets. The
immense loss was directly attributable to
the gross lack of ordinary prudence and
foresight in the first instance in placing
the gas machine which furnished light
to the institution in the basement of the
buildings and in the second instance in
making repairs upon the machine in the
night time by candle light, while it was
charged with gas. Then the institution
was raided off to Vergennes at the cost of
an extra session of the legislature in the
dead of winter. The old buildings, which it
was speciousy represented could be fitted
up at less cost than to rebuild at Waterbury,
have been the fruitful source of demands for
appropriations, and since 1875, including
cost of extra session of legislature with its
iunketing trip to vergennes, more than
100000 have been drawn from the treasury
for new buildings and regular expenses.
The last special appropriation for buildings
was $4,000, made in 1878, but wisely con-
ditioned upon the approval of the exec
utive. Governor Proctor was then at the
head of state affairs. His sanction was with
held for good reasons, and the money was
not expended. Two years ago the senate
defeated the purpose of the house to reduce
this appropriation to $4,000. Governor
Farnham was more plant than his pred
ecessor. His consent to the expenditure of
the appropriation was given, and it appears
from the recent report OF the trustees OF the
school that the entire sum has been invested
in new building at Vergennes, and the
trustees assure the governor that the build
ings are entirely ample to meet the wants
of the institution" From the fact that
there has been a decrease Of thirty-six in
the last two years in the number in the
school, it is a question if the requisite am
plitude would not have been secured by
much smaller expenditure.
But this is not the full history of the out
lay of the last two years. The fluctuations
of trustees and superintendent over their
new and luxurious quarters at VergeDnes
are turned to grief by the developments be-
fore the committee on claims. Mr.. E. II.
Daniels contracted to make the recent addi-
tions to the buildings for 1880, which for
extra work and materials furnished was in
creased to S9,99607. This gentleman now
comes before the legislature with bill for
about SO, 900 additional compensation, which
sum he claims he lost in the performance Of
his recent contract with the trustees of the
school. He made his contract with his eyes
open. He knew every detail of the require
ments of the specifications for the construc
ton of the building and there is no pretence
that beyond the sum allowed S2i6.07, any
extra work or material was furnished or
any requsition made in the way of changes
or in any other particular. He has lost
$4,000 on the contract, for which the state
is in no wise at fault, and now he asks the
legislature to reimburse him for his loss
He comes before the committee on claims
with great array of legal counsel, among
whom is an ex.judge of the supreme court,
an ex-governor and present congressman
elect from the first district. 1t requires
four lawyers to impress the inherent justice
of this claim upon the committee which
holds the purse-strings of the state. From
| his readiness to ask the state to assume his
losses, it is presumable that had he made
SO 900 on the job he would have rushed up
to Montpelier to cover the sum into the state
treasury. Mr.. Daniels should have made
his claim $4,000, on the theory that not
only should the state make good his direct
profit on the contract. There is no reason
why the state should not act in a matter OF
this kind just as good business men would
act under similar circumstances. If con-
| lIdClOT udhcS Hlnldhoo VI uses Dhu Jug
ment and thereby suffers loss, it may be a
hardship but he has no right to ask or ex-
pect that the other party will make good his
loss, and it is not done in transactions be-
tween men for any reasons which appear in
this case. To do it in the case of the state
will open the door to very grave abuses. 1t
4 is not believed that the legislature is ready
to saddle upon the state treasury the losses
of its citizens. If it is, let all share equally
in its benefactions.
1t is also asked of the Legislature that the
provision requiring towns to contribute to
the support of the boys and girls they send
to the school be repealed, in order to fill up
the enlarged buildings by encouraging COM
mitments. The moral, religious and educa
tional advantages of the institution are en-.
larged upon very much as the principal of a
school invites public patronage. The larger
the number of inmates the less the relative
expense, it is urged. II it is the design Of
the school to afford refuge for the paupel
children Of the state, to make it universal
almshouse, more of an elephant than it al
ready is and utterly to break it down, the
present wholesome restrictions should be
repealed.