Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-03-08
Concerning the "Arch" Opening.

/
connect State street extension with Main street,
was commenced on Wednesday. the LIST inst, he
fore the following commissioners: Hon. John l..
Edwards Of Newport, Hon. William S Martin OF
Plainfeld, and William Chaplin, Esq, OF Middle
sex. Messrs. @. II. Pitkin and W. P. Dillingham;
appeared for the petitioners and s. c. Shurtleff for
the town. Two days were spent in taking testi-
mony, when an adjournment was had until Fri
day, the 10Th inst, to hear the arguments and
consider the case.
| The testimony on the part OF the petitioners
proved conclusvely that the route in question had
become one Of the most important thoroughfares
in town; that by actual count the daily average
travel Of individuals and teams in ordinary times
is more than one thousand that the arch is
so often obstructed by teams especially in rainy
days, as to be impossible even for pedestrians
that II is 30 infested with intoxicated men and
loafers as to be dangerous, especially for ladies in
the evening, they being constantly liable to in
suits of the grossest kind, and even assaults ;
that 1t had become common resort for those dis
gushing uses to which alley-ways in cities are
always subjected. It was also shown that State
street extension was by far the shortest and most
direct route from Seminary Hill to the business
part of the town, and affording much the best
grades by the circuitous route of the Clay Hill
road. The next shortest route was shown to be
by way of School street and Huntington avenue,
| t0rtY-ttree rods farther, and the avenue is only
two rods wide, and with steep grade. A plan
was also incidentally submitted accompanied by
estimates of competent builders, showing that the
ends sought by the petitioners could be substan-
TALLY gained at probable cost Of not exceed
| ing 81, 900 or 5000
On the part OF the town little attempt was made
to controvert the testimony offered by the petit
| TONERS, but several gentlemen were introduced,
mainly heavy taxpayers, who testified rs to the
existing liabilities Of the town, and that, in view
Of the various other ways Of access to Seminary
Hill which had been provided, and the compare
| tive insgnifcance OF the travel and traffic upon
this thoroughfare, In their opinion the benefits to
be attained would not equal the cost. These
gentlemen also testified as to the probable land
damage incurred in the proposed opening-vary-
ing from $4,000 gain to $1,000 damage. Two
gentlemen appeared in opposition to the project
who signed petition for precisely the same OBJ
ject in 1875-one, Mr.. A. o. Cummns, frankly al
| leging that he had changed his mind, and Hiram
Atkins, who said he signed at the request Of a
personal friend, and held written indemnity
terested in the project.
Like almost everything else, this project has its
history, brief review of which is essential in or
der to get the whole matter before the public
mind. In 1882 the late John Spadng erected the
block in question, containing the arch, which was
| provided for the convenience Of the business of
the block and the rear land, which extended to
Cedar Huntington avenue Subsequently he
purchased strip Of land four rods wide from his
easterly line to Seminary HILL for the purpose OF
connecting the land in rear Of his block with the
fair ground, so-caled, which he then owned
The sale OF the spaldng block to the late j. G.
| French carried with it the back land connected
with the block, and the sale OF the fair ground to
the Vermont Conference Seminary also included
the narrow strip extending westerly to Cedar
avenue
In 1867, when the Methodist Seminary received
| its present location, against violent opposition
and competition, 1t was freely talked by our lead
| ing citizens, as an nducement, that an open and
public highway should speedily be opened thence
to State street. the hill near the Brigham house
| cut down, and all distractions removed "A COM
mittee represented our citizens on that OCCASION
consisting Of c. w. Willard, Samuel Wells, and
| II we mistake not, p. p. Pitkin.) When it was
asked, as a condition precedent to the location,
| that these Improvements be guaranteed the re-
| ply distinctly made as can be well substan-
tiated, that while the committee had no power to
| legally bind the town, yet the locating committee
could well judge that any community which
would raise $3.50 as gift to the school might
safely be relied to maintain Its good faith and
fulfil all its implied obligations.
| nf abOyp n
March, 1868, petition for this same object, nu-
merously signed by our leading citizens, was pre-
scented to our selectmen, and the following action
was had, as appears from the report Of the select
men in 1869:
petition signed by very large number OF the most prom
business men In town asking the sseetmen to extend
been carried Spl as The petition requested would have
eraSps at present but was evident some,hns must be
done to meet the coming wants Of that section Of our vii
be of the most favored portions Of the town We have
en- Gs sns OsS ssEsy % % snd s
r ne P II nG aT %r nSn WE pss nv
line to near his tenement block and the right Of way
moving certain buildings ali OF which VIII be found re,
paid $3.50 leaving the damage for the town to only $3.50
Note the points in the above report: The petit
ton was to "extend State street to Seminary
|
Of the most prominent business men in town. u
The estimated cost 1870 OOO) OF carrying out the
petition as requested" (the removal OF the Free
man block and buildings in the rear was favor
lite plan with many was regarded as too great
an undertaking at present; but it was evident
that something must be done to meet the coming
wants Of that section Of our village. which is in
creasing very fast, and in few years will be on,
of the most favored portions of the town" Thii
was in 1868 Since then more than forty dwell
ings have been erected on Seminary Hill and tn,
adjacent territory whose occupants use th
thoroughfare, not including the buildings Of tn,
corporation more than 800, 900 has been added Il
the taxable grand list Of the town. over $500 added
! to the income of our post-ofice from the school
beside all the direct and indirect incidental bene
fits to the general business interests of the plac
arising from an average addition OF one to tw
hundred In the resident population. Besides, tn
4 then estimated cost of $4,000 is reduced b.
! threefourths that sum probably, while our gran,
list has been trebled.
An open public highway was laid, as has beef
= seen, from Seminary Hill to the northwestern.
e corner OF land owned by Joseph Poland, Il
: the rear of the arch, and right OF way obtaine
= thence to Main street. for which 81, 100 wa
a paid land damages, including the removin
+ back Of a tenement house projecting into tn
It street No material change has been made in til
road no laid, nor Is the tenement house to be II
# moved until the opening here prayed for
y made. The damage paid by the town no'
+ amounts to more than $1,000 OF the $3.50 pal
d the town by individuals, $500 was paid by Josep
N Poland on the 10Th day of June, 1868, with tn
i distinct understanding, at least on his part this
the said building was to be at once removed, an
q the arch opened at an early day. The none
, paid into the town treasury by Mr. Poland mo-
d amounts 10 more than $1,000, for which he hs
il never received one penny's benefit,
- To show the intent to carry out the above VI
Outstanding to the letter the part OF the selec
!. men with whom the arrangement was effected
,s one OF them in 1875 drew up and circulated p,
l. tition for the precise purpose prayed for
Al procured 1t to be largely signed by our busine
az men. courts committee WIS raised, but befoi
b being called out the memorable fire OF that yea
IN fell upon our community, when the petitioner
IN unwilling to add even feathers weight to thu
N provdential calamity, withdrew their petition an
r. paid their own costs
n In view OF the foregoing, what shadow of ju
ID LITIGATION can there be for charging that +" tn
n movement was inaugurated and IL being pusht
| Inv a fax uhnua lHah a.