Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-09-19
ARMER, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 49, 1Ss

ers to place or even give am attractive aud
therefore profitable reputation 20 a village or
O. neghbOrhOOd. The man who has planted
or preserved such trees has become the beng-
factor Of the community. More and more
in the future this will be the case. a few
hue trees. perhaps a single grand tree. may
do more for "a good sale of farm than
good barn or a house. Many Nermonters are
seeing this, and are planting and preserving
shade and ornamental trees and shrubs as
never before. The legislature Of this state,
like that Of several other states, has encour-
aged by law the planting Of trees along the
roadside. IL every mile Of road In the ia
vorite parts Of Vermont was shaded as some
Of the roads now are. the state would have
such real and reputed attractions as would
turn TO 1t more than ever before the tide OF
inland soi0urners. The land would be great
ly increased in value aud new charms would
be added to country life.
But railroad aud telephone companies seem
blind 10 these facts and willing to become the
vaudals OF this growing element of comfort
and civilization. Along the lines Of the
railroads the biackeniug trunks Of our noble
forest trees, and hillaides covered with the
white birch and the red cherry, or only sand
and rocks, are the evidence and measure Of
the disastrous neglect of duty by railroad
the state. o. the sides Of the beautiful roads
near Brattleboro Of late, petty, young tele-
phone company, initiating the ravages and
and aggression Of the large corporations, has
been needlessly cutting Of the tops Of fine
young elms aud naples which public spirited
itzens have planted to shade the traveller
aud beautify the highways; even cutting
great spaces through the branches and rich
foliage Of such trees as II the roadway was
not broad enough for its little wires, and such
citizens and the public generally had no
rights which the managers Of little tele.
phone company are bound TO respect
fancy some times that well bred dog, as be
seeks the grateful shade. has more gratitude
d not more regard for the beauty OF q land
scape than these managers or the men they
employ are exhibiting. ] know none of
them. but / believe they will not long be al
lowed 10 escape the effective indignation Of
the public either under the disguise Of cor
porute name or the pretence that the rude
men they employ are alone responsible for
their bIrbarOus work II Vermont has no
Hv- winch forbid the needless cutting or mu-
tlatIou oi such trees by railroad and telephone
companies, she should enact such at the very
next session Of the Legislature
A recent instance of that abuse j. especial
by wautou bsrbarous and offensive to every
N'ftHNA vi NhaAf anu sentiment AZ LAt DUl-
der line Of Brattleboro village, on the
principal highway along the valley of the
Connecticut, just At the iuncture OF that riv-
or with the West riyer-where three bridges
crossing the deep waters amid dense foliage
make the hue scenery all the more pictur-
esque-there stands perhaps, the largest
tree m the whole valley a maple monster Of
the forest. Il may be 100 years old. II is
larger certainly than d maple Of the same
species planted by Queen Elizabeth il the
grounds Of the Earl Of Essex. Ii Is more
than feet around well up It's huge trunk.
1t doubtless stood in its place before For,
Dummer was built or the woodmsu axe had
been heard at Guilford. The Indians may
have marked their trails upon its bark before
the speech Of the white man had ever been
heard IN the valley. No man who does not
gaze upon the landscape with the stolidity Of
4 brute, eau look upon such a tree without
emotion or see 1t destroyed without indiRnR-
ton. With its sturdy trunk and many leaf
iadeued branches, the great tree 10y the
bridges has been regarded by tens Of thous-
aui- A. q stately model Of vigorous old age
N the vegetable world Every passer-by not
utterly destitute Of sentiment has stopped 10
look at d with pleasure. known by all the
good people Of the vicinity, It has been pro
tected 10y their admiration. But it unfortu-
uuAH1 nAAAA7 AtAl tue llAlr Vi % AlAAlt IAllI UaA
and little telephone com pAuv-not near
enough. however 80 that more than the eI-
treuie ends Of d few Of IT, largest branches in
tertered with any civilized use of such prop
erty. II standing beneath the shade of the
grand Old tree either on the meagre rotten
ties OF the little ralirOad-tIAs which make a
prudent man bless his stars that be has not
often to incur the peril Of riding upon them
one is led 10 reflections upon the compare
tive durability Of the works Of God and man
10y no means tiattering to latter surely the
tree j. not too blame for the conclusion. The
neglect shown 10y the railroad In the case Of
IT. track fairly matches lts audacl'y IL de
stroylug the finest trees near H.
That noble tree has Just been ueedlessly
IN mere Wautonness aud usurped authority
fatally, baruarousiy hacked split. lInb-lop-
ped and mutIlated II many ways by the or
der and agents Of one or more Of these con-
paults such conduct would not be toler-
ated suplueiy, a. l believe. in any other couu-
try more civilized than Mexico and Egypt.
The act. IN a small way. Is not d whit less
barUarous aud disqraceiul than the cannon
sdlug Of the Farthenon by the Turks or the
burning Of the Aie1andriau library by the
Cailphs There lie some consolation and hope
N kuowiuR that every civilized man and
woman who sees the ruin execrAtts its au-
A4At7 hA4A4 A+nt Hfth AAlt htAAtE Glh1n VI uDIhtt
seem TO indicate their disgust as they pass
the wreck OF the tree. Every mile or two in
tue old countries, where there is more de-
veiopeu taste on the subject there are trees
with far less claims than tins 10 be spared.
which even the owner would hardly dare
thus to mutilRte for fear Of the wrath OF the
ueighbOrnOod May We not hope that the
time Dr. near IN this cultivated town when the
repetition OF such au act of vandalism will
be followed by the refusal of the hand OF so
cial fellowship 20 It's authors The names of
the railroad or telephone managers who or
deTed the destruction aresuuknown 10 me, so
that / am abls 10 speak quite impersonaily.
/ cannot, however, claim to have made this
protest wholly upon public grounds. For a.
the nearest resident felt bound to be at the
trouble Of removing the huge and ugly piles
Of brush which the vandal destroyers left, 10
the true spirit of their acts. upon the road
sides. Besides. the managers OF that same
little West River railroad, whoever they may
be, after being indebted to my fOrbearauce
for the use of the part of my land which
their road crosses and which they have new.
er yet acquired, needlessly. secretly and lille
gally entered upon my djacent grounds and
cut several large ornamental shade trees. A.
! nave never been able to mud out the names
Of those who ordered and executed this IN.
grateful and wGnton trespass. l have not.
therefore. been able, as / wished, to bring
their conduct IN that regard to the attention
Of a court Of justice.
Having thus, as ! think, discharged the
part Of the duty Of a good citizen toward
tue public, / AN, Your ob't servant
DoRMAS b. EATON.
BrsOkIine.
Mr.. and Mrs. T. n Horton leave for their