The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-08-06
BY w. w. PRESCOTT.

past three p. NJ, reaching Montpelier at eight
o'clock in the evening. The train will run
from Woodsville to Weirs and return as an
express train, making no stops between those
points. The fare for the round trip will be
81 80 from all stations. Opportunity will be
afforded for an additional ride OF twenty miles
to Center Harbor and return, on the steamer
4" Lady of the Lake" at an additional expense
of twenty-five cents per ticket. As matter OF
choice, another pleasant ride will be offered at
the same price, upon pleasure steamer, to
different points on the lake. Tickets for these
trips can be purchased of station agents, or
upon the boats If preferred,
WHILE John Harkins, New York rag
picker was sorting over pile OF waste paper,
says the New York World he picked up an
old letter directed to Henry Rawdon, Boston,
Mass 1t was one of the old-fashioned kind,
folded and turned in, without envelope, but
had been sealed. In the upper left-hand cor
ner was dark brown rectangular stamp, finely
engraved, reading /" Brattleboro, Vt, P. O.,
cents" with the initials "F. NJ. P" in the
center 1t was cancelled and had the post
mark Brattleboro, w." to its right. Think
ing the stamp was of some value, he took it
Wednesday to Henry Collin Of 70 Nassau street,
and asked him what it was worth. "rll give
you $500 for it, was the reply. Harkins was
positive that Mr.. Collin was lunatic, and was
confirmed in the belief when the money was
placed in his hand. He did not wait to count
it, but bolted. Mr.. Collin has won the phils-
telic blue ribbon by securing the rarest stamp
A. aNaIA nd hat, in
the whole world. 1t is the only cancelled Brat
tloboro stamp nown to be in existence. Eight
uncancelled stamps" leftover stock ARE
in collections, and are classed as "gems."
At the last sale, where one was put up at auc-
ton, sit was given away for S275" but
stamp collector in this city who has one of the
eight values it at 81 ,0O0 This cancelled stamp
found by Harkins is almost priceless, and the
bidding for it among the philatelomaniacs Of
the world will be spirited.
FRoMt the forthcoming report Of the supern-
tendent Of the Vermont state prison we find,
says the Windsor Journal, that there are
eighty-nine now in confinement, or six less
than were reported August l. 1882 The num-
Der of different prisoners during the two years
thirty five have been committed by the state
courts, and two by the United States court.
One has been recommtted from the insane
yum, and nine have been received for safe
keeping. During this time fifty have been dis
charged. The uniform good health that has
prevailed is shown by only one death from dis
ease. One execution, that OF Mrs Meaker, is
reported. The average daily number confined is
eighty eight. Ofthose committed since the last
report, sixteen are men from Windsor county,
ten from Bennington seven from Washington
and six from Windham and elsewhere. Twenty
were committed for petty and grand larceny,
nine for arson, eight for burglary and seven
for assault with intent to kill. 1t is worthy Of
notice that the largest number committed is
between the ages of twenty and thirty. OF
the whole NUMBER forty-four are natives Of
Vermont, fourteen of New York, one Of Maine,
and the rest from different states and countries
There are in confinement forty-one married
and forty-six unmarried, and two widowers
Seventy-three Of the prisoners can read and
write, seven can read, nine can neither read
nor write OF the long-timers, seven are SEN
fenced for life, one for twenty-five years, and
two for twenty years.
GOVERNOR SMITH has issued circular TAX
ing possession of the consolidated roads of Ver-
mont in the name of the Central Vermont Rail-
road Company. This is the result of the
reorganization Of the Vermont Central and Ver-
mont & Canada. By it the Central Vermont
becomes the virtual owner for the Consolidated
Vermont was only an intermediary organized
for the purpose) Of a line from Windsor to
Rouses Point, with short spurs from Essex
Junction to Burlington and from Swanton
junction to Canada line-in all one hundred
and ninety miles. all of which Is first. class,
with ample and excellent equipment and with
extensive shops The indebtedness is ST.
100000 Of first mortgage five per cent bonds,
together with few thousand dollars of reorgan-
izstion expenses and floating debt. There are
seven thousand five hundred shares (par value
800 eacb) of preferred capital stock, most all
of which is believed to be held in three blocks
Of about equal size-one by President Smith
and near friends, one by James r. Lsngdon
and B. p Cheney, and one by Joseph Hickson
or the Grand Trunk Railroad Company. This
stock is entitled to six per cent dividends, II
earned, but not cumulative In preference to
the common stock. 1t cannot be learned that
any common stock has been issued. 1t should
be stated, however, that while most OF the old
security-holders reluctantly assented to the re-
organization, few did not. Mr.. Rowland G.
Hazard of Rhode Island, as stakeholder in
the Vermont & Canada-one Of the roads in
the protested, and, failing to get
| the diraptOra of hia IN a IA do.
sired brought bill in equity in the United
States circuit court In Vermont to invaldate
the scheme, and that Is still pending The
merits OF the case were quite exhaustively dis.
cussed upon motion for an injunction. This
injunction was denied, and the denial was &C.
companied by an opinion by Judge Wheeler
which indicates that II he hears the case upon
its merits Mr.. Hazard will have no hope shor
OF the supreme court OF the United States
where, he says, he shall carry the case il
necessary. There are one or two other suits
by old security-holders, which have not ye
come on for hearing in any form. Except for
these suits the reorganization is complete, anC
the men who control and own the property
subject TO its scaled debt, are the same IL
greater part who have managed it for nearl,
twenty-five years.
Personal.