Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-06-27

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utive committee were empowered to call pre-.
! liminary meeting for the election Of officers,
etc, the first of October.
The rear Of the log drive passed Brattle.
boro on Wednesday morning. The horses,
heavy, handsome, well-kept fellows, went
down tho night before and the rivermen fol
lowed in the morning. The boom which was
put in above and below the bridge proved a
happy thought, causing the logs to run past
here with only a fraction Of the labor and ex-
pense which has been incurred in any previ-
Gus year. The drive so far has been unusu.
ally quick and successful, and for the first
time in several years not life has been lost.
Some trouble is being experienced in getting
the logs into Turner's Falls and il was found
necessary to use nitro glyoerine in breaking
up jam there on Tuesday.
The ladies Of the Baptist society will give
an envelope party" at the town hall next
Wednesday evening at 7;i5 o'clock. Envel-
opes will be distributed at the church next
Sunday and can also be obtained at Cheney
q Clapp's or at the door. In each envelope
will be found q program Of the evenings OK
ercises which are expected to be Of a very en-.
Pertaining and enjoyable character. Holders
Of envelopes are requested to put in them the
amount which they are willing TO contribute
for the evening to aid the ladies in their Of
forts to secure much needed parlor accommo-
dations at the church. 1t is also desired that
each person should place in the envelope some
short sentiment or selected bit Of poetry, and
the reading OF these from the platform is ex-
pected TO add some spice TO the program.
These envelopes sealed, with or without the
name Of the donor written upon them, are 10
be presented to the ushers as a card Of admis-
sion to the hall. All are cordially invited.
Mr.. L. A. Chittenden, the general freight
agent Of the Central Vermont railroad, was in
town on Tuesday and Wednesday. After
making personal investigation az to the sources
and grounds of the complaints in regard to
high aud unjust freight rates, no announced
that hereafter the rate on all freights from
Boston will be made the same as 10 Shelburne
Falls, Mass He also announced that there
will be reduction Of 20 cents per ton in the
rate on coal between Greenfield and Brattle-
boro, dating from the present time. The rate
has heretofore been Sl.20 per ton, and will
now be 81. Coal customers will be given the
full benefit of this reduction by the dealers,
and the saving in the aggregate will be an i'm
portant one. The concession in the price of
Boston freghts is what our merchants have
long claimed as matter of justice. We are
glad to have this action taken by the Central
Vermont company, not only because it is OF
advantage TO Brattleboro business interests
but because il shows that recent assurances of
the companys disposition to deal fairly by
their Brattleboro patrons we're well-grounded
and made in good faith.
Last Sunday evening was the nth ami
versary of the Baptist Sunday school, and ex-
ercises were held commemorative Of the oc-
casion. The program consisted of selected
pieces of music by choir made up Of men,
bers Of the school, assisted by Mr.. Shoarer on
the cornot and Mr.. Holden on the clarionet,
MIR. j. L. Hall presiding at the organ.
A recitation was given by Miss Lille Brown,
Bible reading on the subject of bap.
tism was conducted by the pastor, and differ
ent members of the school read passages of
Scripture as they were called for. The primary
class gave an interesting exercise consisting
of chant and the recitation in concert of 20
texts OF Scripture commencing with the let
ters Of the alphabet in their order At the
close 10 members of the school received the
rite Of baptism. Nine of the young ladies' six of
whom we're members OF one class, wore white
robes. The platform was beautifully adorned
with row of potted fons lin front, and an
arch Of laurel sprigs and blossoms stood in
front of the baptistery. Behind the baptistery
was large floral cross surmounted by an an
Choir, and over the bsptistery lowered the
form Of white dove with outspread wings.
The ushers reported an audience of over 1000,
while many went away unable to gain admit
lance. The secretary's report showed the
whole membership Of the school to be $50, q
gain Of % over last year.
The following is the list of letters remain.
ing in the Brattleboro post office, June 27
Ladies-Mrs James Boyce, Jennie Kimball, Hattie
NJ Mather-2, Nellie Spaulding Mrs Harriet willard,
Mrs Whitney.
Gentlcmcn-B c Butterheld, Frank Blake, f c
Brackett Bdwell, c Connors, Fred + Cook, L
l. Canhed, Oliver Fisher, Thos p James Charles p
Lncien, II II Lewis, Henry MArsha-2, Frank NJ
Oliver, n Richardson, James sheehcy. willard, W
COlman.
Held for better direc,ion-wiiam Blow, Frlutlyn
Co, Va.
OBITUARY EDWIN PUTNAM.
The name at the head of this sketch do.
serves more than q passing notice Mr. Put
nam was a son of Lemuel Putnam. born in
the town of Guilford in the year 1920 and at
nine years Of age came to Bratteboro to work
for Mrs. Patty Fessenden, where he remained
for few years going to Boston for year or
two, and returning with the intention of ap-
prenticing himself to Hines ~ Newman, ma
chlnists, for the purpose of learning that
trade. lie afterward worked for John Gore,
builder OF steam engines and boilers. and
upon the completion OF one for a steamboat
then building at Springfield Mass, he assist
ed in putting it into the boat, and in the ca
pacity Of engineer took it to North Carolina,
where 1t Piled as river boat, young Putnam
serving as engineer for a considerable period.
Upon the completion of this service he no.
turned to Brattloboro in the employ of Mr..
Gore, and Afterwards OF L. II. Crane one of
the most skillful mechanics that ever lived in
this town. The extraordinary pkill which af-
terward gained for Putnam his reputation here
found active play. He was for several years
engaged in the construction OF the machinery
used by L. ~ Stearns Co., for making rules, the
most accurate then in use in America, and |
have no doubt that much of the great reputa-
ton OF that firm for accurate work was due
to Mr. Putnam for the care and skill shown
by him while so employed. He was employ
ed in building some of the finest tools in use
in the sewing machine industry of Brattlebo.
70 as well as for some of the leading shops
OF the country. His skill was called into use
with great effect in tho celebrated surveying
instruments of Prof. Lyman. Some of the
finest machines at the Estey organ works
came from his hands he was also an adept
at paper machinery. For many years he took
an active part in tue fire department of this
town, and mainly to him is No. engine COM
pany indebted for its fine engine, and its rep
utation among hand engines. He never lost
his interest IN matters of this kind, but was
an authority among firemen to the day of his
death.
In my judgment he was the most skillful
maehinist Vermont ever produced. He was
not only accurate In all that he did, but he
had the eye of an artist, and displayed his
taste in an extraordinary degree. When a
piece of fine work left his hands you could
trace with unmistakRbe certainty the cunning
hand of the skilled artisan and the clever i'm
agination of the artist. He led quiet and
modest life, and in later years was a constant
attendant aud firm friend of the church. Con.
scientious in all that he undertook, painstak
ing in everything, he leaves record worthy
of emulation by the young mechanic. Men
of such extraordinary skill are more freauent-
ly found in small towns and shops they en-.
JOY q quiet life and when they pass from
sight to walk amid the splendors of the other
world, it is pleasant duty to bring into prom.
inenoe the true nobility of their lives. Asa
man he was just, as a mechanic skillful, as a
workman faithful, as a friend stsadfast.
LEVI X. FULLER
TIE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
EXAMINATIONS AND PROMOTIONS IN THE UPPER
GRADES.
The examinations Loro - -