Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-03-06
TIE MARCH MEETING.

The list OF town officers which was elect
ed at the town meeting on Tuesday is given
in full in the list for the whole county else
where published. The meeting opened
promptly at 10 o'clock with the reading of
the warrant by the clerk and the election of
Mr.. Herrick as moderator. The old officers
were reelected and everything moved with
surprising smoothness until the question Of
the election of road commissioners came up.
When this article was reached l.. X. Fuller
nominated L. e. Stockwell for first commits
sioner and he was elected by reclamation.
Some one then raised the question whether
1t was not necessary TO first vote on the quee-
ton whether the town would elect road CON.
missioners or whether the charge Of the high.
ways should be left in the hands OF the 90.
lectmen. This was answered in the negative,
and meantime Col. Fuller had nominated L.
ID. Thayer for second commissioner, and DIR.
Gale bad nominated G. G. Allen under the
impression that no election had taken place,
and with the intention OF presenting Mr.. Al
len for chairman OF the board. ballot was
taken which resulted in 80 votes for Allen to
2j9 for ThayeT, and the election OF the latter
as second commissioner was declared carried.
The election Of s. S. Sergeant as third COM
missioner followed by reclamation.
In this connection it should be stated that
Nuou tue tleCtlOn OF COLLECTOR OF taxes WAS
reached, and c. II. Stevens was placed in
nomination, Gen. Lynde moved that the Gus.
tom, which he said was prevalent in other
towns, of giving the Office to the lowest bid.
der, be adopted, but this was voted down
Mr. Stevens, on being Intercepted, said that
his price for collecting the town taxes would
be $3.50, or $500 IL he collected the highway
tax. His reelection followed this statement.
Article 6, to see il the town would raise
money for the support of highways in Addi-
ton to that required by law, vas dismissed.
The consideration Of article Z, 10 see il the
town would vote to aid the BrAttleboro &
Bennington railroad, was reached soon after
II O'Clock. Col. Hooker offered the resolu-
ton of aid printed in The Phoenix last week,
and supported it in q short and pointed
speech. Edward Crosby followed in favor Of
the road Dea Estey opposed 1t, H. F.
smith favored it, j. G. Eddy opposed 1t and
b. ID. Harris and O. L. Thompson briefly
corrected errors of statement made by the
opposition. The voting on the resolution
began about 1915 under a motion TO keep the
box open till o'clock. The ballot was by
check list, and while it was going on other
business was suspended. When the box was
finally turned and the vote was counted, the
result was announced to be:
Whole number cast $50
Yes, 397
No, 563
Majority against the road, lG6
Under articles Q, 10 and IL Of the warrant
h. Haskns, W. II. Collins and j. Draper
we're reelected trustees OF the Free Library
for term Of three years; 1920 was voted
for the support Of the library during the
coming year, and the by. laws were so amend.
ed that hereafter the library trustees will be
required to hold regular meetings quarterly
instead Of monthly as heretofore.
On article ~, to see IL the town would
adopt the town system of schools q discus
sion OF some interest arose. DR.. Holton ex-
planned that district No. would not be AZ.
fected, whether the town system was adopted
or rejected, the district being given q separ-
ate corporate existence by the last legislature
He believed great benefits would be derived
by the outlying districts from the adoption
of the system. Col Fuller thought the sys-
TEN was the only means by which our com
mon schools could be redeemed and made
what they ought 10 be. Rev. @. H. Merrill
believed IN the system as a principle, but
thought there were two towns in the county
-Brattleboro and RockinR ham-Which would
be unfavorably affected by its adoption I'M.
der the law as it now stands. Other gentle
men also spoke briefly on the subject The
formalty OF ballot was gone through with
to comply with the statute, the result stand.
ing Yes l6, No l45.
1t was voted to exempt the polls of firemen
from taxation as heretofore.
On the question of providing suitable quar-
tiers for the post office in the town building
Col. Hooker submitted resolution leaving Il
to the selectmen to comply with such reason
able specifications as the post office depart
ment may submit After some discussion the
resolution was adopted, the understanding
being that the selectmen should take action
IN the matter and secure the permanent loca-
tion Of the post Office in the town building.
Voted not to give the free use of the town
hall to the Poultry and Pet Stock association
for its annual exhibitions.
Voted to dissolve the school district known
as mo 4, Marlboro"
town tax of 90 cents was voted, with 10
cents for state tax aud ~ cents for state
school lax the whole being Jumped at 20
cents payable July lst
THE RAILROAD DISCUSSION.
The town-meeting discussion of the rail-
road question brought out few new points,
except that MIR. Crosby read letter from Mr..
Butterick, the engineer, briefly reviewing his
survey and declaring the route to be an entire
ly feasible one. The length by the longest
route he stated to be 27 miles by the short
est ~ miles. The highest grade could be re-
duoed to 1870 feet to the mile and few grades
greater than 100 feet would be necessary
Such grades, he said, were entirely praotica-
BILE on nsrrow-gauge lines, and several insian.
oes were quoted where roads with grades of
200 feet do successful through and local
business.
Col. Hooker's pointed summing up OF the
case in favor Of the road at the start was ex-
oellently done, especially when he urged that
We put in practice some Of our Sunday teach
ing and lend helping hand to our neighbors
regardless of selfish considerations.
Dea. Estey's main point in opposition was
that If an "honest" resolution had been 10.
troduced it would have asked for at least 1926
600, because, he said, the road could not be
built unless Brattleboro gave at least that
sum.
II. +. Smith made a characteristic speech
with some bright points, touching especially
on the fact that every man is "bonded" as
soon as he undertakes 10 do anything 10 helm
his neighbors or the community.
j. G. Eddy rehearsed his stock arRumepts
against the enterprise, urging particularly
that, though the resolution professed TO guard
the interests of the town carefully, II would q.
nally be found that the bonds were STRAW
bonds" and the town or the company would
be left in the lurch as In the case OF the Brat
tleboro Whitehall road.
b. ID. Harris corrected Me-. Eddy with re-