Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-01-01

RAY BUILDING. g
stpaon MaiI street. HFan Goodhue, Esq,
the andfatler OF Cd Fois Goodhue of ,
tne present generation, 'other.in.law of !
Mi. Brooks,l moved 10 rattleboro from
Weaersneld VI, in 81 lud In the same ,
yeepought ibe extensiqe TT OF real estate
thepwned W Hon. john. Blake, which
exteted on TIA west side Of ain street from
whats now he Baptist chth property to
the hrnham residence, anon the east side
fromhe ClaIp house or lscopal church
lot the Ilace now owed by Cashier
DOvF. Thi estate also pluded most or
all ofhe lant lying betre what is now
High treet aud Chase street The Goodhue
houie which De new libra building will
replae was bdn by Francisioodhue about
the var 1915 End until II death of the
widow ct bis Hest son, Jtsph--the late
Madai Sarah eoodhue, Of groious memory
the ouse wa occupied 6onnually by him
or his escendRh, period dover 10 years.
The OF house 4 i'll stands, 'enerable but
comfortable au substantial lndmark of
tormeryeneratlR and its remval would be |
unlvarAlly regstted were it not that the |
structno for whcb it must male way is to be
what bs-a gu fDr the bentfiof the whole
town. This glftvill gain not little in gem
uine sntiment rOm the fact hat il comes
from te hand q a relative aud intimate
friend the fatty which has occupied the
ola holestead ID no many years. As soon
W Naoatd oy the1fesent occupants, the Rev.
Il. W.Fhitney I'D family, the old house
will be orn dow and the SITE prepared for
its new use. It OF interest 10 note that
when ID house We built ii stood we'll above
the leveof the tim street or roadway, there
being 9 that tim quite sharp rise from
that poht to rea,h the level on which the
town hsl now stalds
TIL, Library.
The ptOper timeto attempts complete his
tory Of what is nov The Bratieboro Free lii
brary will be WHEN the librmy, less than
year hence, goes i1io its new and permanent
abiding place. It Of interest, however to
note a. the preset time that the records
show that the original meeting, at which the
library had its birb or noplion, was held
''at Wheeler's hal in Bnttleboro on the
evening of Oct 30, 1912, for the purpose Of
taking measures to organize Public Libra
ry." Dr. Charles Chaplin was moderator Of
the meeting Hnd G. J. Waller secretary, and
among those present and taking an active
part were l.. G. Mead, Addison brown, 20
seph Steen, g. G. hall, Asa Keyss, and r; H.
Fessenden. Almond Edd! was chosen nors-
rian, and a share OF stock was voted 70 VI; e.. y.
Hall in acknowledgment Of bis Offer OF the
free use Of a room to keep the library 10.
This would indicate that lhe library mast
have been first located IN room IN Mr.
Halls old ''long" bulldog, afterward FISH
block. From there IL undoh btedly Wept into
Geo. II. Salisbury's bookstore 10 the room
afterwards known for many years as the Z 4.
wards bookbindery. Mr.. Salisbury wa Ii.
brarian from 1876 TO 1859. and afterWard the
books were kept for two or three years by
BsDj. Marshall in his jsweIry store at the old
stand which +. X Bauovs finally vacated to
make room for Hooker block. Z. J. Oar2en.
ter was first librarian from Oct. 1859, TO June
1858, and the library again passed into his
hands in 1855, and remained in his charge
nearly continuously until, in 1882, il became
the "Brattleboro Free Library" and the prop
erty of the town. 1t suffered severely in the
great fire Of 1869, being then located In the
old Blake building on the present site OF Qros.
by block. About one half of the books were
burned. The library's most Renerous hnsn-
cial patron during all these years ws-athe late
A. II. Bull whose gift of $1,000, known as the
Bull DONATION contributed very materially
70 Its usefulness aud upbuilding Ia connec-
ton with this gift. and as condition Of it.
the citizens at the lame time contributed
$500.
In March13sst, by gift of the stockhold.
ers, supplemented by vote of the town a,
the annual townsneeting, the library became
the property Of the town. During the fol.
lowing summer the books we're newly cata.
logued and the library was tinally opeped on
It's new basis in the "loWer town halr' SAINT.
Is, 1852. 1t then numbered about 27OO vol.
umes, and this number has now been increas.
ed to about 5000 volumes.
BraItIsbOro's BeneGaetor.
Mr.. George ]. Brooks, the man who nro,
poses, by the gift Of this beautiful ana com
modious building, TO place Brattleboro under
q renewed and perpetual debt of love and
gratitude to him, has long held large and
warm place in the hearts of our people. To
men OF his own age and condition in life be
Is an intimate, cordial, always welcome friend
while the community at large know him AZ 4
man OF generous impulses, with wide knowl.
edge OF Alters, and a sincere interest in ey
erything that concerns the public good. and
who Is felt and received as genial presence In
Brattleooro from May TO December of eyery
year. The reproduction of the following
sketch Of Mr.. Brooks from the History al
Chesterfield will not be out OF place. IL was
contributed to that volume by Hon. b. d
Harris, his lifelong friend
"George j. Brooks, son OF Capt. william s., came
% chesterfield with his father at the aye Of three
years lMr. Brooks was born in Cambridge Mass
Having attended school at Factory VILLAGE for ~
usual period, bis education was continued Al Chester
1eld academy Walpole academy, and the yell-known
school of j. W. Fairfield at Hudson, n, Y AfteT
eaving school, he was employed for several years As
clerk in the store Of O. C. Hall and Hall A Iownslev
n bratteboro. In 1888 he went to Hillsboro H. and
Engaged IN practical farming about ten years In
Feb 1880 soon after the breaking out Of the CaIfor
MA gold fever, be embarked for San Francisco
Saere together with his brother, he established the
wholesale Paper warehouse Of George j. Brooks A.
Co. The firm entered at once on a prosperous bnsi
lesA career, and until 1t dissolved a 1865 main
aimed us position as the leading house in its line Of
business on Inc Pacihc coast. At the same time a
lad wide reputation for reliability and strict bnsi
ltss integrity. In 1865 after fifteen wears ~ active
eIiloe IN managing the business Of the hrul, as it's
ienior member he retired with an ample fortune
md has since, excepting a year spent IN Furons Al
1ded his time between Brattleboro and San Franiris
o-the former being his legal residence Ills public
pIn ana strong attachment TO the friends of his
Iouth nave been shown among other vays bv the
building and furnishing Of the 'Br,oks 'Honse, a.
otattiepoIo, In lb'l-I2, at cost Of about $4,000
MS hotel has become well known as one Of the inest
New England. His gifts to the Unitarian obnrcb
49, both 10 BratteborO and San Francisco have been
lrge and frequent, and his jldicious hberalty has
worthy enterprises"
The board of trustees in WHOM Mr.. Brooks
will vest the Brooks Library building for
be town has been named by him TO consist
4 himself, Hon. B. D. Harris, DR.. Joseph
Draper, Hon. James M. Tyler aud Col. j. j
1stey. Work on the ne building will begin
q April, upon Mr.. Brooks's return from Cal.
iornlai and it is his intention TO have the
trueture ready for occupancy before his re
urn to California in December.
IL Is due Mr.. g. W. Howard, engraver, of
'Pringneld Mass, to say that we are indebt-
q 10 nlm for our fine engraving of the build
ng. His work speaks for itself.
j. A. Titus a. Co., the machinists who
low occupy the former Highly Sc wing machine
uarters, are doing a good iun of Job work
nd are working along with new sewing.
machine, the Acme, of which a considerable
lumber have been made and sold and are oiy-