Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-03-09
THE TOWN MEETING.
A mig Attendance and "a Mildly Breezy
Time.

An ONENIlHN IN TIE MATTER OF OUR HIGH
WAY MANAGEMENT THE MAIN FEATURE or
THE DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
Tuesday was bright, breezy Marchy day,
and the combined influence Of the fine
weather the general interest in the annual
town meeting proceedings, and sort Of
pervasive feeling that something lively
was on the docket, brought out an unusually
large attendance. Old residents say it was
the largest March meeting ever held The
hall was certainly packed TO its full capac-
ity, and the remark was often made that
the town would soon need a larger hall to
accommodate its voters. Mr. Newton call
ed to order and read the warrant promptly
at 10 o'clock. For moderator, Col X. Has
kins and S. n Herrick were put in nomi-
nation, and everybody was on the alert for
the coming contest, but Mr. Herrck spoiled
the fun by positively declining 10 he a can
ddate, and Col. Haskins's election followed
10y reclamation. A general laugh was rails.
ed, and everybody was put in good humor,
when w. II. Alexander, with his mind evi.
IDENTIFY running ahead 10 the expected fray,
nominated IS. n Herriclt" for town clerk,
but added in the same breath, 81 don't
mean it | mean w. S Newton Col.
Haskinss tongue also ran away with him
when he put the nomination 10 vote, and
for town clerk the name of S. N. Her,
| mean the name of VIM. s. Newton is put
in nomination. In spite Of these mishaps,
Mr. Newton was reelected b the place
which he has filled with dignity and ability
for so many years, and then j. H. Streeter
called for the reading Of the record Of last
years meeting, under the impression, evi
IDENTIFY, that vote was taken definitely in
structing the seectmeu To erect balcony
on the front of the towns building, but the
fact proved 10 be that the vote only pro
vided for plans and estimates 10 be sub
mitted at future meeting
Next came the mOderators call for nomi
nations for first selectman Somebody
nominated IS. n. llerrick :" his nomina.
ton was seconded, and then there was dead
silence. The moderator put the nomination
to vote, and Mr.. Herrick was reelected by
reclamation, nobody 50 much as saving
mo" when those opposed" were given Il
chance to speak. For second sclectman,
q. A. Boyden, Martin Scott aud f. 4.
| Whitney were nominated. Mr. Scott posi-
| lively declined, aud Mr. Whitney not being
there TO speak for himself, a ballot was de
manded and proceeded with. IL resulted
in Mr. Boyden's reelection by vote of 1876
out of 321 While this ballot was being
counted the auditors annual report was
taken up, and after one or two interroga-
tons of minor Importance had been put and
answered, it was accepted and adopted
For third selectman Henry Akley and
o. II. Carpenter were nominated Mr. Car
penter declined and Mr. Akley was elected
| by reclamation. From this time on the
elections to fill the usual offices proceeded as
rapidly as the nominations could be put TO
vote, save only that it seemed for time
huf OR IF Il.
go a-begging b. A. Clark declined re
election, and W D. Newton, Martin Scott
and one or two others refused to he candi-
dates. Finally f, A Whitney was elected
but when he learned that his name had been
thus taken in vain, he appeared ON the
| scene and declined 10 serve Il. W. Hooker
was then nominated and elected, and he nc
| cepted, saying that he should be most hap
| Ply to serve" The full list Of officers is
| given in our list for the county.
As was expected, the main contest and
discussion Of the day arose ON the question
Of the election Of street commissioners \
motion was made to dismiss the article
/ thus leaving the charge of the roads in the
hands Of the selectmen. aud Mr.. Edward
Crosby led off the discussion, deploring the
bad state Of our roads, alluding to the un
| pleasant relations which were said b. have
| year, and fayoring the motion 10 dismiss
On the ground that the selectmen could ap-
| point agents in different parts Of the town
To look after the roads while the streets
and roads in the village district would be
/ under their own special oversight
Col. Fuller opposed the motion on the
/ ground that our old-time slip shod ways have
| been followed long enough. and it is time
that we turned over new leaf and began
to make some good roads after modern meth
DDS If the town had begun - years ago.
| he said, 10 build rock ballasted roads. aud
| followed it up, thousand dollars year
would now take care Of our roads
j. g. Stafford thought things would con
| tinue as they had been going as long as the
town puts its highway money into the
hands Of men who own the teams and make
money out Of the Job. The selectlnen are
committed, he said, to buy teams for the
town, and appoint agents to care for the
roads.
Several other gentlemen participated in
the discussion, which grew decidedly warm
at times, the moderator among others
relating how the section Of the town in
which he lives, and which pays handsome
1 part Of the annual tax has been neglected
IN the matter of sdew alks
Finally the motion 10 dismiss was put 10
| ballot and was carried by IA vote of 3G3
| yeas 10 l3j nays, thus leaving the care Of
roads in the hands Of the selectmen.
Col Fuller offered resolution instruct
ING the selectnen TO expend an amount of
not less than five per cent ON the grand list
| zone third Of the highway tax in the village
/ school district for the construction of con
crete walks On motion Of Mr. CLAYTON
this was amended so as to include the Cen
treville and West Brattleboro districts, and
as thus amended the motion was carried
The remaining business called for by the
warrant was gone through with rapidly
| The usual appropriation of 500 was made
| for Memorial day. On the 18th article, to
see about this sale Of the poor farm, Col
| Hooker, who had Just been elected overseer
of the poor, took the floor and said that
stating the case very mildly, the house now
occupied 10y our towns poor lis not "a place
for Christian community to he proud of "
| He moved that s. n. Herrick be made the
agent of the town with positive instructions
10 sell the present town farm on or before
the first day of May. This motion was
carried unanimously, as also was IA vote un-
der the Sth article, making Mr.. Herrick the
towns agent to buy a small farm nearer
the village, with a comfortable house ON il
and land enough TO keep two cows and Il
/
1t was voted without opposition to exempt
from taxation, for term of five years, the
| proposed finishing establishment of Smith
| Il Hunt, and Rockwell x Sherwin's car
riage mandatory
When the Sth article, 10 see about re
| pairs on the town hall building. WINS called
for, Mr.. Herrick took the floor and showed
| plans for the proposed balcony, and said
that they had not before been submitted to
the town because there had been no occa-
sion for calling special town meeting
| With regard to the Hinsdale bridge ones
ton and the scheme proposed wear ago to
free the bridge, ne added that repairs ON
the Little river bridge were not completed
until very late in the season it was found
that neither Hinsdale nor Chesterfield would
| move in the matter, and so no meeting had
been called With regard to proposed i'm
| provements ON the interior of the hall, Mr.
Herrick said that the question of the re
moval OF the county buildings to Brattle-
uoro was lkely TO come up the present
year if they should be removed To Brat
tleboro 1t might be the towns best way, as
It's contribution toward the removal, to
| give the present building to the county and
build new one better adapted for town
purposes, with modern opera house on the
upper floor, if thought desirable. This he
offered simply as suggestion. The article
was passed over.
There was some discussion on the article
directing the selectmen TO procure three
snow-rollers for the use of the town. and
the article was finally passed over and the
matter left TO the discretion of the select
men, with the understanding that it was the