Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-12-15
Bethel Grows
Record of a Year in a Live
Vermont town.

has had substantial growth. Thi:
has not been tie result of any boom,
but happy combination Of two
things-li i've men and capital. There
was nothing spasmodic about It. The
people Of Bethel, more than those Of
any other town we know Of, are loyal
to Bethel, believe in her and are con-
stantly talking Of her advantages. in-
terests and resources. Such town is
sure to grow, while many town with
equal or superior advantages is left far
IL the rear. 1t is this disposition to
lind fault with everything at home and
to see everything desirable in the West,
or somewhere else, that has been the
bane OF Vermont and of many an 9TH
erwise prosperous community. What
Bethel has done in the past year is Civ
en- in brief outline below with the hope
that other Vermont towns may profit
by the example she has set.
TowNHALL.
The public meetings of the town
have been held in hall over the audi
enee room of the Universalist church
but this hall was small and the pro-
gressiye people ofthe town have for
some time felt the need OF townhall.
The wheels of progress never turn
backward. AT the last annual meet
ing OF the townspeople it was voted that
a hall be built, and 900 was appro-
priated for the purpose. A.A. Brooks,
G.. j. Wallace and G. S. Davis were
elected a building committee and were
instructed to purchase Il suitable site.
They selected the site occupied by the
old "Beehive," just north of the Bas-
com House and, when purchased, this
old building, which was something of
an eyesore, was removed. Upon this
site has been erected brick structure
44XSO feet, the extreme height of
which is 50 feet to the top of the large
eagle that forms the weather vane. The
first appropriation was used up and a
special meeting was called the 29'h of
November, and a vote was carried at
this meeting, appropriating an addi-
tional $4,000, which will be sufficient
10 finish the building, ii is thought.
The main, or public hall, is 42x4S
feet and is 20 feel high. This is plain
" but nicely finished, and is now be-
ing freseoed by n. o. Snow of West
Randolph. At the east end of the
hall stage is being fitted up, and I'M
demeath this are dressing rooms. The
Bethel Dramatic Club furnishes funds
for the scenery to be used here. The
main hall is to be furnished with port
able folding chairs and, with the gall
lery at the west end, will seat comfort
ably 800 people. IN the Easement is
hot-air furnace that will heat the entire
building The southern part Of this
basement, or ground floor, will be oc-
cupied by the library that is to be put
IN by the Bethel Library Association.
IN the main hall the wainseoting and
window castings are yet to be put in
these are to be of brown ash. The ar
chitect who drew the plans for this hall
was Geo. w. Guernsey Of Montpelier,
and the master builder is Ii. O. Max
ham of Pomtret. Under the floor of
the building, near the entrance, is
never-failing spring of water from which
a pipe has been laid to the little public
square near the bridge at the foot of
Church st. and here an iron fountain
has been placed. The hall has been
built with a view to the future needs Of
a growing town, aud is both an orna-
ment to the town and testimonial OF
the progressive spirit possessed by an
intelligent community.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
The old brick church edifce belong
ing to the Congregational society was
burned April "A; within 4S hours a
subscription paper was started and, in
a very short time, $4,000 was SUBJ
scribed for the building of new house.
The subscription now amounts to
s5,000,a and 81 900 more is wanted. A.
A. Brooks. G.. +. Graham and I &