The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-08-17

| progress that has been made in twenty. five
| years. The umpire of this game was George
| w. Wing, Esq, who was a member of the
Capital " club.
JUST as the new management of the Fort
Payne Coal and Iron Company was adopt-
ing measures which, it was hoped would
brighten the prospects of the company, some
OF the bondholders secured the appointment
OF receiver. In view of this development
meeting of the committee of stockb olders
appointed to assist the directors in carrying
out the plan of organization was held at
Boston last week. Colonel Fred e. Smith,
one of the members of the committee, was
present 1t was decided to fight the propo-
sition to make the appointment of a receiver
permanent.
BURLE1GH F. SPAULDING, who has Just
been elected chairman of the republican
state committee of North Dakota, is a ma
tive OF Craftsbury and studied law in Mont
peier. He was admitted to the bar in 1880
and then went to Fargo, where he has prac-
ticed ever since. He was Superintendent
OF schools in Cass county from 1882 to 1884,
and was member of the state constitu-
tional convention. The Minneapolis Tri-
bune says OF him: "That he has genius for
politics is amply evidenced by his unani.
nous election as chairman of the new COM
mittee." The Tribune calls him one of the
shrewdest politicians Of the Northwest.
THE encampment of the National Guard
of Vermont, on the Nicholas meadow, be-
gins on Tuesday of next week. All the
companies will be on the ground by noon
of that day, and the company that
will need to start on Monday will be that
of Bennington, which will 90 to Rutland
and remain there over night The Burling-
ton Cadets will be with the regiment, for
the first time in several years, and the WIS.,
itors, including number of regular army
officers, will be unusually numerous, prob.
ably on account of the accessibility of the
camp. Much interest attaches to this en-
campment because it will be the first at
which the new tactics will have been used
Capital Guard has full quota of men. and
the company is in first-class condition. A
| temporary bridge is to be built across the
river to State street at a point about oppo-
site the camp.
The pastor and members of st. Angus
tine church have the full sympathy of this
community in the misfortune which befel
them last week Saturday morning, when
the church building was partially DESTROYED
| by fire. The fire was discovered at about
! quarter-past five o'clock by one of the men
in the stable of j. @. Adams. The fire de-
partment was commercially prompt in
reaching the spot and efficient in managing
the fire. In a comparatively short time It
was under control, but the building itself
was rendered useless. The walls remain
standing, but they are not very strong.
| The fire seemed to have started in the
vestry, at the northeast corner of the
building, and from this room it worked up
into the space between the ceiling of the
room and the roof. Fortunately, all the
statues were saved in a nearly perfect con-
dition. The pictures portraying the stations
OF the cross were saved also. The vestments
were secured, but most of them were dam
aged more or less. There is loss of per-
haps 5000 on these, and there was no in
surance. The loss on the building, which
was about thirty-fve years old, is probably
about $1,000, for which sum it was insured
in the Vermont Mutual. The organ was
insured in the Continental company of New
| York, through the agency of A. G. Brown
u Son, for $1,000. What the cause of the
| fire was is mystery. Father O'Sullivan
locked the building up at about ten o'clock,
not looking in. The services of Sunday
were held as usual the building of st.
MichaePs school being used. 1t is prob
able that the basement of the new church
on Barre street will be rooted and used for
a time.
The WATcHMAN spoke some weeks ago
of the disadvantages of limestone for road
making. Under the action of wheels and
hoofs it is ground to an impalpable powder
| that is an insutferable nuisance in dry
weather, and in wet weather very sticky
and disagreeable kind of mud. The village
mas been at great expense in quarrying and
crushing this stone, when, in the Judgment
OF practical men, granite would be both
better and cheaper. Some criticism was
made upon this viewiof the matter, and re-
Gently the opinion of the state geologist, G..
w. Perry, was asked Mr.. Perry charac-
terizes limestone as one of the poorest of
stones for road making-chiefy for the rea-
sons given above. Slate, he says, is better
than limestone and granite is much better.
Though brittle and crushing more easily
than limestone it will better resist the grind
ing action of the wheels of vehicles Its
laG not n,1,
the wind, and consequently are less annoy
ing as dust. In wet weather the streets are
cleaner, as the pulveriZed granite, being a
coarse sand instead of dissolved limestone
does not form so nasty a mud. But the
hard heads" found in the pastures in
most localities are better than any other
material, as they resist the action of hoofs
and wheels better than limestone or granite
In Montpelier granite is readily obtainable,
practically without cost as compared with
limestone. No more limestone should be
used till test of granite has been made
and, as matter of real economy, the prac-
tice of veneering the streets with crushed
stone, particularly those over which there
is heavy teaming, should give place to
macadamizing or paving. But if the veneer
ing process is continued trial of granite
ought to be made.
THE interior of the courthouse has been
handsomely painted and otherwise reno
waited by G. a. Heath of Barre, who has
been at work on it since the latter part of
June. 1t was finished last week, so far as
Mr.. Heath's work is concerned, and since
then there has been more or less cleaning
up, The halls of both the first and second
floors were painted in water colors and
decorated The walls and ceiling of the
states attorneys office and the grand Jury
room have been painted in water coiors.
The probate office needed retouching less
than did the other rooms, but what it
needed it received The county clerks Of
hce has been transformed. 1t is now very
bright and attractive room. The lawyers
room, the library and the judges room, on
the second floor, have each had the wood.
work dressed over. The court room is
much changed. The ceiling and walls have
been papered, and new dressing has been
given the woodwork. In place of the
drapery which formerly hung from the cell
ing about the walls is now a wall border of
artistic design. A few small carpets have
been placed about the room, wherever
needed The appearance of the room is
decidedly improved. The woodwork of the
witnesses room has been dressed over. In
fact, the woodwork of every room but two
IN the building has been frightened up.
The chandeliers, steam pipes and radiators
have been bronzed. The building has not
been painted throughout since $780, when il