St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-02-25

and the work is practically done for the
whole village.
In another way has the spirit of enter
prise manifested itself by individuals put
ting up an elegant fountain at Arnold
park. This kind of expense, however,
should not be borne by the citizens who
happen to live in close proximity to a
park, but as this adornment gives pleas
ure and satisfaction to the whole COM
munity, all should esteem it a privilege
to contribute to such work.
And Just at this point permit me to say
that | think the ladies can render US sub
stantial assistance by having an organi-
zation of their own, and arranging for
fountain, or curbing, or for flowers and
shrubbery; either to take one or more OF
these articles and help us in the general
work, or, to take little park and fit it
up. If YOU were to ride about the village
with this on your mind, think some of
you might be surprised at the number OF
little parks and triangles that could be
reclaimed and become things of beauty.
| sincerely hope our ladies will give
thought to this matter and take action
in season. This kind of work can easily
be done in perfect harmony with the Viii
lage Improvement Committee and the
village trustees, and l would even go
children become identified with this work.
hope the day is not far distant when
the village will own observatory
Knob" $50 called) and gradually fit it
up as park with walks and drives.
While we all would be glad to see new
industries in the way of manufacturing
come into town, let us not be unmindful
of the fact that we already have far more
manufacturing here than most places in
New England of our size. WhileI do not
know the exact amount, l estimate the
pay rolls of the manufacturing interests
in this town to aggregate between $4OO,
900 and $5OO,O0O annually, and this
amount is distributed among our own
citizens.
Let a portion of our surplus earnings
be turned into some of our home indus
tries, instead of risking much in
Western and Southern schemes, and l
venture the opinion that the net returns
will be quite as satisfactory to the
investors, and perhaps be attended with
less anxiety.
The citizens of st. Johnsbury are great
ly indebted to Arthur F. Stone, for that
excellent and comprehensive work, "St.
TohnSbury Illustrated" The Board of
Trade have purchased and distributed a
large number of these books and we have
faith that good results will follow.
And thus have given you brief out
line of the work accomplished, of that in
hand, and have made some suggestions
for your consideration.
II conclusion let me say that Nature
has made rich in her endOwmentS.
God has raised up men who have had it
in their hearts to, and have bountifully
provided for the enjoyment and enhghten-
ment of this and coming generations;
and now let US as citizens be true to our
selves, beloyal to St. Johnsbury and her
interests, guard her fair name, and have
faith in her prosperity.
The Cecilians sang THE Old
Canoe" and were heartily encored.
This popular quartette wins laurels
whenever they appear and contribut-
ed not little to the success of the ban
quet.
President Turner said the Board of
Trade was particularly interested in
the subject of transportation and
| that they looked beyond railroads
! to canals. The next speaker would
tell us about canals in general and
the Nicaragua canal in particular.
| Col. Franklin Fairbanks was then
| introduced.
| COL. FAIRBANKS ADDRESS.
The problem of inter-oceanicc communi-
cation by waterway across the isthmus
which connects North and South
America, and which separates the two
oceans, has excited the interest of the
civilized world since the time of Colum-
bus. The first record we have of an eff
fort to specify route was in 1850 by
Antinio Galbao, and he pointed out the
Nicaragua route as the best. AS the
years have rolled on, the matter has at
tracted the attention of many of the
| great nations of Europe as well as our
own. Many routes have been suggested,
but since 1879 attention has been
centred from time to time on three solu-
tions of the problem. Two of these are
now conceded to be impracticable.
Capt. Eads, who had built the bridge
over the Mississippi at St. Louis and the
jetties at the mouth of the same river
suggested the ship railroad at Tehuante-
pee. But the great engineers of the
world decided that plan was impractical
BILE. Nj. De Lesseps, who built the Suez
canal, proposed a canal at Panama.
| After spending 5000. 100000 and sacri-
| fcing thousands of lives, this work was
abandoned when less than one-fourth of
the canal was completed.
No other measure of public policy now
submitted to the people of the United
States is of such wide-reaching 1mpor-
tance as the proposed construction. of
O. = > >