The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-04-01
PROSPEROUS BENNINGroN.
Business PrOspects-PropOsed Enlarge
ments of Plants for Manufacturing
Building BOOm.-BenningtOn to be
Made an Excursion Point

Made an Excursion Point.
We have not had a season open in
twenty years with so much of promise to
the increase of our material resources as
the spring of 1892. On all sides are heard
the hum of proposed enlargement of
business enterprises and the notes of
preparations for building homes. A re-
sumo of these would fill several columns
of the BANNER. 1t is our purpose to-
day to take up two or three of these evil
dences of growth and then continue the
same until we have ''gone the rounds"
Probably no one thing will give us a
greater ''boom" than that proposed by
the railroads to make the village an ex-
cursion point for 1892, bringing into
town from 800 to 1900 people weekly.
We give the details below.
In the line of increase of business we
first mention the firm of Holden, Leon
ard & Company of the Bennington
Wooden Mills. This concern it is we'll
known has increased considerably its
manufacturing facilities during the time
it has been here, but is now about to add
more than one-fifth to the working ca
pacity of its mammoth mills. The
added machinery already in place will
increase the production ten per cent
and right away there will be added
enough to make this. volume of addition
twelVer per cent. more or % per cent. in
all. As the reader will recall by an arti-
Gle in the BANNER of late date this
mills prosperity is directly due to the
beneficial workings of the Mckinley tar
if. Without that tariff in force the i'm
portations would probably drive out this
mill and 30 others, as we explained at the
time, or so cripple them as to remove
the prosperous outlook that now drives
these large mills to their uttermoSt ca
pacity, and promises in time to also set
in motion the machinery in the "sheds, y
the three-fourths' acre of ground area
now unused. These engagements will
bring into town some twenty-five famil-
les, making profitable the dwellings
going up and projected.
The Campbell mills also have enlarged
their capacity and by this means exhibit
substantial growth.
We hear of about fifty dwellings to go
up this season, and new ones are planned
every day. There will be several built
on the streets lately opened by Judge
Sibley and Sheriff Mccall. A number on
the lands of Messrs. Dewey, on the hill
side to the south of Union street, on the
Morgan property and on Putnam avenue,
each of these localities will furnish sites
for homes to be owned by their Occu-
pants when completed during the season
of 1892.
In the way of business, we are author
lied to state that the entire production
of the Valentine mills for 1892 is already
sold. This concern having adopted the
plan of selling direct, this first result of
the experiments particularly gratifying,
and is also complimentary to the selling
agent, Arthur B. Perkins, secretary of
the corporation.
The building of the Opera House
block by Mr.. II. w. Putnam, announced
exclusively by the BANNER last week, is
only one of several plans for business
buildings this year. Mr.. Putnam will
place the Graves & Root property, to the
west of the Putnam House, to some good
use, but just what he will do is not now
decided. If our local readers will stop
and think moment they will recall the
time not so long ago, when there were a
dozen vacant stores in town. If there
are any now we are not aware of it. PeO-
pie are moving into town and new plans
{or business are being made all the time.
Northington moves ont Of the Whitney
block but Mrs. Mcleod is Immediately to
ooen millinery store therein. Erysdale
moves from his River street stand to the
elegant quarters on the corner of North
and River streets, and already two new
firms open the vacated building: Mr.,
Bonhomme and Mrs. Phillip DOnnelly.
We hear also that the Godfrey store is to
be refitted, on East Main street, and
that r. b. Godfrey will do some quite
extensive building on his property in
this village during the summer
These indications as noted give the bar
est outline of what the autumn will see
completed.
The railroads interest in our growth
is a matter of speculation as yet, but
enough is known to announce that the
item which we copy from DIR. Day in the
Troy Times is substantially correct, al
though the genial correspondent, news
paper fashion, drew on the probabilities
somewhat. He says:
Bloomington has moved up one more
degree in the scale of Importance in
being chosen by several great railroad
corporations as summer excursion
point. The selection was made through
the exertions of Superintendent Bennett
of the Bennington and Rutland road, land
the preparations for the coming outing
season will be set on foot as soon as
,, spring is we'll opened. The headquarters
,, for excursionists will be in the beautiful
, grovo at the Vermont Soldiers Home.
In few days S. W. Cummings, Genera
Passenger Agent of the Central Vermont
road, will meet Superintendent Bennett
and others, to look over the grounds
with the view of ascertaining what
changes and improvements will bt
necessary to the comfort and pleasure o.
excursionists. An ample and tasteful
dancing pavilion, with retiring rooms.
will be erected. Beyond this it is no
known what changes are contemplated
though it is thought the railroad com
!. panies will make the grounds as attrac
tive a smost other resorts of a similar
character. hhe platform landings viii
be made along the railroad track oppo
: site the grove, which is not more thar
five or six rods away. All excursion
trains before leaving town will be run Il
the Bennington battle monument. Tit
grove, which is well watered and dark
with leafy shade in summer, is popula
resort, especially for Sunday ramblers
: and is an admirable camping place TO
tourists The locality is retired, anC
yet there is just enough dash of life il
the vicinity to give piquancy and cheer
fulness to days outing. The wood
and streams, the emerald acres to tn
east, the sweeping lawns of the home
= the outlines of the wooded hills and TIN
: height of the mountains farther beyond
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