The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-10-24

! the WATCHMAN? The plans of men and
mice do sometimes gang agley."
AT the sixty-eighth annual meeting of the
| Vermont Mutual Fire Insurance COMPANY
held at its Office on Wednesday, October 49,
the follow ing officers and directors were
! elected for the ensuing year: President
! Horatio N Taplin; vice-preSident, Fred E
Smith; secretary, James T. Sabin; treasurer
William T. Dewey; drectors-Fred
! Smith, Horatio N. Taplin Louis p Gleason
Melville e. Smile, James T. Sabin, for
! Washington county w. A. Lawrence, for
Addison; j, Il. JudsOu, for Bennington; w
9. Lewis, FOR Caledonia; Henry Greene, for
Chittendeni George S Robinson, for Essex /;
l.. b. Hunt, for Franklin; Henry G. Hill,
Tor Grand Isle; A. g. Raymond, for La
moille; James X. Lynde, for Orange
J. n. Webster, for Orleans; George Briggs,
for Rutland; James l.. Martin, for Wind
ham; W. w. Stickney, for Windsor.
A BAD wreck occurred Thursday near the
Montpelier aud Wells River railroad which
has blocked the main line of both the Cen.
tral Vermont and Montpelier and Wells
River roads during the afternoon. While
the Central locomotive employed on the
branch freight train was showing two heav-
ily-loaded cars of granite to the shed of G.
II. Moore q Co., the rails spread near the
switch connecting the two roads. Both cars
were hurled from the track one Of them
being turned completely over, placing the
granite beneath it, The stone on one car is
estimated to weigh over twenty tons. The
cars were badly broken and the track some
what injured. Que stone blocked the main
track of the Montpelier and Wells River
railroad, but the trains went out on time by
use of the back track. The Central trains
to Barre were somewhat delayed. A wreck
ing train was sent from st. Albans.
AT the recent town meeting j. II. Senter
ESQ, said that taxes would be double under
a city charter. To MIR. Bosworth, who had
made an inquiry respecting taxation, MIR.
Senter is reported to have replied that IL his
taxes were now S1,50 on dollar, under
city charter they would be twice that
amount. 1t would be interesting and profit
able in considering th matter to have Mr..
Senter prove his statementto Mr. Bosworth.
What things would the taxpayers who
would constitute the city of NJ )ntpeier un-
dertake to do that the same taxpay ers who
now constitute the village and town of
Montpelier would not do? There are ,ome
fifty voters and grand list of about 81 800
outside of the village limits. In population,
territory and grand list, Montpelier town
and Montpelier village are very nearly
identical. Whatever the 1000 voters, more
or less, in the village determine to do in
town meetings is done. What are the
voters in town and village likely to do
what expenditures to vote, in the matters
of highways, schools, water supply sewers,
the poor, public buildings, etc, under city
charter, that would double taxation, that
they are not as liable TO do under the existing
duplex system of town and village? These
inquiries are raised simply to elicit informa-
tion for which many citizens are iuquiring
Under the existing municipal arrangement,
town meeting is held on the first Tuesday
in March and part of the business affairs
of the territory within the town lines is con-
sidered. week later, the village meeting
is held and another part of the business
affairs within very nearly the same limits is
/
sets Of reports, two auditiDgs, two meetings
of voters, two elections are now required to
manage the local affairs of substantially one
territory and one people. 1t is reasonable
to suppose that consolidation would result
in economy and efficiency of administration.
! In the softly-shaded light OF the studio of
| T. w. Wood, and surrounded by beautiful
works of art from the hand and brain of
this artist, of whom Montpelier is so justly
proud, a representative of the WATCHMAN
spent delightful half hour Saturday morn
ing The persstency of a fruit-tree peddler
who, unannounced. followed the newspa.
per man into Mr.. Woods studio, and who
was confident that he knew what shrubs
and fruits the artist needed and wanted to
purchase, better than he did himself, did not
rutfle the cordial, courtly manner of the
owner of Athenwood," and the peripa-
tetic vender of nursery stock soon bowed
himself out with dazed expression on his
face which indicated that he realized he
had been in the presence of gentleman OF
no ordinary type. The moment one enters
Mr.. Woods sanctum the life-size portrait
OF Senator Morrill, attracts attention. 1t is
one OF the artists masterpieces, which is
saying good deal, and is to be presented
by him in person 20 the Vermont Historical
Society at its anniversary meeting to be
held in Representatives Hall tomorrow
evening. A letter received by Mr.. Wood
from Senator Morrill,, in answer to one
sent him from London, assures the ar
tist that his subject will be present on this
occasion. Mr.. Wood was asked to give tn,
readers of the WATCHMAN some accoun
of his summer abroad, what work he had
done and what he had brought home in tht
way of art treasures. To this he modestly
demurred at first, saying that he simply
went abroad for work, and as that wa,
what he did most of the time there wa
nothing in II of public interest On beinl
assured that he probably was not awar,
how much the people of Montpelier are in
terested in him and his work, and on tn,
promise OF the scribe not 10 " splurge," Mr.
Wood chatted on for half hour, interrupted
meanwhile by a party of ladies and gentle
men from Montpelier, who came to pay
their respects to him. At the Hague
Mr.. Wood obtained fine portrai
OF Rembrandt as young man
painted by himself, From the Hague Ii,
went to Cassel in Germany. During th
1900 Hessians TO the British government
for 49, 900, 600 marks With this money h
purchased collection OF Dutch pi lures
some of them the finest in the world anC
established gallery at Cassel. Mr.. Woo,
copied three Of these, one of Rembrandt a.
an old man, one of Saske, his wife, and
landscape scene. From Cassel Mr. Woo
went 20 Dresden in Saxony, where III
copied a large picture of Rembrandt, laugh
ing, as he holds glass of beer in one hand
and has Saskie, his wife, on his knee
Why" said Mr. Wood, that man die,
in poverty, and if he could have had th,
price of what just one Of his pictures woulC
bring to-day what happy man he woul,
have ibeen. The Anatomy Lesson woul,
sell to-day for a half million of dollars if /
was on the market In London Mr.. Woo,
copied ULYSSES Deriding Polyphemus,
the finest Turner in that city, and also tn
head OF an old man and the he ad of an oil,
woman, both by Rembrandt, and severa
other noted works. All these treasures ar
now in his studio in New York, where hi
Montpelier friends will always be welcome
Mr. Wood left Southampton on the "Cit
OF Paris " October g. reaching New Yorl
October II, and will return TO New Yor
for the winter on Friday. Such an inter
view as was graciousy accorded the re
DOrter is one of the very pleasant thinps II