The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1894-03-09

Three or four warm days have spoiled
the sleighing, and reminded the poop lie
that sugaring is at hand.
Owing to the damage by fire, there
were no services at the court house last
Sunday Next Mass will be ON Sunday,
March Is, at o'clock a. m.
The Rev. Theodore Van Norden, who
preached here in January, has accepted
a call to the South Salem church, West
chester county, N. Y.
While on the mountain the other day,
looking for springs for q water supply,
singular 'sink hole'' was discovered.
1t is about Is feet across and nearly as
deep, perfectly round with perpendicu-
lar walls of dirt. 1t looked as if made
recently and must have been caused by
the rock foundation dropping down.
At the annual town meeting, the town
voted to instruct the selectmen to make
contract with E. Estabrook to pay him
fifty dollars each year for ten years
towards the erection of a suitable hall
for town purposes, and the rental after
that date to be ten dollars for each meet
ing. 1t also voted to exempt the granite
business of Brady Brothers from taxa
tien for the term of five years. and fifty
dollars to Skinner Post for Decoration
Day.
There is a fair prospect, says the
Journal, that this village will soon have
an abundant supply of pure, soft water
for domestic purposes and also the best
protection against fire. At the meeting,
Monday evening, it was decided to pur-
chase springs on the land of A. Ruleau,
and land of Purdy & Convey, which will
give amply supply of water, of the best
quality. It is proposed to bring this
down in a small pipe to reservoir back
of the Munson woods, and bring from
there in large pipe. This will give 275
feet fall and amply pressure. The
whole cost, including putting it in
houses, hydrants, etc., is estimated at
less than $1,000. tits proposed to form
a joint stock association to raise the nee
essary money, the fire district to pay
rental for fire purposes. T. Perkins,
Geo. Smith, D. K. Simonds, E. j. Haw-
ley and F. H. Orvis were elected a COM
mittee to put the plan in operation, and
solicit members and stock. There is no
doubt the water rents will pay fair in
terest on the money invested and we
hope all our citizens who have dollar
to spare will join the association and
help push the thing through. If it can
be accomplished, it will be the best thing
ever done for Manchester village.
Fire started about 1890 o'clock Friday
evening in the basement of Truman
Perkins hardware store on Union street,
used as lumber room. 1t had gained
considerable Roadway when discovered,
and it was impossible to save the build
ing, which was burned. The alarm was
quickly given and the firemen responded
and soon had a stream of water on the
b,,tt oil
and other combusti BILE material, making
an exceedingly hot fire. The court house
is only few feet West of the buried
building and most of the fremen's work
was directed to saving this, which, after
a hard fight, was successful, though the
end towards the fire is badly charred and
the windows gone. No fire got into the
court house. Next East to the store and
connected tn it by covered passage
way was two-story carpenter shop, IN
which was stored about $4,000 feet of
valuable lumber, tools, etc. With the
means at hand it was found impossible
TO save this building, which was burned
with its contents. South from the burn
ing store, just across the street, are tall
wooden buildings; first the Equinox
House, junior, used in part in connection
with the Equinox House as summer
hotel, and also containing Hard's drug
store and the Journal printing office.
Next to this is the tall music hall build
ing, then Dow's store, then the finish
ing rod factory of C. f. Oryis, then a
small building and next the Equinox
livery stables. All these buildings were
in danger from the fire, and had the wind
been in the North they would certainly
have been burned, but fortunately the
wind was light and most of the time away
from these buildings, and being kept wet
they escaped. When the fire started
messenger was sent to Manchester Cen
tire, and the Pacific engine with many
helpers was soon on the ground and did
efficient work. Perkins loss in store and
goods will reach $4,000 or $4,000, with
an insurance of $4,000. DR.. McNerny's
dental Office was in the second story.
He was partially insured. Andoniram
Lodge and Chapter occupied the third
story as lodge room since the fire at
Manchester Centre, and had only two
days before received new regalia and
robes, which had never been used, and
they were all burned. Fortunately they
were insured the day before the fire.
The Masons are peculiarly unfortunate
in being burned out twice within few
lhO VI OlO lilO 10
known, hut circumstances indicate that
it was incendiary. A fire started in the
same building in the room over the store
only last Sunday night, but this first fire
was accidental. 1t was put out with
little damage, though it burned through
the floor into the store, and it was a very
narrow escape. There seems to have
been no motive for setting the fire, if it
was incendiary. The village is contem-
plating bringing water from the Equinox
mountain, both for fire and domestic pur-
poses, by a permanent system of water
works, and these fires will no doubt
hasten the work. Splendid water can be
procured and distributed at an expense
of less than $4,000, and it is wonder
that it was not put in long ago. Water
can be procured at the same elevation.
100 feet, and of nearly the same good
quality as the famous Equinox Spring."
and its use would be big attraction for
summer boarders, which is the chief
business of the village.
LANDGRovE.
W. o. Blood is working for W.
Mcintyre.
Mr.. A. D. Reynolds who has been sick