Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-10-04
Now You See It-Now You Don't

wv" W SCO WV wv NO'
We understand that the committee on
Lights of the Village Trustees has made
the proposition that all the street lights
be turned off at midnight. The next
meeting of the Trustees occurs Monday
evening, when this scheme, unless
strangled in the mean time, will re-
ceiye the attention of the full Board
This proposition should by all means
be approved by the Trustees. 1t is in per-
feet consistency with it's recent action i'll
practically abolishng the police force.
Why the lights should be continued from
midnight till morn, needlesSly burden
ing the taxpayers, is IA mystery. The
Board has demonstrated its belief in II
universal and advanced stage of goodness
as the moral condition of thiS cOmmun-
ity; and all GOOD people should be in bed
at twelve O'Clock. Though there are
occasions when some Of our people in
dulge in somewhat late hours, owing 10
card and dancing parties, ETC., this fact
should not deter the "city fathers in
the furtheranCe of their economic
schemes: for card playing and dancing
are but frivolous amusements, and those
who intrude beyond the limits of the
sterner duties of life, should hardly eX-
pect the general public to burden itself
IN adding to the cOnveniences for their
frivolities. But twelve o'clock is a late
hour. Why not place the limit a little
earlier at eleven O'clock; better, at ten.
In the middle ages curfew rang at nine
o'clock, at which hour all lights were to
be exingushed and all people abed
One of the most St riDus objections
that may be raised against the PROPOSE.
ton is that those whom necessity
compes to arrive or depart on the
trains. between midnight and one
o'clock in the morning, will be compel
ed to pass through the village in total
darkness. With the saint-hke character
of all our llagers there will be no dan
ger OF insult or injury to the weakest,
and with custom es abliShed OF every
person owning lanterns, with lantern
repository at the depot, the difficulty
will dwindle into insignificanCe. In case
strangers should arrive, unfamiliar with
this cuslom-well, strangers have no
business here, anyway. Physicians,
when answering night calls can, in win
ter, Use lanterns, which were good
enough for our fOrefathers. In summer
they can follow in the wake of the light,
ming bug. In case of an alarm of fire
during the dark hours of the night, the
firemen could easily wait until the burn
ing building could furnish sufficient il
Elimination to guide their steps in safety
through the streets. 1t would mean but
IA short delay at the most, and the fire
men would be III plenty of time to adj
mire the grandeur and beauty OF the
roaring and crashing Contlagration,
Other objections may possibly be
raised, but they should all be brushed
aside in this grand reform movement for
economy.
When the lights were frs put in, the
arcs were run until twelve O'Clock only.
This proved unsatisfactory and in ac-
cOrdance with the demands of the peo-
pie, " ere continued until two o'clock. and
still later, until day light, AS at present.
This new proposition must Indicate
| an immensely changed condition of the
peoples habits and morals; or the Light
Committee would hardly have had the
presumption to propose scheme that
otherwise would be offensive and con-
trary to general desires. A community
of the size of Bennington is in remark
| able moral condition when it can dis
pense with its police force, and illumln-
alton of its streets. The village is to be
heartily congratulated. go '.
There is no short road to learning"
but any one who will visit the exhibition
of new furniture now open at the ware
rooms of Green & Waterman, No. 2S3
River street, Troy, can, in one short
hour, move ahead SIX months in the
practical knowledge of the latest fash
ions of household furniture and decOrs-
finn