Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-03-01
THE TOWN MEETING.
1t Gives Promise of Being Lively.

The Opposition TO selectmen Boyden
and Clarl---SOme of the other Offices
---Don't Forget about the Town Hall
Improvements.
The town meeting next Tuesday will
begin at 8 A. NJ. 1t will be conducted
under the method in use before the adop.
ton of the Australian ballot law. There
will probably be two polling places in case
ballot is called for
The indications are that lively meeting
| will be held. There is pretty sure to be a
! fight over the election of the selectmen.
! Selectmen Boyden and Clark have many
friends who believe that they have given
the town good business-like administra.
ton the past year. If the electric railroad
| question did not enter into the contest
there would be practically no opposition
to the old board The friends of the pro.
posed railroad say that the decision of the
railroad commissioners in regard to the
location of the road will have much to do
with determining what will be done. In
case the decision of the commissioners is
adverse to the road the opposition will
undoubtedly engage in the fight with deal
of energy. Mr.. Weatherhead, the third
selectman, who favored the electric rail
road, will undoubtedly have nearly unani-
nous support.
Many names for selectmen in opposition
to Messrs. Boyden and Clark have been
suggested, among them those of E. G..
Crosby, Frank L. Hunt, S. S. Hunt, II. p.
Wellman, j. l.. Knowlton, II. l.. Emerson,
S. b. Emerson, E. L. Roberts, and w. II.
Proctor. Nearly all these men, however,
have declared that they will not be candi-
dates for election.
L. 5. Eames, the present road commits
sioner, has strong following, and the
chances are that he will be reelected, but
there are criticisms of his work in some
directions and it is pretty evident that he
will have opposition. Capt H. G.. Streeter
is most often mentioned as the man to run
against him. Capt. Streeter's friends
claim that he is well qualified for the place,
and that some of the first scientific road
building in this state was under his
direction at Rutland.
There will probably be change in the
board of listers, for the reason that K. E.
Gordon, who has long been one of the
most valuable members of the board, feels
that his duties as sheriff and collector will
not allow him to serve longer. The ques-
ton of increasing the board to five mem
bers is expected to come up. II. b. Cham
berlain is generally mentioned as one good
man to go upon the board, and VIM. G.
Horton as one who is well experienced in
the clerical work of the listers office.
The vote for the enlargement and i'm
provement of the town hall at an expense
not exceeding S25, 900 ought to pass with
out difficulty and it appears as if the senti-
ment was strongly in favor of making the
change. The voters should keep their
heads and not be side-tracked by specious
arguments in favor of any halfway plan.
Keene and Greenfield have both made
changes in their halls, involving an ex-
pense of $4,000 to $4,000, improving
their stage and building gallery, leaving
level floor Their experience should be
warning to us. One has only to go to
these towns, see the audiloriums, and talk
with the town officials and residents, to be
convinced without argument that any ex-
penditure for improvements in our town
house cannot be made and be satisfactory
unless done in radical and thorough man
ner. A level floor for dramatic aud opera
mouse purposes is an abomination, and
seats under the gallery would be of less
value than the poorest in the present gal
lery. This is the case at both Keene and
Greenfield, and these seats are seldom oc-
cupied. Offices in the town hall would
not be easily rentable. With our present
accommodations in this respect, and with
the new grange building now in process of
erection, the supply of offices will fully
meet all demand.
There can be no opposition to the town
hall improvements except on the ground of
expense. 1t has been shown that the yearly
cost on poll tax would be only 4 cents
and on property only 20 cents on $1,000.
This does not take into consideration an
increase from rentals which is sure to
come.
Let's vote for the improvement of the
town house, whatever else we do, and then
select with care a committee with author
ity to carry out the work.