The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-05-01
rooNTINuEp FROM FIRST pAaE.1


the variations which may be expected the
coming month: Mean, or normal, tempera-
ture, 53o; warmest month, that OF 1887, with
an average of $50; coolest month, that OF
perature, 90o; May 1S, 1889; lowest tempera
ture 24o, May l. 1892; average date OF first
killing frost in autumn 8 5ptember Il aver
age date of last killing frost in spring, May
16. cipitaton-Average for the month,
3 10 inches; average number of days with
01 of an inch or more, ID greatest monthly
precipitation, 80 inches, in 1890; least
monthly precipitation, 1.39 inches, in 1887
greatest amount Of precipitation in any
twenty-four consecutive hours, GO inches,
May 20 81, 1885, greatest amount of snow
fall in any twenty four consecutive hours
(record extending to winter of 1898 only,
go inches, May 81, 1892, her-Average
number Of clear days, q partly cloudy days,
IL; cloudy days, ID. Wind Prevailing
winds have been from the south; highest
velocity, "a miles from the west, May a. 1891.
Mrs. OLIVE w. PERKINS of Danbury, N.
H., now eghty-four years old, sends the
WAToHMAN the following recollectons of
freshets of former generation: I'm read.
ing OF the freshet in Vermont 1t brought to
mind the time that people began to clear
the land on the road leading from Mont.
pelier to Middlesex Mr., Lovewell Warren
commenced a settlement there. He cleared
several acres and built him a house, l
don't remember how long he had lived
there when there came terrible freshet.
He awoke in the night, and happening to
throw his arm out of bed it went into water.
He jumped up and found the room full of
water to the straw tick. He took his wife
upon his back and waded through the
water back of his house till he came to high
land. He thought IL the place was subject to
such freshets, he would move his house from
there. He did, but as people began to clear
land and settle near the road, and no other
great freshets came, he moved his house
back to where it was before. He lived and
died there. In 1926 there was another
treshet, but not so great as the first one.
The next day went to school, The school
house was on State street Mr.. Azel Spauld
ing was the teacher. A class in geography
was reciting. The teacher asked, How much
of the earth as surface is covered with water?'
A boy answered, We'll, l should think
most all OF it wasl' That incident was
published in the WATCHMAN."
The regular meeting of the city council
occurred last Wednesday evening. 1t was
voted that the 5000 appropriated by the
CITY at its last annual meeting for the sup
port of the Montpelier Public Library be
paid quarterly The street commissioner
was instructed to put up posters beside the
Cemetery, forbidding dumping any rubbish
beside or in the river. Residents of ward
three petitioned for an electric light at the
corner of Jay and LOOMS streets; petition
referred to Alderman Cotton, committee on
lights. Instructions were given Alderman
Boswell to procure city seal. The mayor
was instructed to refund to Lynch & Nc.
MahOn the amount of taxes on a list of $40,
in accordance with vote at the last annual
meeting and to notify them that tn dir
| works are exempt from taxation until Au-
gust 6, 1896. The matter of procuring
new safe for the city treasurer was left with
Aldermen Brooks and Weston, with power
| to act The committee TO whom was re-
ferred the petition of George l.. Blanchard
to erect bill-boards in front of the opera
| house entrance recommended circular
| boards on each side and at the foot of the
stairs. The light on the city clock is to be
| placed on the Elm street facs, and the arc
| light on Barre street, opposite Hotel Fuller
ton, is to be moved to the corner of Barre
and Fullerton streets. The board ad burned
} at half past twelve.
WHILE not largely attended, the Odd Fell
lows celebration, held in Blanchard opera
house last Friday evening, was a very en-
| joyable occasion to those present. The
members OF Vermont Lodge, No. 2, Thomas
| Widey Encam oment, No. IL, and wv
Fellows Hail and marched in body to the
opera house, where they were seated near
the front. Music was furnished by the
Montpelier orchestra The speakers of the
evening, the committee having the affair
in charge, Past Grands A. ID. Lane and A.
T. Keith, and A. G.. Templeton, Noble Grand
OF Vermont Lodge, were seated upon the
stage. K. A. Mutt presided and introduced
the speakers. After prayer by Rev. A. j.
Hough and reading the proclamations of j.
w. Stebbns, Grand Sire of the Sovereign
Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows Fred A.
Hyde, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of
Vermont, and David l.. Sanders Grand
Patriarch of the Grand Encampment of
Vermont, Rev. A. j. Hough, the orator of
the evening, was introduced. Mr.. Hough
| w his haQt and Ia1vara1 a N ali apt
thirty minute address on the work that is
being accomplished by the Odd Fellows
throughout this country, and pertinently
answered some of the objections that are
made to this order; He closed the address
by reading an original poem, written for
the occasion, entitled Vermont Lodge,
No q" Rev. A. H. Webb, pastor of Trim
ity Church, Montpelier, followed with a
capital teu-minute speech, closing by pre-
sentng Frank e Smith, Past Grand OF
Vermont Lodge, with beautiful and APP
propriately inscribed Past Grand's badge.
This emblem was from his brother Odd
Fellows of Vermont Lodge as a slight token
of their appreciation of his uniform courtesy
and efficiency during his occupancy of the
principal chair during the year 1894. Music
by the orchestra, and benediction by the
Rev Mr.. Webb, brought the exercises TO a
close.
SPRINKLING the streets of Montpelier is a
matter that concerns, directly or indirectly,
every CltlZen, ana lew 1actS upon the sub
ject at this time are pertinent. 1t may not
be known to every one that the funds to
defray the expense of sprinkling the streets
are raised entir bly, by private subscription,
and the village of Montpelier has never
been asked to pay dollar of the expense,
even when, as in the case last summer the
sprinkler was used at different times in the
construction of permanent streets. When
G. b. Roberts, the present superintendent
of streets, purchased the business OF NTH
Brothers, the old tub that was used for that
purpose was practically worthless, and Mr..
Roberts purchased, in Concord, N. H.. the
sprinkler now in use, at an expense OF $500
He paid $500 for the old tub, making total
cost at the beginning of $500. The cost OF
sprinkling the streets for the season is
about S500-not large sum when all the
residents and property-owners on the routes
covered by the sprinkler pay reaso liable
proportion. The subscriptions have grad
ually dropped off until, last year, Mr.. Rob
erts ran the sprinkler at a personal loss
Notwithstanding this, the sprinkler was rur
all day on Sunday when needed, thing
that was appreciated by church-goe or
windy Sundays. Mr.. Roberts agreemen,
| vhn fou .lo ~,