St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-04-10
BOARD OF TRADE.


ular monthly meeting of the Board o
Trade last Monday evening. 1t was tn
first regular meeting since the annua
meeting, and presided over by the new
president, Robert Mackinnon. He made
pleasant speech, thanking the members
for the honor conferred upon him, saying
that some are born great and some have
greatness thrust upon them, and that II
didn't require but half an eye to see which
condition fitted him. He read an article
in the constitution referring to the object
OF the Board Of Trade, and hoped much
would be accomplished during the coming
wear. Communications were then called
for, and Secretary Eldridge read letter
recently written to Mr. Sterling concern
ing the shoe factory and the one received
in reply, which are given below, and
which explain themselves.
ST. JoHNsBURY, W., March 81, 1896
Mr.. FRED o. STERLING,
Boston, Mass.
DEAR SRA committee are at work
soliciting stock for the factory. Your
proposition as to whether you will put in
the machinery and take stock for the
same is not quite clear to the committee.
II you will turn the machinery in and
take stock for the same please subscribe
for the amount necessary to cover the
machinery and state machinery If de
sired, after your name and return to me
at once and this will settle the question.
] can see plainly that think this is the
only way you could trade with the cor
poration.
Please return this at your earliest con-
venience. u. ELDRIDGE,
Sec'y Board of Trade.
Following is the one received in reply;
BosToN, April 3, 1896.
Mr.. l.. ]. ELDRlDGE,
DEAR SIR Yours at hand. lam ofthe
same mind now as when | saw you in st.
ohnsbury. do not think the machinery
should stand in the company name, and
the credit of the company will be much
better without any machinery account.
/ can furnish all the machinery that we
have business for if come with your
people, and | will sign papers for five
years and give bond, if that is what
your people want, to stay in ST. Johns
bury. II | come to your town TO do
business am coming there to do it, for
can command large salary now. am
helping firm now change their style of
business, all new lasts and patterns.
They are making 300 dozen a day. |
can command big pay where | am now.
so you can see mean business if come
to your town. Please let me know how
you get along as often as you can.
Respectfully yours,
FRED o. STERLING.
Concerning the shoe factory, it seemed
to be the general opinion Of all that Mr..
Sterling ought to own good block of
the stock to make it apparent that he
meant business and was coming here to
stay. Mr.. Abbott, one Of the committee,
was satisfied that il that was done the
stock could be quickly raised Motion
was made by A. II. Mcleod and carried
that Secretary Eldridge should write to
Mr.. Sterling, asking him and his friends
to take $4,000 in stock if they wished
to start the factory here, assuring him
that that was the only thing necessary
to make the scheme success.
The question of city charter next
came up. Mr.. Ide, chairman of the city
charter committee, explained the differ
ence between town and city government,
and thought that the time had come
when st. Tohnsbury should make the
change, and that they had better proceed
at once and get the charter before the
next legislature. With this object in view
he introduced the following resolution:
Whereas, in the opinion of this Board,
the time has come when our form of
municipal government should be changed,
therefore,
Resolved, That we recommend to the
legal voters of this town that they apply
to the next legislature for a city charter
to include the whole Of this town. That
the president be instructed to appoint
committee of five to prepare and present
to the voters of this town and village
draft OF charter, and take measures to
haven't presented to the next legislature.
Some discussion followed, but all con-
tessed it was new thing to them, a
matter for careful Reconsideration, and that
there must be brief campaign of educa-
ton before their minds were ready to
make decision on the question. But
they couldn't see any harm in adopting
Mr.. Ide's resolution, which was accord
ingly done, and Z. T. Ide, John Clark, l.,
D. Hazen, w. P. Smith. w. w. Grout
were appointed committee to draw up a
charter. The question will probably
come before the voters in due time, and
they should give the question careful
study and beready to make an intelligent
decision.
The president announced the following
committees for the ensuing year, and the
meeting then adjourned.
Manufactures; P. F. Hazen, c. p. Car.
penter, Joseph o. Drouin, f. A. Pierce,
John Ryan.
Real estate: E. L. Hovey, R. B. Flint
B. G. Howe, L. K. Hazen, Z. A. Richard.
son.
legislation L. D. Hazen, w. P. Smith,
w. w. Grout.
Transportation: H. N. Turner, E. T.
Ide, H. G. Ely.
Municipal affairs: E. F. Brown, Fran.
els Walker, c. H. Horton.
Arbitration: A. B. Moves. T. X. Stiles