The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-05-13
Special CITY MEETING.

The Voters Declare Most Emphatica1iy
That the City Does not Want the
Golden F1eece-the Proceedings in De-
tail.
In response to a call for special city
meeting to be held in Armory Hall, last
Wednesday evening, to see II the city
would vote to purchase the Golden Fleece
property, nearly FIVE hundred citizens
gathered at the hour named. His honor,
Mayor Stratton, presided, and the call was
read by City Clerk Merrill. Mayor STRAIT
ton read the report of Aldermen Boutwell,,
Weston and Peck, the committee appointed
by the Council to look into the advisabilty
OF purchasing this property for city use.
The report declared, in substance, that the
committee had examined the building and
thought 1t could be made over for the use Of
the city for the SO 600 that was received for
Capital Hall. The committee, however,
could not recommend that the city pur-
chase the property.
The mayor read a letter from D. A. Cup
til describing the Golden Fleece building in
detail. w. A. Lord inquired il the Council
had considered that there was a present or
future need Of a city hall, to which the
mayor replied that they had. H. A. Huse
asked If the Council had decided where the
city meetings should be held in future, to
which Mayor Stratton gave a negative an
swer. On being Intercepted as to whether
the Council, as a whole, was in favor of pur-
replied emphatcally that they were not.
To bring the matter before the meeting
Mr.. Huse moved that the Council be au-
thorized to purchase the property for $685.
500, the price named. Mr.. Huse said he
could not see as good q way of filling the
need of city hall as to purchase this prop
erty at the price named
W. A. Lord said he thought the prevail
ing sentiment was against the purchase OF
the building, but he favored it because it
was the best public hall in the state of Yer
mont. 1t is here, ready for use, and the
only way Montpelier can control it for fu-
ture public meetings is to own it. II we do
not purchase this hall we must have some
thing else. We will not be satisfied with a
new hall that will cost less than twice as
much as is asked for this
T. R. Gordon thought we had better take
more time to investigate. When we have q
new city hall Mr.. Gordon thought we
should have one that the city could be proud
of, which they never could be of the Golden
Fleece building. Even if a new hall should
cost $4,000 or 100000, Mr.. Gordon was in
favor of erecting such building rather than
to purchase this property j. G. Brown
suggested that the motion OF Mr.. Huse be
amended, so that it should read that the
hall should be purchased If this could be
done at a reasonable price. This amend
ment was accepted by Mr.. Huse.
f. L. Laird vigorously opposed the motion
a new city hall had been exaggerated, and
that the city could build one that would be
far better than the Golden Fleece building
for 1000 or less.
A ballot was called for on the adoption of
the motion of Mr.. Huse, which resulted as
follows:
Whole number of votes cast...... ............ AL
Necessary to a choice. .................... 2ll
10 adopt the resolution, 10
Against its adoption. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 406
j. A. DeBoer introduced a motion, which
was adopted, that the Council be instructed
to secure, on or before sixty days, the SER
vices of one or more well-known architects
to prepare plans, specifications and esti-
mated cost OF a city hall building, to be
erected on Hay Market Square or elsewhere,
and that when these plans are completed
the City Council shall call meeting of the
voters to see if they approve of the same
and will authorize the Council to erect said
city hall. Fred Blanchard opposed this mo-
ton and it was favored by #. l.. Laird, L.
W. Shedd and A. j. Sill ley, and was adopted
by practically unanimous vote.