Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-05-14


the various Industries of the State, which
has given employment to over COCO persons
Within this time some existing industries
lhavo closed their business, though my OBJ.
scrvation and inquiry does not show any
great number OF such cases. II Is also
true that each year some towns have fail
I'd to report, and quite likely that the
reports made may have omitted some OF
the enterprises undertaken. So l believe
that the amount shown In these various
reports does not very much exceed the
amount by which the investment in indus
trial enterprises in the State has been
increased since 1890. No single industry
has called for the investment of so much
capital as the development Of electric light
and power. OF the many large, unused
water powers in the State reported in 1891
they are but few to-day that have not
been utilized, and the most common use
made of them Is the production of cleo
tricity. What the future Is to be along
| this limo Is a matter of speculation. The
present record OF what has been done far
exceeds the expectation OF the past, and
Vt seems fairly certain that 1t will be but
q few years before there will be no i'm
portant water power In Vermont that is
not performing useful service. 1t has been
very gratifying to note the steady develop
ment and increase of manufacturing in
Vermont during time when much COM
piaint has been made from other sections
OF the country as to the condition of man
ufactuTlng interests. IT Is believed that
there are conditions in the State which
prove very favorable for manufacturing,
among which may DO noted that the help
| employed here Is, as n rule, more intell-
gent and capable than is usually found.
Also the fact that there have been almost
| no labor troubles in the State is an i'm
portant factor. Also most of our towns
nave appreciated the advantages of man
ufacturing enterprises, and given induce
ments, either by supplying capital or CIV
| ing exemptions for a period from taxa
tion, to encourage the location of them.
SUMMER TRAVEL.
Tho report received of the summer travel
for 1895 is not as complete as might be
desired. This is due TO the fact that the
| proprietors of the summer hotels and
homes have neglected to send in a report
of their business. Some have sent partial
reports and have seemed to fear that It
might injure them to give the data asked
for. Seventy-seven replies have been re-
ceived to the following questions:
l. Name Of house?
2. Name and postoffice address OF pro-
prietor?
3. Whole number of summer guests for
season of 1895?
4. Total amount received by you for
board and rooms?
5. Estimated amount paid by your guests
Tor livery, whether paid to you or others?
6. How has this travel compared this
season with previous seasons?
I. Please suggest any plan that you may
have thought Of, that would increase this
class of business,
These answers cover about one-fourth
of the business of the State From the
reports received 1t is found that 1906 per-
sons were entertained during the season,
NtsfU 60. 7 ~
livery. The amount of business done by
the parties reporting does not vary to any
great extent from that reported by the
same persons for 1894. and for the State
amounts TO about $500, 900 per year. In an
swer to question six, 81 reported that bust
ness was better, II that IL was an average
and 10 that 1t was less than usual So
that, as whole, it would seem that there
had been little increase in this business
AS compared with 1894 there was a larger
expenditure per person for 1895. The av-
erage paid per guest for board and livery
In 1924 was Sis; for 1895. s156o. This may
mean that less people came t. the State
In 1925 than in 1894, but remained enough
longer to make the receipts as much or
more. A great increase in this travel cam
not be expected until more accommodation
is provided. There are only few hotels
or large capacity that make special efforts
10 secure and care for this travel, and
these houses nearly all report as much
business as they can accommodate. There
Is an opportunity TO extend this industry
somewhat in the private homes of the
State. Some of these have not been filled
and others might be opened If the custom
required 1t.
In answer to question seven I received
many suggestions. most OF which would
come under one OF the three following
propositions
Second-Better service for guests
Ihird-Better railroad accommodations
or the first proposition there can be no
doubt that thorough and systematic nd
Vertising would do great deal to bring
people to the State. How and bv whom
snail II be done? 1t cannot be expected
that the State will do this in an extensive
way ana there Is no reason why 1t should
any more than it should advertise other
iines or Industry. 1t should be done by
those who are to get the beneflt-these par-
ties are the railroads and hotels. II all
the railroads and the principal hotels OF
the state could unite In some general plan
ana advertise all portions of the State,
ana divide the expense, 1t would without
doubt bring a large return. 1t would NOT
DE easy to harmonic 30 many interests.
ana nave each feel that they had been
IaiIiy used, and quite likely will never be
undertaken. At the Same time | believe
there Is no question as to the good that
might be done by such an undertaking.
The second obstacle mentioned, Better
service" is matter that will work out its
own correction. Experience in this line
OF work Will educate people as to how the
work should be done
The third proposition, Better rail-
road accommodations, should not be DIFF
hcult to secure. Self-interest should be
sufficient to correct any error in this d-
rection. The interest OF the railroad COM
panies In summer travel is at least equal
to all others combined. The receipts OF
the railroads for transportation is lust
about equal to the receipts of the hotels
Tor service. and their profts arc larger. as
the money received from this source re-
Quires very little additional outlay. So
that II the attention of a railroad company
Is called to the fact that a want of better
connections at certain points or an omis-
sion to allow trains to take and leave pas
sengers at certain points is keeping from
the State some who would come IL thew
could be better accommodated II would
seem to me that the officers OF the road
would be glad to have their attention
called to such cases and ready to make
any reasonable concession. In many cases
families stay In the State throughout the
season, and 1t is desired by the husba nd
and father to leave his business in the
city about noon Saturday, spend Sunday
with his family, and return Monday morn
ing. The better facilities a town has for
being reached in this way, the better its
chance for getting business. These oues-
lions are all of business charactar and