Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-08-13
s28.O34 A.
S23,sl ~

When President Crosby called the meet
ing to order there were about 80 stockhCld.
ers present. Clerk F. l.. Hunt read the
call for the meeting and, at the request of
Mr. Crosby, the treasurer's report. Judge
II. II. Wheeler then asked what the item
charged to the construction account repre-
scented and was told as follows: Generator,
S2l02 "A: closed car, S2273 %; new
switches and track, $3.50. 20; car house ex-
tension, S4lT.07; Pine street lot, 500 90;
dirt car, SOS. 81. Mr.. Crosby also stated
that no repairs were included in the con-
struction account and that the articles
making up the item of construction were
contracted for before the previous annual
meeting. Then followed some discussion
on the suudry expense account, including
bills which had not been presented and
money which Mr.. Crosby had paid out to.
avoid lawsuits. A. W. Stowe of West
Brattleboro then asked for a statement of
the pay roll, which was made. He didn't
see why Mr. Crosby should give his serv
ices, but Mr.. Crosby said the other direc-
tors received no pay and so he would not
ask it.
More discussion followed as to the falling
off in the past years receipts, which were
5000 less than in the first year. Mr..
Crosby said he attributed one-half of the
extra receipts the first year to the novelty
of the road. The receipts fluctuate with
the prosperity of the town, but the expenses
do not fuctuate correspondingly. The ex-
pense of new car wheels, which is a large
item, is three times as large as it would be
If the road was level, because of the extra
wear of the brakes, and there are other ex-
penses on this road which are greater than
IC A n
son moved that the treasurer's report be
accepted and the motion was carried.
Mr.. Crosby again took up the matter of
the falling off in receipts and showed that,
where S26l was taken in one day in July
the first year on account of the circus, 500
was taken on the same day last year, and
where Sl22 was taken on the day of the
horse trot the first year $40 was taken last
year. Those things are responsible for the
falling off in receipts, instead of poor man
agement.
Carlos Jones asked what sort of man
agement a road must have which would
allow the cash registers to go unlocked.
Mr.. Crosby said so tar as he knew only
one register had been unlocked and that
only for four days, and it was locked as
soon as it came to his notice. Mr.. Jones
said the first year Mr.. Crosby took interest
enough in the road to get up entertain
ments at West Brattleboro, but his inter-
est seemed to have fallen off. Mr.. Crosby
said he paid $50 out of his own pocket for
entertainments the first year and now the
other directors could do so if they cared to.
| Mr.. Jones then referred to the fact that
Mr.. Crosby took Superintendent Carly
away without a vote of the directors, to
which Mr.. Crosby replied that he was
made general manager of the road and
supposed he could do as he pleased with
the men. He knew the road was running
behind and as the equipment was in fine
shape he considered it policy to take Mr..
Carly away and deduct his pay while away,
which was done, thereby saving the road
about 500. Both he and Mr.. Carly were
home often enough to look after whatever
trouble arose. He considered the road the
best for the money in New England and
that the outlook, with no debt, was good
Mr.. Hunt asked what arrangements had
been made with the Valley Fair directors
in regard to carrying passengers to the
Fair grounds for FIVE cents. He had beer
told by Col. Hooker that Mr.. Crosby had
agreed to carry Fair passengers for five
cents after the first two years and that the
Fair directors would demand Eve cent fare:
this year. Mr.. Crosby said he had mad,
no such agreement and he didn't think tn,
road could afford to do so when the Fail
ground extension which cost $4,000 wa!
idle $50 days in the year and the receipt,
from that source were only $1,000 Argu
ment on that point was suspended anC
Dennison Cowles placed in nomination E
L. Waterman, II. l.. Emerson, S. s. Hunt
John p. Sargent and Charles A. Smith a
q board of directors. Judge Wheeler SAT-
probably no other man had found so mucl
fault to Mr.. Crosby in person as he in re
gard to the management of the road. H
thought serious mistakes had been made
but he believed they were insufficient l.
warrant the proposed change and aske,
that the directors be given a chance to cor
rect their errors. His remarks were greet
ed with applause. Mr.. Jones thought tn
other directors ought TO be given a chance
as they had had none heretofore. MI
Crosby said If he had done anything wit
which the directors were displeased it wa
not known to him for they had said moth
| ing to him about it. G.. H. Thompson Ell
dorsed the ground taken by Judge Wheeler
and expressed the belief that no man coul
be obtained who would devote so muc
, time to the road as Mr. Crosby. MI
Stowe moved to amend the nomination fc
directors by substituting the name of <.
Crosby for that of G. A. Smith.
Then followed more and still more di!
| cussion over the Canal street switch an
i various other matters Whtei-Was- wear