The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-01-19

| ctDTuHry u
The. project of building an electric rail.
road from Barre to Chelsea, and thence to
South Royalton has been revived OF late,
and this route has been looked over and
surveyed by several electric railroad build
ers and promoters The towns OF Washing.
ton and Chelsea will vote at the annual
March meeting on the question OF bonding
for such road.
The annual meeting OF the stakeholder
OF the Granite Savings Bank and Trust
Company was held last week. John Trow,
III. o. Worthen, A. ID. Morse, W. K. Whit
comb, G. L. Currier and O.. N. Field were
elt cted directors. These directors subae-
quently elected John Trow, president; Fl.
o. Worthen and g. N Field, vice-presi-
dentsi r. II. Cave, treasurer; w. A. Drew,
teller.
Judge Tyler gave hearing at the Pa
vilion last Friday evening on the petition Of
the Barre and Montpelier Traction and
Power Company that master be appointed
to take testimony In the disputed matters
between the railroad company and the city
OF Barre. Judge Tyler granted the petition
aud appointed Hon. u. II. Darling of Benz
| Dington as special master in the case. All
pleadings are to be closed on or before Feb
ruary ], and the case will be heard by
Judge Darling before March 1. Ten days
from last Friday are given the city OF Barre
TO reply to the answer OF the railway COM
pany.
| w MIC III huJlHnu IdSJ week Clty AttOr-
ney Swasey had consultation with DR.. g.
s. Caverly OF the State Board of Health re-
garding tho alarming prevalence OF typhoid
fever in Barre. DR.. Caverly showed Mr..
Swasey the last printed report OF the Board
of Health, touching upon Barrels water SUP
ply, in which the city water Is condemned
in vigorous language, and in which users OF
water are urged to boil 1t before using.
There can be little doubt that the present
epidemic Of typhoid fever in Barre is d.
reotly due to the p diluted water supply and
| the city attorney Is OF the opinion tnat the
city has ample power to restrain private
parties and corporations from furnishing
the citizens water that Ia dangerous to pub
lie health. The State Board Of Health con-
templates calling citizens meeting at an
early date to discuss the matter.
Much to the surprise and regret of his
friends s. s. Ballard has withdrawn from
the contest for postmaster at Barre. This
was made necessary from the fact that Mr..
Ballard expects soon to move his head.
quarters from Barre to Montpelier, and he
come resident Of the latter city. This
leaves Charles Il. White, G. N. Field, W. #.
Morse, E. w. Bisbee and B. II. Wells in the
field. II Captain Wells desires to give up
the position of city clerk and treasurer to
again become postmaster Of Barre there is
little doubt but what he could secure back
ing and recommendations for the place that
would put all others in the shade. The eff
cient business.like administration OF the
Office under his former management is not
| forgotten.
Warner f. Colby died last Wednesday
evening at his home on Eastern Avenue,
OF pneumonia, superiuduced by tl phoid few
or, with which he had been i'll for several
weeks. Mr. Colby was thirty-seven wears
old, and was born in Barre. Since 1888 he
| has been in the furniture business in Barre
Previous to that time he travelled for the
wholesale grocery house Of Van Sickin &
Spaulding of Burlington. Mr.: Colby was
prominent in the social life OF Barre, and
had many warm friends. He was a men,
Der of St. Ademar Commandery, knights
Templar, Mt. Sinai Temple, Mobiles OF the
Mystic Shrine and Hiawatha lodge OF Odd
Fellows. These organizations attended his
funeral in body. He leaves a widow, for
merly Miss Ha tie M. Gurley OF Barre, an
aged mother, Mrs. G. A. Colby OF Williams
town, one sister, Mrs. 9. M. Edison Of
Wiliamstown and two brothers, George
Colby of Williamstown and Fl. j. Colby OF
Burlington. His funt raj was held from his
late home Saturday afternoon.
Rev. W. r. Davenport will next April
have been pastor of Hedding church for the
full term of five years and, much to the re-
greet of his parishioners, will be obliged by
the rules governing his church, to go else
where. Gladly would Hedding church re-
tain his services for another five years we're
it possible. Not only among the Metho-
dists, but in all denominations both Mr. and
Mrs. Davenport have hosts of friends, who
will sincerely regret their departure. 1t is
presiding elder Of the Montpelier district,
to succeed Rev. l.. l.. Bet man, whose term
Of Office expires in April. If this be true,
he might continue to reside in Barre.
Among those who are prominently mem
toned az Mr.. Davenport's successor as pas
tor of Heddug church are Rev. Thomas
lyric Of st. Johnsbury, Rev. H. A. Spencer
of Sprir gfeld, Rev. L. P. Tucker OF North.
field, Rev. ". M. Newton of Waterbury,
Rev. A. III. Webb OF Bradford and Rev.
DR.. A. L.. Cooper OF Plain6eld. The Yer
mont Conference meets in annual session at
Springfield in April next.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN BARRE.
At bali past one on Tuesday morning
Patrolman Patrick Brown noticed smoke
issuing from the tran 1om over the entrance
to the dry goods store of r. S. Currier in
opera house block. He quickly turned
in 40 alarm from box 49, and the firemen
rallied promptly. The temperature was
twenty degrees below zero and the hydrant
just south of the block was found to be
frC zen. The delay was fatal, and as re.
suit the entire block occupied by the post
office, R. S. Currier M l.. Towne & Co.,
grocers, where the city liquor agency is 10.
Gated, the city clerk and treasurer and The
opera house in the second story is a mass
of ruins. The loss Is total, with insurance
as follows: The block, which was built in
1000 AZ u COsJ OF S4l wv, was insured Tor
SIG 000 The Underwater carried so 0O0
Hartford, $1,000; Union Mumal of Mont.
pelier, 81 900; Manchester Assurance Com
pany 81 900; Phoenix, So coo; Northern,
$4,000; National, $1,000; Sun, $1,000.
Not 30 much ss spool OF thread was
saved from MIR. Curriers' store. To a
WATCHMAN reporter he stated that he es-
timared his loss on stock and fixtures at
$18 900. His insurance is about $4,000
Towne & Co. were insured for SO, 900 aud
their loss will exceed 5000. Before the
fire had reached the city clerks Office B.
III. Wells was on the scene and succeeded
in saving all the valuable papers that were
not ST. red in the fire-proof safe and vaults.
The well directed efforts OF the firemen and
the heavy brick wall at the north end of
the building prevented the flames spread
ing to the adjoining Park block, in which is
located the furniture stock OF the late W.
r. Colby.
The origin Of the fire is a mystery. Mr..
Currier states that no lighted lamp was left
in the basement OF his store, where IL ap
peared that the fire started and the exact
cause will probably never be known. The
contents Of the safe in the post Office are not
injured, but all the loose mail in the boxes
Of patrons OF the post office was burned.
All the outgoing sacks left the post office
before the fire broke out, and the incoming
night mails were held at Montpelier, where