The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-11-09
Overwhelming Majority.
Montpelier Votes 400 to one for the Annex
alton of Berlin to This City.

Montpelier Votes 400 to one for the Annex
alton of Berlin to This City.
The meeting held in the Blanchard opera
house Thursday evening, for the purpose of
cussing pro and con the feasibility of an
nexing the village of the town OF Berlin to
the city OF Montpelier, was attended at its
opening by about one hundred and fifty
representative voters. The number was
augmented by a constant incoming OF the
citizens. The warrant for the meeting was
read by City Clerk Merrill and Mayor SEN
ter set forth he object of the meeting, viz,
to discuss the benefits or detriments that
might result from annexation. There was
a wild spirit for annexation manifest and
the motion had scarcely been made when
the call, "qu stion," Question" ''gues-
ii n" came from the audience. Mayor
Seuter said they did not want to Ego the
m after blind" and called for expressions.
After L. II. Gordon had made motion
for annexation, which was seconded by A
j. Sibley, s. III. o. Bosworth rose and ask
ed for information as to the territory it was
proposed to annex, etc.
A. g. Brown was next on the floor and
asked that the chart giving the survey be
shown. 1t was not in the hall and j. G.
Brown was asked to describe the survey.
This did not satisfy the desire of A. G.
Brown and he took the floor and insisted
that the chart be produced. This call re
suited in despatching messenger after u.
! Def. Bancroft in whose possession it was.
| The chart was held up from the front OF
the stage. Mayor Senter read the descrip-
| ton of the survey and engineer Joel Eos
ter traced the survey line on the chart.
After the boundary as per survey had beeu
| shown, Mayor Senter said that If the bill or
| the boundary were not satisfactory, amend
| ments to either were in order.
j. G. Bro wn said he felt that the interests
| Of xUith "a nj fu M
Montpelier as were also their sanitary mat
| ters.
T. J. Deavit, who had to do with framing
| the BILL said that some had favored the run
ming of the line so as to take in the Junction
| which he had favored.
George W. Wing said that he had given
the matter some thought. Time had come
| when the two places were in a homogeneous
I, state. Except for small minority of the
town it was anxious to become part of the
city. He pointed out damages that might
| arise from the sewage question without
Berlin's becoming part of this city. The
territory was much needed for building
This city is now so thickly populated thai
we are "cliff dwellers."
A. j. Sibley said that he was opposed tt
Imperialism; he did not believe in annexinG
foreign territory, but this is not foreign ter
ritory it is part of this city. The towr
needs the benefit of better school system
| fire protection and other public improve
ments. ri am in favor of annexation"
NJ E. Smile said that he would not favor
the annexation unless Berlin wished to
unite with us He thought the towI
should recognize their opportunity for adj
vancement He was in favor of annexation
Rev. j. Edward Wright thought the
scheme was feasible and favored annexe
ton.
G. A. G. Jackson said that because of tn,
fact of taxpaying back and forth across the
river some OF the Montpelier citizens paying
taxes in Berlin and citizens of the latter
| place paying taxes into the treasury oil
Montpelier he favored annexation. III,
said he was opposed to Imperialism bu
he thought Berlin should be made a par
OF the place to which she really belonged.
j. A. De Boer said that he could not favo
the municipal plumber that had been goinl
on between the two municipalities. He be
lieved that the two places belong under ont
government. Under annexation Berlin
would be the gamer, she would get better
schools, roads, walks, sewerage, ETC.. at
cost that would be the minimum Because o
mutual advantages that would surely result
he favored annexation.
T. r. Gordon set forth the benefits tina
would surely result to the town of Berlin
and said it was only a question of tim,
when this city and the city of Barre woult
grow together. For this reason he thought
it was our duty to annex the town of Der
lin.
f. L. Laird said he was in favor of annex
alton.
S.H.O. Bosworth thought the city O
Montpelier should treat the town of Berlir
fairly in this matter. sit is said in Berlin
that we are selfish in this matter, that we
are taking largely from their grand lis
while we take only twelve miles of theil
roads, while we leave them seventy miles
to care for" Mr. Bos worth suggested
postponement and conference between tn,
city committee and the town of Berlin
| A. j. Sibley and the Mayor denominateC
the suggestion impract cable. At this poin
| Mayor Senter called for rising vote
| which was unanimous except for the OF
posing vote of s. III. o. Bosworth. Tn,
| Mayor announced the vote as being 40
for annexation and one against After thu
vote had been taken Mayor Senter made
the speech of the evening for annexation
setting forth the needed improvements
what the city desired that Berlin should
have in the line of improvements. Thu
Mayor spoke forcibly throughout ant
closed by saying that with the annexation
of the town of Berlin to the city of Mont
pelier, the latter would within a short tim
he one of the most beautiful and busting
cities in the state OF Vermont
w. A. Lord moved that a committee O
five he appointed to assist Representatv
Kemp in engineering the annexation bill
through the Legislature. On motionlof
l. Laird Mayor John H. Senter vas made
member Of the committee. The Mayor, VIII
has the power of appointing the other fou
member OF the committee, said they woul
be announced tomorrow evening, Every
one was in Joyful frame Of mind when tn
meeting adjourned At nine o'clock
SUDDEN DEATHS ON THE INCREASE Pee
pie apparently well and happy to-day, TO MOI
| al don i'm