The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-08-10
Trolley to Washington.

Enthusiastic Meeting TO Promote the
Scheme President Kennedy and Others
Address the Gathering - Washington
Marble incidentally Gets n Substantial
Boom-What the Speakers said
For several days prior to the meeting held
at Washington last Thursday afternoon, for
the purpose Of promoting the building of an
electric railroad from Barre through East
Barre to Washington, George M. Seaver,
who was one OF the prime movers in plan
ming such a meeting, industriously distrib-
uted bills through Corinth, Top ham, Chel-
sea, Barre and adjoining towns, and as
result the seating capacity OF the school
house hall at Washington was entirely in
adequate to accommodate the crowd that
gathered there to listen to the speakers and
to obtain information on the subject in
which all were deeply interested. Delega-
lions were present from Chelsea, West
Topsham Topsham, East Corinth, Corinth,
East Barre, Barre and other adjoining
towns, and although the exercises were
nearly two hours In length, hardly per-
son left the hall until the last speaker was
through. The East Barre aud Washington
cornet band was present and enlivened the
proceedings with several appropriate selec-
tions.
Shortly after two o'clock the meeting was
called to order by George NJ. Seaver and
Hon. Chester Dickey OF Washington was
chosen chairman. Judge Dickey said they
had met for two purposes. One was to ad-
vertise Washington granite, which really
needs no advertising, and the other was to
talk about an electric railroad, which is to
be, in the near future, the railroad of the
country. He introduced Warren @. Nye of
East Barre as the Fl .st speaker of the after
noon. Mr.. Nye said we are living in q day
OF improvements, when everything is done
with the utmost speed. The electric cars
are needed very much at Washington and
at East Barre. The steam railroads have
not helped business Of East Barre in the least
and the electric cars are needed, not only
for passenger travel. but because of the ia ct
that beneath the soil of Washington is
buried one Of the best stones to be found in
this country. Electric cars are needed to
transport this stone to market. This road
built to Washington will be extended
through Chelsea to South Royalton, thus
making direct route to Boston. Mr.. Nye
predicted that the time is not far distant
when the towns of New England, large
and small, will be connected with electric
currents. He believed that Barre and
Washington ought not be delinquent in SO.
curing the electric railroad, for by so doing
they can double their resources and double
their income.
Eugene Sullivan, the well-known expert
carver and statue cutter Of Barre, was next
introduced. Mr.. Sullivan said he had come
over there because he wanted to say little
about Washington granite but he was afraid
TO say much for fear he might get lynched
when he got back to Barre. Mr.. Sullivan
then spoke in the highest terms of the stone
guarded at Washington and urged the de-
velopm nj OF the industry.
o, w, Lewis of Is lrre also spoke briefly
in regard to the Washington granite and
referred to the inexhaustable quantities
lying III the hills around Washington. In
his opinion the electric railroad was all
that was needed to bring this industry to
the front rank.
Rev f w Cuninoa NJ Rarra uaa tho
next speaker. Mr.. Cummings said it is
common saying that the world is growing
smaller, not that this old earth is growing
less in dimensions, but means Of communi
cation bring the people into close relation
ship to each other. There are two tenden-
ces at the present time, one is toward sepa-
ration and isolation, such ash found on the
farms and in the hill towns of Vermont,
and the other is to concentrate in large
towns and cities. The improved means Of
communication furnished by the electric
railway betters both of these conditions
and the people OF Washington, every one
of them, should be interested in bringing
an electric railroad through that beautiful
country and at the same time increase their
incomes and the value of their farms. The
people OF Barre want to see this road built.
The people of town and State are linked to-
gether in common interests and what bepe-
fits one benefits all, MIR. Cummings closed
by saying that he hoped the project would
De put through ana That the people OF
Washington would succeed in getting a
road.
DR.. w, e. Locke Of Corinth said he simp-
ly wished to say that he hoped the enter
prise would succeed and that the labors of
the people OF Washington would never
cease until the obj set of the gathering that
day was accomplished. Roscoe II. Will
liams, a prominent farmer of Corinth, was
very earnest in his expression of opinion that
the road should be built and that it would
not only benefit the people of Washington
and East Barre but would be OF incalcul-
able benefit to the farmers Of Corinth and
near by towns.
The most fowery and eloquent address
OF the day was made by Prof. G. III. Rich
ardson of Dartmouth college. In acknowl.
edging the happy introduction by Judge
Dickey OF him as a Washington boy, he
said he was born in Topsham but came to
Washington as soon as possible, making
the trip on top OF cook stove. Among
other things Prof. Richardson said that
nothing was more fitting in the world to
mark the last resting place Of a man than
Washington marble. He had visited quar-
ries in the middle. western and southern