Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-06-15
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.
THE "sumMeR BoARDeR" BUSINESS

HE SOMMtR BOAHOeH bOSlNGoo'
That the summer boarding business is
a big source of profit to our neighboring
state, New Hampshire, has been known
a long time, remarks the Burlington
News. But we have never seen the
actual figures till this year. special
report on the subject has been made by
the State Bureau of Labor. The bureau
has secured returns from every town in
the state with regard to the number of
city people who come to it in the sum-
mer, the prices paid by them for board.
and suggestions for increasing the In
come of the state by encouraging new
boarders to come to it.
The commissioner of labor, l.. II.
Carroll, says that aside from the profit
in money which the entertainment of
boarders brings to New Hampshire, the
influence of the outsiders on the state
for the last few years has been shown by
the interest of the people generally in
good roads, In rural mail delivery, and in
town improvements and rivalry.
The commissioner report shows that
there is invested in the summer boarding
business in the state the sum of SO ,4l2,-
352: of this amount S937 ,7S5 was invest
ed in new buildings and Improvements
in the year 1899 in 100 towns. The town
of Dublin all by itself invested Sl53,0O0
in cottages, summer places and general
improvements during the year. Mr..
Carroll believes thai If the people of the
state made the most of their opportunities
the income from the summer boarding
business within very few years will be
from SD, 900, 900 to $40 100000 year.
The report contains a great mass of de-
tailed statistics of which the following
is summary:
Number of towns and cities taking
guests..... .''''''''. ''''' '-of
Number of towns and cities not TAX
ing gucStS................... 81
Number of farm houses where board
ers are taken. .'.'..'lb2l
Increase of summer guests over lS9S....... Sob
Increase in cash received by hotels
ana farm houses over lsls.....,.....S4O2, 81
Number of guests remaining one
week or longer. .............. 'l>,2-=
Number remang less than one -
week. 80 iOp
Number of persons occupying cot
tageS ~ o1-
summer people, altogcther..............l7 $50
Cash received for board, etc. from .,-o,- M
summer eOplc............... ..'''Sl "fnJ W
Cash received from railroad fares .
Cash received from stage farc-.......,.'3 20 . ,
Steamboat fares on the lakes. $50. '6l'to92I
Invested in cottages, hotels ana -
other summer buildings. ,'>1 60
The report says that the grange or
carnations among the farmers have
done much to impress the farmers with
the profitable possibilities of summer
business. The railroads have helped to
circulate printed matter ard to inform
neople in the cities about the country
places in the state. Electric railroads
near the large towns have already found
that their summer incomes Justify the
extending of their lines far beyond the
profitable winter limits.
Mr.. Carroll says: "The summer bust
ness will help settle the subject of I'M
occupied farms; many have already been
purchased by city people, VINO nave re-
paired and remodeled the buildings or
built new ones in place of those once
standing, thus converting these available
estates into attractive summer homes and
thus bringing many helpful forces to
many rural town.
The report urges the state to do every
thing ii can afford to in encouraging the
summer business. Mr.. Carroll advises
that the state eXpend a sum Of money
each year in buying in forest preserves
that will save the water supply OF the
state and to establish game preserves.
IL cites the example of New York 10
show how much can be done in the way
of establishing a forest preserve by
the state.