Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-04-25
COUNTY SEAT REMOVAL.
The Question Discussed from the New
fame Standpoint.


In another county paper there have
been publications which seem intended to
cast a slur on Newfane and the Jail man
agement, and which are calculated to
create false impression in the county.
Mr.. Editor: An editorial in your issue
of the 18th inst. gives us an informal
notice that steps will be taken to secure
an enabling act from the legislature of
1902 for the removal of the county seat
from Newfane to Brattleboro, with many
very good suggestions as to how the con-
test should be carried on. 1t is true that
two or three times within the last few
years prisoners have broken Jail and some
of them have not been captured. l don't
suppose there is a jail in the state but
what has had more or less of the same
experience. Jails are not supposed 70
have armed guards and sentinels posted
at every avenue of escape as do prisons
and still It is doubtful If there is a prison
in the United States that has been in use
as long as the Jail in Newfane but what
has had prisoners escape. If at any time
the jailers here have been too careless or
lenient it is the duty of the Sheriff to look
into the matter, and If there is blame
anywhere apply the remedy. III the
county wants a more modern jail the new
steel cages could easily be put in.
From whence came this demand for
the twenty-six lawyers live in Brattleboro
and Bellows Falls, and one-half of all
reside in Brattleboro OF course 1t Is for
their interest to have the change made.
We sincerely believe that majority OF
the business men of the county, the
PARTIES that have business at the county
court would never demand a change. L
suppose there are hundreds of voters in
the county that do not realize what they
own in county buildings and that II
change is made their property would be
valueless They own one of the best and
most imposing court houses in the state.
The site is in one of Vermonts beautiful,
quiet villages, and fronting as fine park
as there is in any village in Vermont.
They own one of the best hotels, with 70
rooms all furnished, besides large hall
with thirteen beds, all furnished with
new hair mattresses to accommodate pan
els of Jurors on criminal cases, large
barn for transient and livery business,
and modern system of sewerage has
been recently put in at quite large eX-
pense All of which would be almost
worthless If the change is made
We have reason to believe that the pre-
siding judges are very favorably Impress
ed with Newfane as nice ana quiet
place for holding court, as Judge Rowell
well said at the last term of court, in his
charge to the petit jurors that 1t was
their duty to be present during court
hours that there was no reason why they
should not be as there were no outside in
fuences in this quiet village as in larger
places We have nice boarding places
where parties having business at court
that don't want to pay hotel prices can
always be entertained at 10 cents day,
and one boarding house entertained eight
or ten persons during the last term or
court at so cents a day. We predict that
If the change is made people would have
to paw double the price for board that
they do now.
Brattleboro proposes to raise thirty
five thousand dollars towards building a
court house. I don't think that would be
over one-half what a court house would
cost Then a Jail separate from the court
house must be built at cost from fifteen
to twenty thousand dollars. so when all
finished the county finds itself saddled
with a debt of from fifty to f1fty-five
thousand dollars, with a yearly expense
of a janitor and jailer of from eight to ten
hundred dollars. Here the landlord OF
the county hotel acts as jailor without
compensa ton except a small fee for com
hitting and discharging prisoners. OBJ
servation teaches us that as rule public
buildings cost more than the estimate. I
don't believe there is one good candid
business man in Windham county that
would say that a court house and sep
arate building for Jail, buildings that
would satisfy the people and be in har-
mony with Brattleboro and its buildings,
could be built for less than from eighty
five to ninety thousand dollars. Now I
believe that when all of the facts in the
case are fairly ventilated majority of
the towns in this county will send rep
resentaives to the next legislature that
will oppose the change.
GEO. X. DAVIS.
Newfane. April 81. 1902.