Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-05-23
What J. H. Ware of Townshend Says
in Regard to Moving the County
Seat to Brattlehoro.

In 1892, ten years ago, l was in the
legislature. a great effort was made
at that time by two or three of our lead
ing lawyers in this county to move the
county seat from Newfane to Brattle-
boro. They wanted the bill that was in
troduccd referred to a special commit
tee We that were opposed to the bill
thought it should go before the members
from Windham county, and after quite
a little fight we succeeded i'm getting the
bill referred to the representatives from
this county. At that time only three
members were in favor of making the
change, they were representatives from
Rockingham, Westminster and Brattle-
boro.
Those members did not act the wish
es of all the tax payers in those towns;
for a petition was presented in the leg
islature, signed by n large number of
good business men in Brattleboro, say
ing that they did not want the county
seat moved there. The bill was re-
ported in the house that 1t ought not to
pass. The makers of the bill We're not
satisfied with that; so we had to fight
it out on the floor of the house.
Now what has taken place the past
ten years to change the minds of the
people? / fail to see anything. The
argument against moving the county
seat is greater today than 1t was ten
years ago. We have put good deal of
money into the repairing of the county
buildings in the last few years The
court house is all right as good an one.
If not better, than the one al Montpelier.
and lots Of other court houses in the
state. The jail with a few hundred
dollars expended, can be made good
enough for any county Jail. And no
one can say but what they are centrally
located. The hotels and all the private
families set nice tables and are very
hOSDit1 &c
in session. The railroads run extra
trains whenever the court people want
them to. Everything is all right and
why not let well enough alone?
Move the county seat to Brattleboro
even If Brattleboro would pay the whole
expense of building the court house and
Jail then what would come? A large
yearly county tax, very much larger
than we are paying now. besides running
a small town. They would want a
salaried janitor the year around electric
lights, steam heat and nice lawns and
every thing of this kind which would
make an immense yearly tax. | do not
believe Windham county is able to pay all
this unnecessary expense. together with
all the other taxes that we are obliged to
| pay. Newfane has done everything 1t
could do. 1t bonded heavily for the
| railroad so as to make it easy to get to
and from. We ought not to think favor
ably of any bill that will be likely to
| be presented. If the lawyers and the
| people that attend court regularly are
dissatisfied with the accommodations
| that they receive at Newfane why not
| let II be known? Ask the citizens of
| Newfane to give them better accommo-
| dations and they will do It, without
| doubt, If 1t lies in their power Every
| town should think this matter over
| candidly the next three months. and
| those towns that want to keep the
| county buildings where they now are.
| and keep the taxes down so that we
| can live and pay as we go; should send
| men to the legislature instructed to do
| everything they can do to keep the
| county seat where 1t now is and where
| our forefathers. with their wise judg-
| ment, located It,
| ]. II. WARE.
| Townshend VT