St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-03-18
VERMONT NEWS.
Free MaiI DeliyerY for the Fnrmers.

and collected by government carriers
indicates not only the remarkable de-
velopement OF what is termed rural free
delivery, but its broad and deep sig.
nihcance to the country at large. When
it is remembered that this area com.
prises nearly one third of the territory at
present devoted to agriculture, and that
the beginning of the present service dates
back as recently as 1896, more intelli.
gent conception can be gained of its ex.
pansion. Yet the permanent organi-
cation of this department of the post
office was not effected until Tuly 1. 1902.
when its necessity was emphasized by re.
ports which showed that S,466 routes
were in operation, an increase OF 4165 in
one year, while on June &c. 1900, but
1876 routes were being served, requiring
an appropriation tor expenses of $780,
600, which in 1901 was raised to 5000
740. Since the date Of the permanent
establishment, however, the force of
carriers has been Creased until at
present it constitutes an army of
about 10000, who daily travel over
nearly 100000 miles OF highway for the
benefit of a population of about 7O0O,-
600. In some of the states the routes
have been heightened by the demand for
the facilities offered by the government
until entire counties depend on the carrier
service, aud the country post office in
corner of the crossroads, store, or per-
haps blacksmith shop, is rapidly becom-
ing a memory. About 2200 offices of
this class have been discontinued; their
salary list amounting to 5000, 900 annu-
ally. The delivery has also taken the
place of about Is per cent Of the star
route service costing $650,000.
RooseyeIrs bouquet.
| When President Roosevelt, during his
recent tour OF New England, stopped for
a few minutes at White River Junction,
Senator Redfeld Proctor was 10 the
party and noticed Captain Horace
French of Lebanon, n. H., in the crowd
that had gathered around. Senato or
! Proctor was in the same regiment as the
captain-the Third Vermont-in the civil
war, and Immediately called to French
to come up On the platform of the presi-
| Dental car.
Captain French did so, and was in
troduced to the president as lone of the
| bravest men in The army"
Il am certainly most pleased to meet
you, capt ain" said the president; The
senator has paid you a great compli-
ment-that statement in which he places
you amorg the btavest men in the army
means good DEAL
Senator Proctor refers to the war of the
Rebellion" said Captain French. THE
bravest officer in the Spanish war is be
fore me-"
The president was apparently much
pleased with the compliment, as could be
seen from the smile that he wore as the
train pulled out OF the station a few min
utes later New York Commercial.
Slate Company at Mortified.
Mortified expects a boom from the
formation of the Vermont Black Slate
company, 5000 600 capital, with Walter
Dole, Paphro D. Pike, Charles c. Brill,
William ". Holden and Charles Dole as
incoi porators. Mr.. Pike is president
and manager, and Walter Dole secretary
and treasurer. Mr.. Pike is from New
York city, and after several months in.
vestigation is satisfied that the slate
deposits in Mortified are superior to
any now known in this country. He is
an inventor who has designed valuable
ma ,hirery and devices for quarrying and
furnishing slate. The new company will
equip quarries with the latest machinery
at an early date and will also build a
finishing mill near the railroad track in
Mortified village. The mill will give a
market to individual operators who
wish to operate quarries and to dis
pose of their product to the milling com
pany. The demand for Mortified slate
is greater now than ever before.
Rev. |. c. Mclaughlin has been ap
pointed by Rt. Rev. ]. S. Michaud o.
Burlington, bishop of the Roman Catho
lie diocese of Vermont, to take the place
of the Rev. Joseph Therein of Waterbury
who has had charge OF several parishes
in that section. Father Mclaughlin
began his duties last Sunday. Father
Therein will go to Underhill where he
will have charge of the Catholic parish.
Mrs. !. Walter May of Newton, Mass.
daughter of ex Gov. U. A. Woodbury. o.
Burlington, has brought suit for divorce
against her husband. She asks for ali
mony OF 100000 and has attached Mr.
Mays property. The couple were mar
ried about eight years ago, have two
children, and have been society lead
ers in Newton. Mr.. May is travelling
salesman. The grounds for divorce are
plainly stated to be marital irregulari
ties of Mr.. May, particularly in Port
land, Me-. and in addition cruel and abus
i've treatment is charged.
James X. Pirie of Barre has bought the
Wells & Lamson dark quares, one Of the
largest at Graniteville, and in thu
transaction over 100000 has changed
hands. Mr. Pirie sells to the Lamsor
estate his interest in the light quarry.
Owners of automobiles in Vermont
have called meeting at the Pavilion il
Montpelier for Thursday, March &c, tC
discuss the law passed by the Legislature
OF 1902 regulating the speed OF motor
vehicles in Vermont A good deal OF dis
satisfaction is expressed in some quarter
over this law.
The Parker & Young company OF Lis
bon, N. H., have bought the entire hold
ings of the Reed Brothers, Brattleboro
: consisting OF over 5000 acres of timbe
lands, mills and sawed lumber in STRAIT
ton and Winhall. The purchase price i
, understood to have exceeded SIS, OOC
| The principal industry of the Parker
Young company is the manufacture @
, piano sounding boards.
S. L. Griffith of Dandy, who ha