The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-03-31
THE CRY OF DARREs DEoENNIAL.

THE CITY OF BARRE's DECENNIAL.
with the completion Of the admins
tration Just brought to a close, the city
Of Barre rounded out the first decade Of
I'll corporate existence. Then years ago
municipality was carved out Of the
rapidly growing town Of Barre and start
I'd on an experiment, the wisdom Of
which was seriously questioned by many
people. Taken from an intermediary
period Of comnunity's history ten
years do not count for much, bat ten
years at the inception Of a corporate
life are all.important; they are fraught
with great significance. The beginning
is trying time. II is, indeed, q crucial
period. So, as the citizens Of Barre
look back upon history comparatively
brief. they see a pathway strewn with
difficulties and perplexities, and yet,
they see d municipality struggling pow
erfnlly in spite Of its youth, and final
IL rising superior to the problems which
surrounded il. The city d Barre today
Il far different from the city OF Barre
il 1895, ard the difference Is for the
better.
Lying ii the foundation, the city's
charter, drawn up il the fall Of 1894,
has been strengthened from time 70 time
until We now have well.rounded in.
strument fitted for tie needs Of the
community IN most respects it is ideal
for the city, and with that as a basis
for government Barre has steadily adj
yanced For ten years the voters have
chosen administrative officers, and in
the main these officers have been found
faithful 10 their trust In these years
there have been seven different mayors,
beginning with Emery I. Smith and end
ing with the present executive, William
Barclay, whose present term Of Office
(his second) starts the second decade
Between these officials are, John NJ.
Gordon, four times honored with the
office, Harvey Hersey, Nelson D. Phelps,
Charles w Aelcher and DR. ]. Henry
jackson Elected On non-party lines
these officers have represented a major
ity Of citizens in all parties. The re-
suits have been satisfactory. That The
city has advanced IN those years can be
shown hy just 4 brief recourse to com
parative figures. When The old town d
Barre was divided the little city was
left with population numbering about
1000 people fprobabIy less), the rel
mainder, represented by perhaps $500
people, being included within the bound
aries Of the new town Of Barre, which,
BY The way, has shown growth COM
menmrate Will that Of the city. That
was in 1905. The most conservative
estimate at tho present time puts the
population Of tic city alone at 10000,
thus revealing an increase Of about ff-
ty per cent AS growth is measured in
Vermont that il large.
And while the population Of The city
Inns been going steadily ahead, the
wealth has been increasing ii not only
IS great proportion, but even greater.
The frst appraisal after the formation
Of tae city showed grand list 81 s24.
1868, aodest sum- At the last APP
praisal It was sa3,s67os, modest sum,
TOO, but denoting growth The debt Of
the city ten years ago was sis3,24475.
az against $22e, 6s6.62 now exclusive
Of the water department debit. The
water debt is not source of worriment
as The plant IS showing itself 70 have
been worth the purchase, ii 1898 the
sum Of $152.6s6l5 was necessary 10
run tie aiTairs 81 die municipality.
Last year the cost Of the same was
S1s7,04492. In property the municipal-
ity il vastly better Of At the present
time than il 1895. Then the eity's as-
sets were about $4,000; now it has
S32s,4SA75 ii real estate and personal
property There is something 10 show
for expenditures made We need per-
haps To mention that the city has one
OF the finest public school systems IN the
state and that Of the nine structures
Tor that purpose, five were erected dur
ING the decade. Nor should we fail to
say that the city has erected fine city
hall, at a valuation Of $4,000, that
city farm has been purchased, that a.
commodious fire department station re-
places the outgrown building Of the
citys infancy, that d water system has
been purchased and il being kept in
good condition, that miles Of concrete
sidewalks have been laid, that large
section Of the main business thorough
fare has been paved with the granite
which is making the city known all over
tic world, that an excellent fire alarm
system has been installed, Coupled
with these material signs Of progress
are the less noticeable, but nevertheless,
lust as certain Indications II an nd
vance.
The granite industry, the basis q
The citgs growth, has been going for