The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-09-13
All offered inducements.

All Offered Inducements.
Every one OF those municipalities
where the Legislature occasionally gath
Iered offered arguments and inducements
to secure the coveted honor and in many
instances their representatives were
very strenuous in putting forth their
claims, but Montpelier, which had never
been honored with 4 meeting Of the
august statesmen, offered advantages in
the way Of location, natural resources
and beauty Of surroundings which seem
ed to the colonial representatives Of
the people to outweigh all the favorable
considerations presented in behalf Of the
other places and the vote, after days
of argument and discussion, was given
to the present meeting place by a large
majority This matter was decided
at the meeting held in Danville from
Oct 10 TO Nov. s, 1905. Subsequent
to that two sessions were held in Mid
dlehmy and Woodstock, but those were
only because the building at Montpelier
was not completed The act was signed
at Danyille, Nov s, 1905.
In tins connection a curious but I'M
important error in regard TO the date
OF the anniversary celebration has arts
en-. 1t is as follows: While Nov. s,
1905, was the day the act was passed
making Montpelier the permanent eapi-
tai, it was felt BY the citi-
zens that the weather would
be altogether too Indictment an such
date for outdoor exercises. 50 it was
decided that, instead of selecting Nov.
8, the day when the legislature Of 1905
first met, should be chosen. The present
biennial sessions Of the legislature are
called to order the first Tuesday in 0c-
tober, and il was evidently assumed
that such must have been the case in
1905, as Oct. 4 was put down as the ami
yersary date. AS a matter OF fact,
however, the DanviIle session OF 1905
was not opened until Oct. 10, and it
was not until 1870 that the first Tues
day was selected as the day in October
on which the legislature should con
yene.
However, this Is matter OF small
Importance, and will not interfere with
Montpelier's elaborate display. Ii is
well, however, III order to avoid confu-
sion in the future, to bear in mind that
Oct. as date has no part in the
matter at all.
Active were the measures adopted by
some Of the towns to secure the selec-
ton. VeTgennes constructed state
house for the session held IN that town
and offered To give 1t to the common
wealth. Rutland was ready to sub
scribe whatever the representatives
thought necessary, and Windsor had the
plans drawn for building which it
was held would be far superior to any
thing else devised. The Montpelier adj
herents presented such strong arguments,
however, that only a very reasonable
request was made Of the community,
and no difficulty was found BIZ the
inhabitants in complying with il. It
was arranged that the town should give
the land and erect the building by Sept
/, 1905. The value Of the land was
estimated at 1000 and was presented
BY Thomas Davis, Tor many years
resident Of the place, and the inhabi
tants paid the sum necessary for the
structure, the total cost Of the latter
amounting to between $4,000 and So
600.
General Rejoicing Ensued.
Despite the acrimonious efforts Of rem
resentatiyes to secure for other places
the distinction Of being the state CAPT.
tai, all feeling in the matter was dis
sipated and there was general rejoicing
that the peoples representatives were
at last to have a stated place to meet
IN and the commonwealth building
wherein its business could be conducted |
and where its records could be kept
The state government had been organ |
lied for 30 years, and all that time
there had been no seat Of government
no state house. Governors, councillors
and legislators had Travelled to towns
all over the state to transact business
for the common veal, and in dozens Of
instances the representatives had footed
At to the different places, travelling
over the mountains and along the river
roads with clothing and provisions on