St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1907-01-02
Vermont News.
Death Of Ex-speaker Merrifield.

about $50 Saturday afternoon of acute
angina pectoris. He had an attack in
his office about noon and went from
there to the Brooks House, where he
died.
Mr.. Mortified was one of the most
prominent men in Vermont. He was
elected speaker of the House in 1902 and
again in 1904. He was candidate for
t6e nomination of acknowledgement
last fall and received generous support,
Notwithstanding the fact that on his
own part he made no effort to secure the
office.
He was born in Newfane, June II,
1847. He attended Springfield Wesleyan
seminary, and until 1881 he was engag-
ed in the farming and mercantile business.
For four years he represented Vermont
loan and trust company in Dakota, and
afterwards was for long time station
agent in Williamsville.
Since 1897 he had been clerk of the
county, having his office in Brattleboro.
He had been selectman and superintend-
emf of schools in his native town. He
was a member of the House in 1878,
1880 1902 and 1904, and of the Senate
;n1896. He was engrossing clerk in 1874
and 1878, and clerk of the House in 1892
and 1894. For many years hewas a JUS
tice of the peace. His wife was Miss Ella
R Stratton of Newfane. A brother, A.
NJ. Merrifeld, lives in Williamsville, and
another brother Webster Mortified, is
president of the University of North Da-
kota. Mr.. Mortified was a man of scru
pulous honor and honesty and of far
reaching influence.
Curious Trophies.
David Galusha, a well known fox
hunter of Salisbury, has been ex-
hibiting two fox skins that have been
generally admired and one of which has
caused considerable curiosity. One of
the skins is that of a ''cross-fox," the
progeny of a common red fox and
black or silver gray. Specimens of this
hybrid are not uncommon in northern
New England but the skin possessed by
Mr.. Galusha is an unusually fine one,
the entire back being dark gray with no
brown markings. The other skin is that
of an Alaska blue fox such as are raised
for their fur on the Aleutian islands in
Berling sea. How the animal ever found
its way into Vermont is mystery and
can be accounted for in only one way.
Several years ago several of these foxes
were brought from Alaska to Randolph,
and presented to farmer who put a
high wire fence about a tract of wild
land with the intention of raising the
animals for their fur One or more of the
foxes may have escaped and wandered
to SALISBURY to fall victim to Mr..
Galushas gun. The fur is about the
color and texture of plucked beaver but
is longer and not so firm.
Stubborn Fire in Bellows Falls.
A stubborn fire broke out early Deem
Der %, in the fruit store of John Balde-
saro in Bellows Falls. The fire spread
to adjoining stores and the whole build
ing was soon in flames. The building
was occupied by the Bellows Falls
bakery, Cometa lunch room, John
Baldesaro's fruit store, Frank Saline,
boots and shoes, Exener g. Holmes,
cigars and restaurant, and ]. E. Byrnes
barber shop. The entire building was
Quilted inside of an hour. c. w. Stewart,
proprietor Of the Bellows Falls bakery
lost $3,0O0 insured for $4,000; Frank
Pitcher of the Cometa lunch rooms had
just started and had all new fixtures
which were destroyed, with no insurance;
John Baldesaro was partially insured,
loss about 81, 500; Frank Salinos loss is
about $500, and he is insured; Exener &
Holmes loss is $1,000 with partial
insurance; ]. E. Byrnes places his loss at
$1,000; Frank Brown, owner of the
building, loses $1,000 and is insured.
The upper part of the building was oc-
cupied by tenants, who escaped in their
night clothes, losing practically every
thing. The building will be rebuilt at
once.
An 0ctogenarian Marriage.
At Waterbury, Thursday morning
Benjamin B. Cook, of Barre, and Mrs.
Laura l.. Atherton, of Waterbury were
married at the brides home, by Rev F.
B. Kellogg, pastor of the Congregational
church. The groom is 80 years old and
the bride is 80 years old. Both were
born in Barre and attended the public
school together. Mr. Cook is man Of
means and for more than 40 years was
a member of the firm of Smith, Whit
comb, & Cook, manufacturers of granite
tools, retiring two years ago. His
second wife died less than year ago
The bride has lived in Waterbury for sc
years. Her husband died IL years ago
Both bride and groom are in excellent
health and neither have any children
4 The wedding was kept secret and Mr.
and Mrs. Cook left Thursday for theil
n home in Barre.
"a Supreme Court Trial Calendar Small
IA The trial calendar for the January
y term of supreme court to be opened il
Montpelier, Tuesday, January 8, is the
smallest on record, containing only "a
cases. The cause is due to the fact thai
the time OF holding supreme court was
Is placed about two weeks earlier by thu
recent Legislature, and many of the law
yers mad apparently forgotten the mat
ter and did not set their cases for argu
lnent. The session will last two week.
according to the schedule, unless counse
makes some other agreement in regart
NJ to their cases.
May Bring Foreign Birds to Vermont.
Y A meeting of Rutland sportsmen wa
held last week, called to discuss thu
feasibility OF stocking coverts of Vernon
with foreign game birds such as Dalripa
a Norwegian ptarmigran capercialzie, ;
grouse of northern Europe which attain
a weight of twelve pounds, blackjack
n and ringnecked pheasants, also con
n tinental birds. The matter has beer
talked of for long time and it is likel,
that some action will be taken in tn
"a near tttt11ra n &c that CON,