Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-03-19

ne IDeIuDeTS Oi tue SeulUf cldSS VI lue
w. H. s. cleared about S15 by giving
their play, GA Fighting Chance" at
GaysvilIe last Friday evening.
The selectmen have divided the town
| into two highway districts as follows:-
The division line is practically the third
| branch of White river from Randolph
line to it's junction with White river and
then up White river to the Stock bridge
| line. The west part of the town is called
Highway District No. 1 and the east part
District No. 2. In addition there is set
to District No. the road from Bethel to
Stock bridge line from the Branch bridge
and that part of the Lillieville Hill road,
from the top of Sand hill to the southerly
line of the farm of A. d. Rindge.
A Dangerous Crossing.
People are beginning to realize that
one of the most dangerous crossings in
this state is that of the Bethel Granite
railway near F. B. Southworth's, about
one mile south of the village. The
danger does not arise from passing
trains, but from the crossing itself.
The highway and railroad meet here on
a very acute angle. Unless one is very
careful, there is great chance that a
passing vehicle, wagon or sleigh, will
|
rail and the crossing timber. If this
happens and the team is going with
any speed whatever, the resule is almost
sure to be a tip-over. People familiar
with the crossing realize this danger
and approach the crossing as nearly as
possible at a right angle and with low
degree of speed. Strangers, especially
those travelling northerly, take the
crossing as most crossings are taken, at
a good sharp gait, it being down hill,
and on an acute angle. Innumerable
persons have done this and then got
entangled between the rails and cross
ing timbers and gotten out by using
care. Many others have suffered mis-
haps.
The last accident happened Saturday
afternoon when E. w. Bartlett of
Springfield was driving handsome
pair of valuable horses that had been
sold and were brought here for deliv-
cry. Being a stranger to the crossing,
he took it as strangers generally do and
quicker than flash the sleigh runners
were in the slot and the sleigh tipped
over and Mr.. Bartlett was thrown out.
He held to the reins and was dragged
on the ground for quite distance, but
receiving severe bruises and seeing no use
of holding on longer, he let go and the
team ran about two miles and was then
stopped with no damage to the team.
Other recent accidents at this crossing,
arising in the same manner, were those of
| George Waters and s. III. Richards.
The question is up to the town authori-
ties of Royalton how long they will en-
dure this menace. to life. If nature ever
made location where an overhead cross
ing was feasible, it was this place. By
going only few rods further there will
be found an overhead crossing nearly
completed. The Granite railway passes
through a narrow stone cut, nearly high
enough. for crossing.
A Golden Wedding.
Mr.. and Mrs. David I. Dyke celebrated
the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage
at their home in this village Saturday.
Mrs. Dyke was born in Bethel April II,
1888. She was the thirteenth child of
| family of fourteen children. The others
still living are j. K. Williams, Amplias
Williams, Mrs. Jane Bowen, Mrs. Frank
lin Parsons and Mrs. Amanda Morse.
! Thomas Williams, her father, was born
in Cornish, n. H., and was one of the
early settlers in Bethel. Mr.. Dyke was
born in Bethel Dec. s, 1887. His grand
/ father was Elias Dyke, one of the early
/ settlers, and his father was Augustus
Dyke. Two uncles of David Dyke left
| town in their youth, John Dyke going to
Maine and Daniel Dyke going to Ohio by
OK team. David Dyke was the third of
/ four children.
| Mr.. and Mrs. Dyke were married
! March Ia, 1858, by Elder Golf at the par
sonage at Randolph Center and the next
day Mr.. Dyke began work on job of
y
for the late Augustus M. Marsh on lands
in the rear of the farm where Elmer
Spalding now lives.
Three children have been born to Mr..
and Mrs. Dyke; Effie, wife of Melvin NJ
Cox of Barnard, who died March 26,
| 1888; DeIbert H., now living in Bellows
Falls, and Mabel, very successful teach
er of many years experience, now living
with her parents.
Practically all of their married life has
! been spent in Bethel. Mr.. Dyke in early
life was farmer and took lumber and
wood jobs and in later years has engaged
in carpentering and has erected many
/ houses in Bethel and Randolph.
Saturday was glad day at the Dyke
home and neighbors and friends and rel
atives called in great numbers to congrat-
ulate the couple. Dinner was served at
noon to about forty. At the first and
second tables, the combined ages of thir-
kty-two persons was 2,06S years, an aver
age of 60 years.
Mr.. and Mrs. Dyke were assisted in
receiving the guests and serving refresh
ments by Mrs. W. j. Brooks, Mrs. Ellen
Lattimer, Mrs. Xix Williams, Mrs. S. q.
Bent, Mrs. W. E. Graham, Mrs. Glenn
Cox, Misses Gladys Wilson and Helen
Brooks.
One hundred dollars was left with
them, mostly in gold. Two handsome
cakes were received, one from Mrs. Frank
ID. Angel of Dorchester. Mass, and one
from Mr.. and Mrs. F. II. Hyde of White
River Junction. There were also many
| flowers and other mementoes, among
them being piece of handwork by
Cylena, the four-year-old daughter of Mr..
and Mrs. John Morse.
/ Among those present from out of town
| were Mrs. Roswell Holbrook, Miss Cora
Holbrook and Carl Edminster, Mr.. and
Mrs. G. j. Dyke, Mr.. and Mrs. Newell
Byam of Randolph; Mr.. and Mrs. F. w.