Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-06-18
FRIDAY, JUNE IS, 1909.
Shall We Have . Savings Bank 2

5hoI we rave q savings 6ahk z
Is the village of Middlebury to be con-
trolled by the owners Of 10 automobiles,
not one of whom has ever been promi-
nent in any way in the advancement OF
either village or town, and whose whole
grand list is but trifle over 10000,
in total of over $4,000, 000,- less than
one-sixty-sixth
Mr.. Bsttell is prepared to complete his
block, already, perhaps, the largest and
finest under one ownership in the State,
and certainly will be if extended to the
river as intended, but realizing the very
narrow road in front of it, continued by
a narrow bridge of about 40 feet in
length, and the same width of road for a
few rods further, until it widens at the
Vallette block, and also supplemented by
the very abrupt turn at the post office,
where two horses have already been
killed in collision, he refuses to build at
all unless the speed of automobiles is
limited at this point to the rate of six
miles an hour, and adequate provision
made for the enforcement of such regu-
lations.
This, so far, the trustees have failed to
do, although four, if not five, are in
favor of doing it, but one or two of them
appear to be afraid of offending, or at
least disagreeing with the two members
of the board who own automobiles.
Al.
ground floor of such addition, go or, if
wanted, so feet in length, by 80 in width
and IS in height, for a savings bank to
include all ordinary banking facilities,
and hopes to be able to combine such under
the very able management of the pres
ent Middlebury bank
This new building as planned would be
wonderfully well adapted for such pur
pose both in situation and structure, with
windows upon three sides and the creek
wall constructed of Isle LaMotte marble
like that of the bridge.
Such building, besides giving thous-
ands of dollars of work to different citi-
zens, and increasing very materially the
business of our merchants, would in
crease the grand list quite materially as
soon as built; and we are strongly of the
opinion that well established savings
bank at Middlebury would be worth to
the town and vicinity in different ways,
attracting business and cultivating
among all habit of saving, at least, a
million dollars every twenty-five years.
The speed limit requested is not a
specially low one. Gov. Stewart eX-
pressed the opinion that this limit should
be four miles an hour, which is the limit
on street, the principal business street
in Washington, as also on certain streets
in Boston, and quite occasionally other
towns and cities. A six mile limit is
quite common.
If the trustees look at for the interests
of at least 99-100 of the citizens of the
village, and safety of all, they will limit
the speed of automobiles on this strip of
road to miles an hour. AS Mr.. Battell
believes he is right, that no automobile
should be permitted to go over this por-
ton of our highways at faster speed
than six miles an hour, he will not build
the block until such limit is established
But if such regulation is made, at once
the walls will be begun, the material OF
which lies upon the ground or within
easy reach
1t should be remembered that already
one boy has been knocked down
on this bit of road by an automobile
which ran over him, but by what seemed
miracle did not very severely injurt
him. Generally they MAIN or kill
1t should be remembered too, that
across this bridge and the whole length
of this road several hundred schoo
children and grown scholars pass severa
times a day, besides many other pedes
TRANS, and by actual count on ordinary
days over one thousand horse-drawn We
hicles, besides a few automobiles.