The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-10-18
Summer Businessn in Cash.


Other New England states might
proftably initiate Maine in making a
survey Of the amount Of real property
within its borders which represents in
Yestments Of non-residents used by them
for summer sojourn. The Maine bureau
Of statistics has just completed what
may be called a census Of Names "sum-
mer business" to be submitted to the
| legislature in accordance with the re-
quirements Of the law
The bureau which has had the co-ope-
ration Of local assessors finds that there
are in the settled parts OF Maine"
4 5007 cottages located in 226 cites,
towns and plantations, owned By citizens
of other states and occupied only during
''the summer season" These Cottages
are assessed al Sl0.l62 .0s3 In the aggre-
gate, an average Of $4,000 each. IN addi.
1 tion to summer homes Of non-residents,
the bureau found there were 4.050 cot
tages owned by Maine citizens, and occu-
pied only for temporary soiourns, valued
at $3.I09.473. in 233 cities and towns,
The summer hotels as distinguished
from hostelries open all the year round
numbered 620, in 1872 places, and were
assessed at S2,235.0T5 First and last,
the bureau finds that there are l0,367
summer cottages and hotels, taxed at
Si5.50653I. This sum does not measure
the exact amount Of capital invested,
for the legislature forgot to provide the
money and machinery for ascertaining
the value Of personal property, furnish
ings, etc, and as It was impossible for
the bureau to canvass thousands Of indi-
viduals, this detail could not be worked
out In figures, Enough was developed
by the investigation to prove the com
mercial worth of natural beauty, and
to illustrate the power Of the call Of
the wild to promote the prosperity Of a
single state Assuming that the 5000
summer cottages each shelter FIVE persons
from other states in the course Of the
season, that means that $4,000 persons
soiourn in Maine. and a very appreciate
addition to its commercial revenues dur
ing q season when its industries are lia-
bic to be more or less on vacation.
II every neighboring state took the
trouble to make an inquiry, the result
would demonstrate that hundreds of
thousands Of persons have preference
for New England's air and scenery that
becomes d fixed habit Of thought for va
cation time. The colonies" of South
erners and Westerners found in New
England Of summers are comparatively
new expressions of the appreciation Of
New England Of summers are compare
lively new expressions OF the apprecia
ton Of New England held In localities
far distant. These colonies are beeom-
/ ing numerous and are placing in our
New England Technology some names
that may puzzle the future antiquarian
should the preference they express ever
pass away.
Maryland Point, one Of the most beau
tiful promontories of Lake Winnipesau-
kee, is so-called because colony af
Marylanders find ii their ideal place Of
summer soiourn. With all the current
appreciation Of New England, there Is
room left for long -continued expansion,
for the visitor either to the mountain
or the shore cannot fail to have noted
many thousands of beautiful spots where
the builder Of summer cottages" has
not gone.-Boston Transcript