Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-04-15

GERS, in voting to investigate the ques-
ton of establishing an Independent
municipal lighting plant, and in voting
to extend to President Taft an invita-
ton to visit Brattleboro next summer
when he comes to Vermont to carry out
an appointment in Burlington. The
president of the board made a statement
which gives ground for the belief that
large cotton mill, to employ several
hundred hands, will be established in
Brattleboro in the near future, to be
supplied with electric power from the
Connecticut river dam. Although all the
old officers were reelected, Secretary
George Il. Fox, who has filled the Office
of secretary with great acceptance the
past four years states positively that
on account of "a pressure Of personal
business he will not serve in that
capacity another year and that his sue
cessor probably will be chosen at the
next meeting of the directors.
President Dennison Cowles called the
meeting to order in Festival hal at 8
o'clock, with about 75 present Secre-
tary Fox read the report of the last an
nual meeting, after which President
Cowles read his annual report, the sub
stance Of which is given elsewhere in this
article. When he had finished his re-
port Mr.. Cowes made several recon-
mendations which he hoped to see car
red into effect this year. one suggestion
was that a better system be established
for the disposal of garbage. Another
was that the streets be watered more
thoroughly. He hopes that the assist
ance Of the village baiiffs may be
secured in enforcing the peddlers' IL
cense law and in bringing about a saner
celebration Of the Fourth Of July. He
hoped also to see a public playground
established.
Treasurer Charles A. Boyden reported
that the receipts of the year were
s1965.92 which, added to the S25s27O on
hand at the beginning of the year made
a total of S454s62 in the treasury during
the year OF this amount $17l4.63 was
expended, leaving a balance on hand
at the present time of $2S3S.99, or about
$3.50 more than was on hand year ago.
Secretary Fox reported that 80 meetings
We're held during the year with a larger
attendance than formerly. He said that
the main features of the work had been
covered in the presidents report
Next came the reports of special COM
mittees, the most important of which
was that of the postal telephone and tele-
graph committee, of which Horton D.
! Walker is chairman. This report was
| devoted largely to the subject OF electric
| lighting Mr.. Walker reviewed the ne
| gotiations with the Twin State Gas and
! Electric company for cheaper rates and
| he recommended that an article be in
! serted in the warrant for the village
meeting looking to the appointment of
a committee to investigate the advis-
| ability and cost of an independent
| distributing station to take power from
the Connecticut River Power company's
plant at the Vernon Hinsdale dam. Col
j. Gray Estey thought that cheaper rates
| ought to be secured. Mr. Cowles called
attention to the cheap rates in force in
Hartford, Conn l.. +. Holden made
| a formal motion which was carried
without opposition embodying the sug-
gestion made by Mr., Walker. Speaking
for the house and entertainment COM
mttee, A. =. Simonds said his commit
! tees report was embodied in that of
| the president
The information relative to the pros
| pective cotton mill was given out at this
point by Mr.. Cowles. He said that the
past year had been a hard one in the
| cotton business and that money was not
as easy as in some years, but that a
site had been secured and that the pros
poet for big mill was very encouraging.
Mr. Cowles said that Edward G. Chace
was deyoting his whole time to raising
money with which to establish the plant
and that he assured Mr.. Cowles that
unless all signs failed the building would
be erected and equipped with machinery
by next winter. This announcement was
greeted with applause Mr.. Chace is
the men behind the Connecticut river
dam enterprise.
When the time came to elect a board
of directors the secretary read two lists
which had been placed in nomination
one of which was made up of the names
of the old board o. ]. Pratt moved
that the old board be reelected, which
was done, the secretary casting one bal
lot for the entire board by vote of the
meeting. The board consists of Denni-
son Cowles, Charles, A. Boyden George
l.. Durham, Charles E. GRAHAM, Edwin
l., Hildreth, Lyman e. Holden, Arthur
L. Maynard, J. Edgar Melen, Michae
j, Moran, William j. Pentland IT., A
f. Roberts, Arthur p. Simonds, Clarence
L. Stickney, Jacob G. Ullery and Horton
ID. Walker. Mr. Walker said he could
not serve another year, but the meeting
was insistent that he remain in office
which he will do. George E. Fox was
elected clerk, Charles A. Harris auditor
and Charles A. Boyden treasurer,
e., M. Adds, local manager of the
Twin State Gas and Electric company
was called on, and he assured the meet.
ing that not for a minute did he con.
slider as a personal reflection ANYTHING
that had been said on the subject OF
lighting. Referring to the conclusions
OF the expert who came to Brattleborc
recently and made report as to what
the village ought to pay for electric
current, Mr.. Adds said that even II the
current was given to the Twin State
company without cost the company could
not afford to distribute It at the price.
quoted by the expert, so many are the
items which enter into the cost of dis
tribution. He said the reduced prices
hecently quoted by the company were not
necessarily the lowest that could be made
although the additional consumption
since the reduction was made amounted